Year: 1875

a cdSCuFOu
Don Mariana. This is the room:-"A wooden she'd
about the length Of country barn, with bare benches
SET against whitewashed walls is frightened here and
there by bunch or ribbon wreath OF paper flowers
and something like OF lights One fiddle
and one concertina mako tho orchestra on the
other side the girls in brilliant colors AS
am passing down the room, conducting two sehoras
to their seats, young girl, slipping behind me-
smashes egg shell on my pate an egg shell from
which the meat had been drawn and the inside filled
with tnsel and colored paper cut SO fine as to fall like
snow. peal OF laughter greets the girls success. II
is a challenge When shell IS broken on your head
you have the right to claim dance, during which you
may crush your cascaron among the damses curls A
romp If senorta slips away senior follows in
pursuit game of hide and seek is played, and shells
get broken on balconies Az night comes tho ladies
press the fun not only for the laughter but because
the nsel adds beauty to their duh black curs and
lustrous eyes By supper time the riot runs so high
that dons and cabacros hardly keep their PRIDE OF
port Don Mariana is type not only OF the
lost capital, but the retiring race"


BRIGANDs.


Tho chapters on brigands read like a romance. One
could almost tolerate the depredatons for the sake Of
the depredators. In California in Greece and Italy,
says Mr. Dixon, brgands the prvateers OF public
wrongs what the peasants call their public wrongs
brigand macontent, who waits his chance to rise
in moro threatening shape. Los Angeles and San
Jose the Free Towns pcopled by disbanded soldiers,
squaws and camp followers are two great nests OF
rogues and thieves, gamblers and cutthroas. From
these free towns line of brigand chiefs have drawn
their scouts and helps mixed blood hates the agents
of all rule and order Years ago his teeth clnched
against tho Spanish frars; at present his knife is
whetted against the American police. Much of his pas
sion is POLITICAL and the conflict in the jungle and on
the mountain side is one of race with race How dill
ferent this Of procedure from that of the
mon thief "Captain Senati was the leader Of
a company carrying on the trade OF robblng
shanties and stealing girls; Moreno his
arst lieutenant Los Angeles tho scene Of
his exploits. One day, hearing that a ball
to be given in Los Angeles by ladies from San
Francisco, Captain Senas company swooped into tho
Streets surrounded the house and plaged every in
the dancing rooms After eating the supper and drink
ing the wine each brgand took partner by the waist
and whirlcd her round and round till he was tired.
Then signal from their chief, they filed out OF the
saloon pointing their pognards at the and kissing
their fingers to the women as they bowed adieu. Cap
tain Vasquez was the pride of all the brigands-the
handsomcs the brayest He began his acts OF violence
in the name Of an invaded country and committed theft
and murder in the Of outraged He robbed
white and stripped the government mails. 1t IS
said his bands were companies which might have swo
len into regiments Some persons think he might have
raised army, and become the Avaredo OF his epoch
had he not been ruined, like many heroes, by
the beauty of a woman and the Jealousy OF a friend


WILLIAM G. RALsToS.


Writing OF San Francisco Mr.. Dixon says:-"At Bel
mont we are lodged with William C. Ralston Of the
magnates Of this bay once carpenter planning deals
then cook on board steamer afterward digger at
the Mines the president OF a bank and one OF the
princes of finance Our host has made HIM
self earthly paradise at Belmont, but an
earthly paradise in which calmer mortals than
himself will bask. like the and hope for the
best him yet noticing his restless eye and paling
brow cannot help feeling that with all his joty and
brskHess William c. Ralston is the victim of his
terprse the slave OF his success" Mr. Dixon had not
long to wait to the fulnlment Of his prophecy.
Further on he says-'A special man. ike Raston, our
host at Belmont, tries to guard himself by denial Of
such pleasures his fortune brings within his reach
He dares drink glass Divine. At dinner servant
puts pint Of milk before him with his fish and pours
some drops OF limo water into his mug A glass OF
Afne may leave a headache and a headache means
some loss Of time. Time is talent he
dares not waste His billiard hall is spacious
but he must not venture game. He brings
tobacco from Havana, but he fears to soothe his brain
with cigar. His house and park are but an hours
ride his Office, yet he only comes to them once


week. Dining quickly and tossing off three pints Of
milk he rises early leaves his guests and goes to bed
Next morning he is up at four, consulting grooms,
trotting through woods and visiting farms and water
works. At ten we see him for moment we break
our fast; at he puts in drag and sends US out
at three we meet him a hill above San Mateo, where
he is damlning a creek and building town; at Eve he
jumps into the train his holiday SPENT and hastens
his ofcc in San Francisco, having done a full weeks
work in fouHand twenty hours-a typo Of the white
conquerors who expend their life in carrying the
1ght"


DEATH AND DIVORCE.


The California described by Mr. Dixon must DO the
California Of '49 to Judge from the description. II is
that country the dime novel pants it, not it is in
reality. 'The people living this sunny sea sell
dom in state that country curates would describe as
wholesome Too much sun is in the sky, too much
wind is on the hill Warm Sr expands the lungs and
frets the nerves. Men eat too fast, drink too deep
and work too long How loud they speak,
how hard they drive AT every turn you
catch high words and mark tho passage
OF swift feet Under the shadow OF Lone Mountain lies
racecourse where bankers and judges hold trottng
Matches and wiry little ponies excited by voice and
lash mt pace that kills That racecourse lying in
the shadow of graveyard is type Of California in her
ordinary mood. The towns and villages in this bay not
only TEEN with life but life in most strained and fe-
brile state No one is calm sits down to sSoke
the pipe OF peace day seems long enough for the
labor 10 be wrought All men and women aim at en-
phass" So the writer has caught the spirit Of the
people, but in the next sentence he draws upon legen
Diary lore -'An actor rants preacher roars singer
screams Such talk suits n London dining room
sounds tame such colors as beseem London dancing
room look dull The pulses Of society beat too high
for ordinary and ordinary times. A ct
zen bolts his dinner gups his whiskey pus his cigar
cite and hurres of, as though he heard bugle call =
We hope this next is Ggurative:-"He sits at table with
a loaded pistol in his pocket; he fingers his bowio
knife while asking his friend to drink Suspi-
cion is a habit OF his mind II no Is quick
to offence he is no less quick to bury the offence in
blood. man will shoot his brother for jest Hero
h. a casn in mimi not mnnv dnvs old A lncllnss wit