Year: 1872

davs sad Don Marco Forster men used 10 travel ffom
San Diego 10 Monterey, and never spend cent o.
money. When night came. you stopped at the neaross
house. After supper, you were shown your room' in
the morning a clean shirt was at your bedside, ana IL
you were known 10 the family 1t customary 10 place
near the bed on the table. also sum OF money, hunu
red or two hundred dollars, from which the visitor ho
needed IT, was expected 20 help himself Lest you In
NewYork might think this incredible, VIII add tna'
Gen. Vallejo has fully confirmed to me these particulars
The next day fresh horse was brought out ana tno
| traveller went his way. He usually carried
| with him blanket, hair ropo to tic his
horse and RATA or lasso; and In n bag,
| tied 10 his saddle, q small supply Oh pino'a Ihs 10
| popcorn parched, and ground ON stone IL IL mfeo
with water and little sugar, ana oupiu oi IL nAeS
as know by experience, satisfying luncheon'n you
have reason to expect good dinner later In tho day


To the abstomlous Spaniard it suiced IL the occasion
required, for breakfast dinner and supper ana when
night came, II house was near he staked out MS
after tying the rope to his own arn that no g


be awakened IL the horse startled by wld DeaSt
spread upon the ground the huge leather flaps when In
those days loosely covered the saddetree, rolled him
self in his blanket, and lay down 10 sleep upon the
| leather. -.


In San Diego County, believe, 1t was custom In the
Summer guard against the approach OF rattiesnake
by surrounding the couch with tho horse-hair rope
which is used to stake out horse. This, made very
nicely OF the and tails OF horses is very rough


the ends OF the hairs sticking out all IT, and these


t is said the snake dskes, they probably rritate
his skim feeling them he aside. Life on one OF
the old ranches not simple as we have been ac
customed think Various handcrafts had been intro
duced by the priests and the Indians, who we're the
mechanics employed not only at the
Missions but by the moro substantial rancheroS
A gentleman at Los Angeles described 10 me
the life on one OF the great estates In that
county "before the Americans came," and may add
that different persons, among them Gen. vallejo, nave
confirmed 20 mo every detail. They MIXED COWS and
made cheese they dressed and tanned sheep and cai
skins for clothing; they blankets; they made
wne they raised grain enough for their bread and the
Indian ground this on stones; they preserved


the hides OF the cattle for the Boston shps and at the
San Fernando Mission saw the huge stove ana cement
tanks IN which they melted down and kept the talow
which also sold TO the Boston men, In those days
said my friend, when went out TO see Don --, ne
received me at the door, he showed me my room, and
In few minutes, he came bearing In his own hahds
basin OF water for my But behind him came hat
a dozen servants 20 show me that what ne ala ne
did out respect and welcome TO me- and that servants
were at hand do IT, IL he did not choose This old man
had SONS and daughters grown aud married, living i'll
his house He always breakfasted alone unless he in
yited his eldest son TO eat with him. He arose some
what later than the family who had breakasted before
him-the men, mean for the women and children ate
apart and had a very merry time over their meals
When he had breskfasted, he went out into his cordor
or piazza. There stood his sons and his MAJOR
lomo and his vacqueros, hat IN hand. Then the
horses, which had been saddled since daylight
were brought. The eldest son held his fathers
stirrup while he mounted; and when ne was seated III
the saddle the rest followed Then he gave to each his
orders for the daytO Martin 1.-THE annery, To ANTONIO


the horses to Tomas the cheese the calves and when
at last all this was received always in silence, he gave


the word and the plain they rode as though shot
from bolt The old man rode at the head and as ne
gaoped he called in that low, soft voice which they
almost all have "Pedro" and Pedro drew up alongside
81 do not want that maiada OF horse on the NIL
yonder" "sl, sehor," says Pedro, and gaops OIL An
tonio these calves should not be here, they must DO
nearer the river" and so on always In galop seeing
everything with his practccd eye, AID issuing his com
mands as he rode.


THE END OF RURAL SIMPLICITY.


About four he returned his dinner, which his sons
ate with him. After dinner he sat In his corridor made
and smoked paper cigars, and contemplated himself


On Sundays and fast days, said my friend the family
rode TO church, all horsebacka graceful cavacade
for the women rodo finely. and the horses which we
Americans gnorantly despse, yet the best saddle
horses the world. Tin this, by the way, every man
who has ridden them will agree) Then came the gold
discovery and the Americans and the sudden ana great
wealth which spoiled all this simple life Then they be-
came too proud and careless to milk, and so now
YOU ind no milk on the ranchos They could buy cloth


ing and all kinds Of supplies and their useful and iu





genous industries perished. They came to the towns
dressed in absurd gold and silver lace, and with
gold stirrups and god-mOunted saddles, and wasted
their money gambling houses and so their business
was neglected Finally they thought it genteel to ride


in carriages and they gave up the most graceful and
healthfll exercise which woman can have " l
| still remember my old friend Don Tomas-standing
here looking with silent disgust at his family climbing
into cumbrous coach, and then turning TO me
with the words" they are young and may risk


It, but for my part determined never to hazard my
life in one Of those things, while have strength to
| sit on horses back" l do. not doubt that
| it was happy life they led-these old
Californians But did not belong TO the nineteenth
century and the railroad WILL IN year or two, leave no
yestge OF it this side OF the Mexican border But ono
thing have learned this Winter among the old Cali
fornans which pity We their successors, have not
copied from them and that Is the moderation OF their
lives Their amable and kindly temper their abstemi-
and temperance In eating and drinking, tho
readiness with which they submit TO mere physical in
| convenience, their kindness to dependants and


servants and tho skill with which they know how to
manage these and the pOiteness and ceremony which
they know how carry into all parts OF their ives
seemed to me very admirable indeed. c.s
|


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