Milford chronicle., 1919-11-21
LETTERSFROM MISSSTIDH

Miss Elizabeth Stidham. who wit
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Atkins ana MI
Earl Atkins, is making a trip across
rhe United States by automobile, an'
Who EXPECT to pass the winter in Cal
.fornia. has consent 70 write an ac
count of this trip for the Chronicle
Los Angeles, Calf.
Nov .. 1919
How de do. Coll
II has been some time since ! wrote
one OF those promised letters but
hardly thought just the going ana
cominps around this town would be
interesting enough to the readers OF
tbe Chronicle However, today we
hacked lunch for eight and started OIL
In two cars for the day, and it has been
a very pleasant one. The route took
ms ont TO Selig Zoo (the animals used
for so many OF the moving pictures)
then on 10 san Gabriel Mission, which
was built in 1771 by the old Spanish
Padre for San Friscan fathers ana
Indians. This. like the others, has
been restored and again used for ser
vices. Some OF the original yestments.
hooks and old paintings and the hand
wrought copper fOuut is still In use.
Unfortunately, the Mission play wasn't
going on Ii doesn't start until the
18TH of January This saw four
wears ago and it was very interesting.
as it does with the early history ana
settlement OF California. All the ac-
tors and actresses are supposed to be
d
ards and Indians.
After going over the Mission we
wandered on out into the old garden
where there is sdI O large old grape
vine. bearing fruit. and also an old
rose bush which suu blooms, planted
by those same Padres. From the gar
den we wandered into the old burial
grounds. where there are hundreds oi
Indians buried and still lot of Mex
leans (ol the Spanish descendants ]
supposed.
Monday being some sort of a feast
day, or Saints day. there were lots of
these dark brown natives decorating
the graves. One old General Mercedes
tor something or Other) grave was
sure decorated. 1t was just covered ]
and banked with flowers, and then
there was a stack about four feet high ,
built an around the grave, this being
wrapped and twisted with different I
c0lored crepe paper and hung with L
red paper bells and all other tinse
and fancy glass balls that we see on ]
our Christmas trees. and then lighted I
candles stuck in among the flowers.
So much for the quaint customs one q
sees in a land of mixed races. for this
sure is one. One meets so many Mex il
leans. Japs and Chinese that we are b
setting quite used TO them. d
The Japs are intense farmers or
truckers or truckers In driving {,
around on Sundays we see Them men N
aud women alike. down h0eing with al
heir short handled (abOut a foot long, d
hoes. They lease where they can't NJ
buy There is q sort of syndicate OF
rich Japs who supply the money for 81
his work. the poorer ones being al
most slaves 90 pay back. so we are pl
old W
We stopped in the famous Cawston
lstrich farm After registering we b'
lassed through the show room where o
ID sizes and colors Of plumes, tips, 81
Gather fans and all sorts of articles 81
made from the ostrich feathers were OF
NJ display and for sale. Then we went
Trough the usual California beautiful Ii;
lower garden into the live bird sec pl
ion. Here were hundreds of them ed
he large pen, called the mating pen 81
u sizes and ages First we came to
rhere the male and female birds were be
ogether until they chose a mate. I'M HI
Ike the male of the human race. after p
q ostrich once chooses a mate they on
re forever true, never even after the co
cath OF his mate do they take unto at
lemselves another. We also find in
cir realm some old maids, like yours
'uly'', and also some old bachelors.
suppose they cant find one that Just
1its, OF they all look good to 'em and mi
D are afraid TO make a choice of one 81
fter making a choice they are given
separate pen. When Matching time IN
omes the male bird sits on the eggs MI
ON evening until noon, Mrs. Ostrich
NY very few hours All the males NJ,
re black with tail and tip Of wing
'athers white, while the female are na
light gray. The plumes which we 10
illiners sell are made from the wing we
'athers; in most cases 1t takes four
these TO make a plume. They are FRI
tucked every nine months. the bird vi,
eing driven into a pen with a bag
yer its head. This process is per- cb
sctly harmless and painless, for in RI
-ead OF being pulled out, they are W,
Tipped about two inches from the tip. Da
lken into the factory. made up. dyed.
lrled, then they are ready for INV WI
-dy's" adornment.
George and Martha Washington are Su
le Oldest couple there. being 35 years
ID tseventy-five years is the average sol
fe). Col. and Mrs. Roosevelt are the ST,
ext In line. Col. ia a handsome bird FIR
nd also Is very vicious. Mr.. and
rs. Taft are also on view. Billy be- Ter
q the largest. weighing 1886 pounds, Ce
pa the largest fellow on the farm.
Next come President and Mrs. Will ma,
N 1.-THE finest. Of coarse). / think IL Flu
is couple does not change mates they da,
change names for each time I have
zen here the President then in office fey
as had a namesake. King George
nd wife with his son and daughter an,
l-iaW IN the next pen) are next Wis NH
ca. The King is the best looking far
ne OF all, having the natural curiv Z
lathers which neither wind nor rain sec
~ enect Mutt and Jeff are only ave 20,
,lontns old, but their heads are wav : a
ooYe mine. The eggs are eoual n for
Ne" esss' and take nine weeks to Ha