The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-16
SOCIETY


terested in the following letter:
What sense of pleasure 1t is after
reading of country far distant to give
our Imagination unlimited power to clothe
the land with profusions of flowers for
eign to us and people who seem just
enough unreal to be interesting, she
writes from Los Angeles. Yet how far
more enchanting to really be In place
where nature brings her efforts to per-
lection and showers everything with fra
GRANGE and beauty; while the people are
the kind who dare to do with the free
dom so characteristic of the west.
When a little boy was asked what he
thought of New York after his visit he
could only exclaim in his enthusiasm:
New York. New York! New York; |
appreciate his feelings when | think of
California. The immense palms, fern
trees, artistic bungalows wealth of flow
ers and fruits make it seem like fairy
land The climate is that of eternal
spring-always cool, almost uncomfort-
able at times, with long twilights and
beautiful sunsets, with the afterglow in
the east with the same delicate tints
seen in the west. The people say only on
the Pacific are there sunsets in the east.
don't think the sunsets on Salt Lake,
SO well. known for their beauty, surpass
sunset on the Pacific when the tide is
low and the ocean Is not SO troubled.
Southern California appeals to me as
the garden spot of the state, and San
Diego the most favored spot Free from
the noise and din of great city, lack
ing the crowded streets that make
tourist feel alone, one has sense of
reaching a home where he can find
friends. Yet San Diego is destined to be
one of the greatest cities of the west.
It's harbor Is the first port of call for,
the ships going north from the Panama
canal, and ranks next In size to the har-
Dor of San Francisco. In 1915 at the
opening of the Panama canal the city
will have an exposition for the countries
on the Pacific slope.
San Diego is a town of romance and
history At "Old Town." where the set
Element was first made, can be seen tho
oldest palms on the Pacific. also the old.
est olive trees, the Oldest mission and
the sweet toned bells brought from Spain
worth of silver In 1t. A big boulder
marks the place where Fremont planted
the stars and stripes and claimed this
land for Uncle SAM Going from the old
adobe mission whose corridors still echo
with the footsteps of the Franciscan
fathers so greatly loved by the Indians,
we come to the marriage place of Ra-
mona.
One will be we'll repaid by reading
Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona. After
years of study and experience among
the Indians around San Diego, she wrote
this pathetic though beautiful romance
of Ramona and her Indian lovers. In
the little chapel a well informed guide
has a raised outline of the coast and
points travelled by this hunted Indian
and his lovely bride. He tells the facts
and also the legends of the Indians who
claimed to have known the heroine This
low adobe building contains many relics
of Old Town, Paintings and carvings of
the church. brought from Spain; pictures
| of the fathers and some of their fur
niture. The inner court is a mass of
dahlias of every shade as big as our
Cult1Vate0 cnrySantnemufnS ever grow
fuchias in graceful umpels, verbenas and
flowers peculiar to this climate. 1t is
with spirit of reverence we visit these
ruins of another age.
A day spent in Mexico proved worth
while to see those dark-skinned people
in their tall hats and queer costumes on
their narrow village streets.
We visited the arena where the bull
fights are held, though 1t isn't the last
two weeks of my visit at Ocean Bay
beach, Is miles from San Diego, in
palm tent cottage. AS I write the cease
less roar of the tide has the effect of
calming and quoting. We are with
Montgomery family who own the place
and are making our stay delightful by
their southern hospitality. And of all
the people we have met none have meant
more to us than these people from Dixie
for after all there is no place like home.