The Republican journal., 1916-02-10
"Reminiscences OF
Western Travels
BY HELEN M. TODD.
San Dieoo

BY HELEN M, TODD.
| XII.
San Diego.
Next day began most inauspiciously
with an accident to both pairs of our
glasses, a catastrophe with which only
the very near-sighted can sympathize.
Downing our second choice specs" a
visit to the oculist at his opening hour
necessitated a hurried taxi ride to the
Santa Fe station in time for the San
Diego train. A perspiring porter hust-
led US aboard our Pullman, and then we
waited for the wheels to turn and wait
ed and waited. The temporary non-ex-
lstence of the Bakersfield tunnel was
again brought to our notice, for it was
over an hour before connecting train
pulled in, and we were again travelling
south. A beautiful panorama was re-
vealed 70 US, as the road followed the
shore line so closely that we could watch
the waves of the blue Pacific as they
broke on the sands. AS we paused for a
moment at little station we caught a
glimpse of the ruined Mission of San
Juan Capistiano, one of the oldest of the
Missions, founded in 1776, where, by the
way, the last scene of the Mission Play
we had seen at San Gabriel was laid.
Frequent glimpses of the broad highway
OF Ell Canine Real were vouchsafed to
US also, and we watched for the Mission
Bells, which are posted at frequent in
| tervals along its length. The many
motorists we saw on the road, and the
excellence of the road itself, made US
think longirgly of the faithful little Ford
| IN the garage at home
Our attention was presently distracted
from the passing scenery to the other
occupants of the car platform, who were
evidently the newest of mewlyweds, and
were so engrossed with one another that
they were quite obllvious to the presence
of anyone from the outside world The
colored porter on the car behind US spied
them also, and thereafter spent the
greater part of his time in the door of
his car, carefully and ostentatiously
brushing and re-brushing his passen-
gers hats and wraps. In the midst of
particularly sentimental passage caught
his eye, whereat he choked and lodged
hastily back into the car to preserve the
decorum consistent with his porter's
dignity. But the lovers were as undis-
turbed as if we were non-existent, and
rather than 'play gooseberry" too long
we retired into the car to our own seats
and allowed them the rear platform un-
molested
San Diego presents bewildering ar
ray of hotels to the stranger, and buses
from them all were in waiting when we
arrived in the attractive railway station,
which is built in the favorite Mission
style, and would do credit to any city.
We took our seats in the ''double deck
err motor bus belonging to the U. S.
Grant, and were soon whisked up town
to the hotel, which has beautiful loca
ton fronting the Plaza, and is one of the
finest hotels we found in the West.
The Panama California Exposition first
claimed our attention, of course, and af
ter hasty lunch we took the trolley to
the Exposition grounds. These are To-
Gated on a high mesa behind the city,
and the transformation of the arid mesa
to the Paradise of vegetation it has be-
come, has been a veritable triumph for
the landscape gardeners of San Diego.
The buildings are all of the Mission type
of architecture that prevails in Southern
California, and their cool wilderness was
delight to the eye, as the heat of the
day was intense. The exhibits them
selves we're of secondary Importance,
and after brief survey of them we de-
voted the greater part of our two days.
visit to full enjoyment of the wonder
full gardens Astounding on every hand.
The magnificent outdoor organ pre-
sented by the Spreckels brothers seemed
to be the center from which all the rest
of the Exposition life radiated, and it's
notes, mellowed by distance and the
soft, balmy air, sounded throughout the
grounds and created an effect magically
beautiful. Daily concerts were given
on this organ, which is to be a perma-
nent institution in San Diego, and which
is protected from the occasional inclem-
ent weather by an elaborate and sub
stantial housing of cement.
Troupes of Spanish and Mexican sing
ers and dancers in gay costumes were
found here and there entertaining scat
tered groups of sight-seers. and even
the vendors stands, Arab-like effects
of gay striped blankets supported by
four upright spears, made it easy to
imagine we were in foreign country.
1t needed only the tropical effect sup
piled by the palms and flowers to COM
plete the illusion. The pigeons futter-
ing in great numbers about the Plaza
de Panama attracted our attention, and
when a vendor held up packet of parch-
ed corn, with smile and five cents,
please" | fell ready victim, The