The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-08-26


sas, runs that old road, El Ca
mino Real of the early mission
days.
And now repIicas OF old mission
bells, each suspended In solitary dig
nifty from a rusted iron rod, mark In
tervals along the dusty way, once a
narrow trail worn by the patient feet
OF that gentle and great padre, Junl-
pero Sierra, trail from the San Ga
briel valley 10 the shores OF Monterey.
A narrow trail then. but, even then.
TO him II was broad In its potential
significance OF the dawn OF grace upon
the mountain shores OF heavens lost
garden. California.
Not far from one iron posted bell In
the valley, FL Canine Real falters, to
find eventually a lazy way round the
low foothills. as though reluctant to
lift its winding length over the sharp
pitch OF the Canajo pass beyond.
Near this lone bell another road, an
offspring OF old FL Canine Real, runs
quickly from its gray and patient sire.
Branching south IN hurried turns and
multiple windings, It climbs the roll
ing hills, ever lodging the rude piled
masses OF rock, with scattered brush
between, but forever aspiring cour-
ageously through the mountain sage
and sunshine toward It's ultimate green
rest in the shadowy hills
In the sweet sage is the drone OF
bees, like the hum OF IA far city. Tho
thinning, acrid air is tinged with the
faint fragrance Of sunburnt shrubs and
grasses
With the slnuous avoidlngs OF baf-
fed snake the road turns and turns
upon itself until its earlier promise OF
high adventuring seems doubtful. AS
often as not 1t climbs a scmibarren
dun stretch OF sun baked earth dotted
with stubby cactuses. passes these
dwarfed grotesques and attempts tho
narrowing crest OF the canyon wall. to
swing abruptly back to the cactuses
again, gaining but little I'm its upward
trend
Impatient IL finally plunges dizzily
round a sharp outstanding angle OF
rock and down into the unexpected
enchantment OF Moonstone canyon.
Here the gaunt cliffs rise to great Wild
gardens, draped with soft rose and
poignant red amid drowsy undertones
OF gray and green and gold. Dots OF
vivid colors flame and fade and pass
TO lodges OF dank vineclad rock and
again.
At the next turn are the indistinct
voices OF water commlngllng In a
monotone-and the road ceases 10 be
as the cool silver OF mountain stream
cuts through It with seemingly incon-
sequential meanderings, but with the
soft arrogance OF a power too great to
be denied. And the indistinct voices
left behind fade 10 unimaginable
sounds as the stream patters down its
gravelly course, cOntented beyond
measure with It's own adventuring.
Patiently die road takes up It's way,
moving In easier sweeps through a
widening valley, but forever climbing.
Again and again fetlock deep across
II runs the pream. gently persistent
and forever nurmuring Its happy so
liloqules.
Here and there the road passes
quickly through blot OF shade-a
group OF wide spreading live oaks-and
reaPpears gray white and hot In the
sun. Then, fits high ambition fulfilled,
the road Receivers from It's last climb
ing sweep around the base Of shout
| daring hill mud rms straIuht and
smooth TO its ultimate green rest IN the
shade OF the sycamores. Beyond these
two huge limbet warders OF the noun
tain ranch gate there is a flower bor-
dered way. but IL Is the road no longer
The mountain ranch takes It's name
from the canyon below II Is the
Moonstone nnch the home " Louise,
whose ancestors. the Laoharmes. grew
| roses ln old France.