February 9, 1972 (12 pages)

@<oas we AO ASE Y Wer atD tt Mgt eee ee 2 caren ees eine & oN. Pere we « srenicteon cate clement tal gSey oe ig Tae — —_ see the ike ear ife, he and was nuld ner —— would be due in another week. The affairs at the mine were confided to the foreman, a competent and trustworthy miner, who had been with them almost from the beginning, and the two started for the coast. They were well mounted, Mike riding the Tom Bell horse which his partner had given him, and in four days they covered the distance, some one hundred and sixty miles, and rode up to the hacienda. What a welcome they received! Mike was overwhelmed with the sincerity and heartiness of the greetings; and when Ruth, who had picked up a smattering of Spanish, said, "Esta casa as de V.,"' and Tex explained that it meant that the house was his, he felt that it was more than the stereotyped phrase of the hospitable Spaniard” from~ whom it~ was~borrowed; itwas genuine, and the place was at his disposal. Wakefield wrung the big hand of Tex in a fraternal clasp, beamed upon Mrs, Ruth, and turned expectantly toward another, the magnet which hade drawn him away from the mountains, She stood waiting for that look; which dwelt fondly and anxiously on her, and in it read the verdict that she had awaited. In another moment she was in his arms, and in the strong embrace she knew that the old affection and love were once more hers, It was reconciliation, forgiveness, and a bracing up of the bonds that had been loosened for a time. And then they withdrew to the house, where they could be alone with their restored happiness to reappear some time later, sedate perhaps, but beaming witb joy and gladness. Tex, among his old friends, was as happy as a schoolboy and Ruth fluttered from one to another, with an occasional dash to the interior to superintend the bountiful feast she had prepared for her guests. CHAPTER XXX EALCYON DAYS The bustle and excitement of the arrival being over, and the dust of the long ride being removed, they flung themselves into the big chairs, which invited relaxation, and grouped on the veranda of the mansion. Confronting them was a panorama of pastoral beauty. Enclosed between hills. of a moderate altitude, the valley stretched away to the north, gradually widening out.to_a-breadth of a mile or more and then as gradually narrowing to the outlet throught the range. The rolling slopes, . yellow in the June sun, were covered with a heavy growth of wild oats indigenous to the country. The hills and the valley were dotted with white and live oaks whose dark green foliage “ contrasted with the russet tints of the grasses. Through the center a creek meandered, its course marked by sycamore, alder, and cottonwood trees which overshadowed still pools and rippling shallows and invited a retreat from the ardent sun, Under the oaks and along the stream a thousand cattle gathered, formidable iong-horned beasts, fat and sleek in the midst of never-failing feed, and over it all hung a soft haze, the tangible sing of the heated air — hot but not opprise, that climatic condition that is the charm of the coast valleys of California. "What do you think of it?'' asked Tex, looking out over the prospect with a--self-satisfied air. 'The old Don called it "Rancho de la Paz,' which means 'Peacefule Ranchm' and Ruth and I agreed that it coulc,not be better named. There are about twenty thousand acres in the valley altogether, and I have bought nearly a third; by rights I ought to own it all, but that's beyond my means at present. We will take a ride over it tomorrow when you are rested." : "To-morrow, is it?" retorted Mike. "Do you take me for a leather? Sore and stiff I am wid me trip from The City of Six; four days in the saddle, and me not used to it. If you plaze, we will take no ride to-morrow, or the day after, I'll walk it wid ye, but ride I'll not unless ye substitute a pillow for a saddle." "You'll think better of it’ in the morning," laughed Tex: “walking is unknown in this country; even the cattle would . resent it and you would not be safe except you were mounted," Mike's grumbling was stopped by the appearance of a black-haired, olive-colored muchacha who invited them to "Vamos a comer," and the party adjourned to the diningroom, where a bountiful spread was waiting, Ruth's attempted apologies for certain deficiencies were scoffed at. There was that quaint flavor and strangeness to the dishes that appealed to their palates, and the newcomers agreed that it was a grateful change from the stereotyped boarding-house fare as furnished by the accomplished tong. The crisp tortillas; the savory jerked beef estafado spiced with pimientos; the enchiladas, wrapped in corn husks; the mixture of frijoles and rice; the dulces and the native wine and fragrant coffee were a revelation to the guests, although Ruth sniffed and declared that her handmaids were heathen whom she hoped to train to better methods, "To think of it,'' she exclaimed, "with hundreds of cows roaming about, not a pint of milk or a pound of butter on the place, not even a kitchen garden or a vegetable. They fry,everything in oil and never heard of apie; and if you want fresh meat they just lasso a steer and kill it; not that there is any waste in that, for there is a lazy tribe infesting the ranch that would’ breed a~ famine,” and they~-don't=-do-enough-work-to-pay for their keep." At this Tex chuckled. "Tell them about your maids," he said; and the little woman laughed as she named Celestina, Panchita, Juanita, and Anita. "Would you believe it,’ she said, "they think that for the Senora, as they call me, to lift her finger to help herself is degrading’? No lady can comb her hair, put on her shoes, make up her own bed, or do anything else but sit around in a rocking-chair and see things go by sixes and sevens; and Tex says I must not fly in the face of the customs of the country, or they will suspect that we are gente ordinaria." "Yes, and that ain't the worst of it: she is getting so she likes it,"' retorted Tex. "This is a great place for.siestas, which means that you just loaf around all day, except in the cool of the mornings and evenings." Here Tex shoved back his chair from the table, pulled a little square of brown paper and some tobacco from his pocket and proceeded to roll a cigarette, which, when done, he politely offered to Mike. . "And what will I do wid it?" asked Mike. "Smoke it, ye say? Cn me word, I'd get more satisfaction from a straw. Wid the ladies’ permission, I'll have an honest whiff from the ould pipe. Them things are but an aggravation." (to be continued) The Nevada County Nugget Wednesday, —— _ =. altss February 9, 1972 ee Se 7

@<oas we AO ASE Y Wer atD tt Mgt eee ee 2 caren ees eine & oN. Pere we « srenicteon cate clement tal gSey oe ig Tae — —_ see the ike ear ife, he and was nuld ner —— would be due in another week. The affairs at the mine were confided to the foreman, a competent and trustworthy miner, who had been with them almost from the beginning, and the two started for the coast. They were well mounted, Mike riding the Tom Bell horse which his partner had given him, and in four days they covered the distance, some one hundred and sixty miles, and rode up to the hacienda. What a welcome they received! Mike was overwhelmed with the sincerity and heartiness of the greetings; and when Ruth, who had picked up a smattering of Spanish, said, "Esta casa as de V.,"' and Tex explained that it meant that the house was his, he felt that it was more than the stereotyped phrase of the hospitable Spaniard” from~ whom it~ was~borrowed; itwas genuine, and the place was at his disposal. Wakefield wrung the big hand of Tex in a fraternal clasp, beamed upon Mrs, Ruth, and turned expectantly toward another, the magnet which hade drawn him away from the mountains, She stood waiting for that look; which dwelt fondly and anxiously on her, and in it read the verdict that she had awaited. In another moment she was in his arms, and in the strong embrace she knew that the old affection and love were once more hers, It was reconciliation, forgiveness, and a bracing up of the bonds that had been loosened for a time. And then they withdrew to the house, where they could be alone with their restored happiness to reappear some time later, sedate perhaps, but beaming witb joy and gladness. Tex, among his old friends, was as happy as a schoolboy and Ruth fluttered from one to another, with an occasional dash to the interior to superintend the bountiful feast she had prepared for her guests. CHAPTER XXX EALCYON DAYS The bustle and excitement of the arrival being over, and the dust of the long ride being removed, they flung themselves into the big chairs, which invited relaxation, and grouped on the veranda of the mansion. Confronting them was a panorama of pastoral beauty. Enclosed between hills. of a moderate altitude, the valley stretched away to the north, gradually widening out.to_a-breadth of a mile or more and then as gradually narrowing to the outlet throught the range. The rolling slopes, . yellow in the June sun, were covered with a heavy growth of wild oats indigenous to the country. The hills and the valley were dotted with white and live oaks whose dark green foliage “ contrasted with the russet tints of the grasses. Through the center a creek meandered, its course marked by sycamore, alder, and cottonwood trees which overshadowed still pools and rippling shallows and invited a retreat from the ardent sun, Under the oaks and along the stream a thousand cattle gathered, formidable iong-horned beasts, fat and sleek in the midst of never-failing feed, and over it all hung a soft haze, the tangible sing of the heated air — hot but not opprise, that climatic condition that is the charm of the coast valleys of California. "What do you think of it?'' asked Tex, looking out over the prospect with a--self-satisfied air. 'The old Don called it "Rancho de la Paz,' which means 'Peacefule Ranchm' and Ruth and I agreed that it coulc,not be better named. There are

about twenty thousand acres in the valley altogether, and I have bought nearly a third; by rights I ought to own it all, but that's beyond my means at present. We will take a ride over it tomorrow when you are rested." : "To-morrow, is it?" retorted Mike. "Do you take me for a leather? Sore and stiff I am wid me trip from The City of Six; four days in the saddle, and me not used to it. If you plaze, we will take no ride to-morrow, or the day after, I'll walk it wid ye, but ride I'll not unless ye substitute a pillow for a saddle." "You'll think better of it’ in the morning," laughed Tex: “walking is unknown in this country; even the cattle would . resent it and you would not be safe except you were mounted," Mike's grumbling was stopped by the appearance of a black-haired, olive-colored muchacha who invited them to "Vamos a comer," and the party adjourned to the diningroom, where a bountiful spread was waiting, Ruth's attempted apologies for certain deficiencies were scoffed at. There was that quaint flavor and strangeness to the dishes that appealed to their palates, and the newcomers agreed that it was a grateful change from the stereotyped boarding-house fare as furnished by the accomplished tong. The crisp tortillas; the savory jerked beef estafado spiced with pimientos; the enchiladas, wrapped in corn husks; the mixture of frijoles and rice; the dulces and the native wine and fragrant coffee were a revelation to the guests, although Ruth sniffed and declared that her handmaids were heathen whom she hoped to train to better methods, "To think of it,'' she exclaimed, "with hundreds of cows roaming about, not a pint of milk or a pound of butter on the place, not even a kitchen garden or a vegetable. They fry,everything in oil and never heard of apie; and if you want fresh meat they just lasso a steer and kill it; not that there is any waste in that, for there is a lazy tribe infesting the ranch that would’ breed a~ famine,” and they~-don't=-do-enough-work-to-pay for their keep." At this Tex chuckled. "Tell them about your maids," he said; and the little woman laughed as she named Celestina, Panchita, Juanita, and Anita. "Would you believe it,’ she said, "they think that for the Senora, as they call me, to lift her finger to help herself is degrading’? No lady can comb her hair, put on her shoes, make up her own bed, or do anything else but sit around in a rocking-chair and see things go by sixes and sevens; and Tex says I must not fly in the face of the customs of the country, or they will suspect that we are gente ordinaria." "Yes, and that ain't the worst of it: she is getting so she likes it,"' retorted Tex. "This is a great place for.siestas, which means that you just loaf around all day, except in the cool of the mornings and evenings." Here Tex shoved back his chair from the table, pulled a little square of brown paper and some tobacco from his pocket and proceeded to roll a cigarette, which, when done, he politely offered to Mike. . "And what will I do wid it?" asked Mike. "Smoke it, ye say? Cn me word, I'd get more satisfaction from a straw. Wid the ladies’ permission, I'll have an honest whiff from the ould pipe. Them things are but an aggravation." (to be continued) The Nevada County Nugget Wednesday, —— _ =. altss February 9, 1972 ee Se 7