34 Life in the Open 



classics or referred to the Lieutenant-Governor, retiring 

 with his wife to the house for a conference, while we, 

 having hired a boy to follow the horses, stood as models 

 of outraged dignity. 



American diplomacy succeeded. The worthy couple 

 soon appeared ; the husband said he had misunderstood 

 the situation, and begged the gentlemen to overlook it. 

 The gentlemen thus appealed to took it under advise- 

 ment and finally concluded to accept the apology on 

 account of the lady. Thus was the incident closed. 

 The boys brought our horses, the German gentleman 

 and his wife bowed low over the wreck of their holly- 

 hocks, the prominent city officials gave a profound 

 salute, the boys, having been tipped, raised a cheer, and 

 the Valley Hunt rode proudly down the long country 

 road in the direction of San Gabriel. 



Below the mission was a vast vineyard, and beyond 

 were fields of nodding grain that rippled and laughed 

 in the sun as the wind caressed its surface. Then 

 there were great open stretches covered with alfileria, 

 and along the sides of the road were lines of wild oats, 

 the yellow violet, and little blue cup-like flowers, while 

 in the fields grew masses of wild daisies of a score 

 of kinds, the plume-like painter's brush, the yellow 

 mimulus, and over them, like the background of a 

 Japanese picture, towered a mountain of snow, a sil- 

 ver liberty cap, a California Fuji-yama ten thousand feet 

 in air. 



Near here the hounds gave tongue, the baying in- 



