/^// 
 
^^ V. 
 
 r/ 
 
Santa Barbara Mission 
 
 ' At every Mission there nvere ivalled gardens 
 and iva'ving palms ' ' 
 
Drift 0'T>ream5 
 
 Racine ^c^osKe? 
 
 San TF'raitclsco. (Tdllfornltt 
 19U 
 

 COPTRIGHT 1911 
 
 BY 
 
 RACINE McROSKEY 
 
TO FELLOW DREAMERS 
 
" // is a question, whether it were not better to be 
 the shabbiest of fools, and know the way up the little 
 stair of imagination to the land of dreams, than the 
 wisest of men who see nothing that the eyes do not show, 
 and feel nothing that the hands may not touch.'' 
 
 OLIVE SCHREINER. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 The Great Franciscans And Their Woric - - 9 
 
 An Indian Lament ---___ 34 
 In Years To Come - - -. - - - 36 
 A Prophesy --_-___ 38 
 Friendship - - - - - - - -40 
 
 One Hour In A Thousand Years - - - 41 
 An Uninvited Guest - - - - - - 45 
 
 The Border Gate - - - - - -48 
 
 Closing The Club Year ------ 50 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS 
 AND THEIR WORK. 
 
 ' * Like a dream they pass aivay, but the memory 
 nvill ii've fore'ver. ' ' 
 
 I BOUT eighty miles north of 
 Rome, in a singularly pictur- 
 esque region of central Italy, 
 built upon a steep hill, is 
 situated the city of Assisi 
 (As-se-ze). It is surrounded 
 by a wall, flanked with tow- 
 ers, and overhung by lofty citadels in ruins. 
 Assisi occupies the site of the ancient Roman 
 city Assisium, and presents the remains of the 
 forum, the baths and the aqueducts of the 
 days of the Romans. 
 
 (1182.) It is the birthplace of St. Francis, 
 who was the founder of the order of mendi- 
 cants that bears his name, and the home of 
 the first monastery, the Convento Sacro, a 
 large and beautiful structure, and one of the 
 earliest specimens of the Gothic style of archi- 
 tecture in Italy. 
 
 9 
 
DRIFT a DREAMS 
 
 The baptismal name of the saint was 
 Giovanni, but his father, Pietro Bernardone, 
 who was a rich merchant, gave him the sur- 
 name of " Francisco " out of his predilediion 
 for France, with which country he had an 
 extensive trade. His mother was of the noble 
 family of Pica, and a woman of gentle piety 
 and noble character. 
 
 Giovanni was well and carefully raised, and 
 at the early age of fourteen was taken into 
 business by his father. After ten years of the 
 pursuit of business, well mixed with the social 
 pleasures of the day, there came a time of 
 deep meditation, and after long pondering he 
 abandoned his old friends and haunts, and 
 returning all his belongings, even to his 
 clothing, to his father, he embraced a life of 
 rigid penance and utter poverty. 
 
 His object was to lead a life as near as pos- 
 sible modeled after that of Christ, and by 
 absolute renunciation of the world to attain 
 evangelical perfection. 
 
 He retired to a grotto near Assisi and gave 
 himself up to penance and profound meditation 
 on the sufferings of Christ, for a long time. 
 
 Coming out again, he was filled with a 
 great enthusiasm and happiness. It is recorded 
 
 10 
 
THE GREJT FRANCISCANS JND THEIR WORK 
 
 that during the months when St. Francis went 
 up and down the streets of Assisi, carrying in 
 his deHcate, unused hands the stones for re- 
 building the Saint Damian's chapel, he was 
 continually singing psalms, breaking forth 
 into ejaculations of gratitude, his face beam- 
 ing as that of one who saw visions of unspeak- 
 able delight. 
 
 How much of the spirit or instinct of 
 prophecy there might have been in his exult- 
 ant joy, only he himself knew. But it would 
 seem strange if there had not been vouchsafed 
 to him some partial revelation of the splendid 
 results which would follow the carrying out 
 in the world of the divine impulses which 
 had blazed up in his soul. 
 
 His austerities and simple eloquence soon 
 attracted attention, and it was not long before 
 others, drawn by his ardent example, sought 
 to follow in his steps and join with him in 
 his austere mode of life. 
 
 It is certain that very early in his career 
 Francis had the purpose of founding an order, 
 whose members, being utterly unselfish in 
 life, should be fit heralds of God and mighty 
 helpers of men. 
 
 His first companions were fellow townsmen, 
 
 11 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 Bernard of Quintavalle, a rich and noble lay- 
 man, and Peter of Catana, a canon of the 
 cathedral. 
 
 After much entreaty the church j^ave its 
 sandion to the ''Seraphic's Saints" band of 
 " Fratri Minores," or lesser brothers, and 
 the organized work of the Franciscan Order 
 began. 
 
 That was in the year 1208, and from then 
 until now the Franciscans have been, in the 
 literal sense of the word, " helpers of men." 
 
 Other orders of the Catholic Church have 
 won more distinction in the way of learning, 
 political power, marvelous suffering of pen- 
 ances and deprivations; but the record of the 
 Franciscans is in the main a record of lives 
 and work like the life and work of their 
 founder. 
 
 The rule which St. }'>ancis prescribed for 
 his followers consisted of the gospel counsels 
 of perfection, to which he added some things 
 necessary to the uniformity of their manner 
 of life. 
 
 He exhorts his brethren to manual labors, 
 but will have them content to receive for it 
 things necessary for life, not money. He 
 bids them not to be ashamed to beg alms, 
 
 12 
 
THE GREJT FRJNCISCJNS JND THEIR WORK 
 
 remembering the poverty of Christ, and for- 
 bids them to preach in any place without the 
 Bishop's Hcense. 
 
 There were twenty-seven precepts in the 
 rule laid down for the order, all of which 
 were declared by several Pontiffs as binding 
 on the friars of the order, under pain of mortal 
 sin. They described the carrying out of the 
 vows of poverty, chastity and obedience; 
 regulated the dress to be worn ; ordered that 
 the friars go barefoot; specified feasts and 
 enjoined a blind, unlimited obedience to 
 superiors. 
 
 The habit he gave them was a dull grey 
 gown of coarse cloth with a pointed capouch, 
 or hood, one under tunic and drawers, and a 
 cord around the waist. The costume closely 
 resembled that worn by poor shepherds in that 
 part of Italy. Among other things he said: — 
 
 ** Let your behaviour in the world be such 
 that everyone who sees or hears you may 
 praise the Heavenly Father." 
 
 " Preach peace to all; but have it in your 
 hearts still more than on your lips." 
 
 *'Give no occasion of anger or scandal to 
 any, but by your gentleness lead all men to 
 goodness, peace and union." 
 
 13 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 "We are called to heal the wounded and 
 recall the erring, for there are many who 
 appear to you as limbs of the devil, who will 
 one day be disciples of Jesus Christ." 
 
 In 1210 St. Francis sought confirmation of 
 his rule of the Sovereign Pontiff Innocent III. 
 At first he rejected the saint's petition and St. 
 Francis humbly withdrew to solitary prayer. 
 That night the Pontiff dreamed of a palm 
 springing up at his feet that waxed until it 
 became a great tree. The impression grew 
 vividly upon him that the palm signified the 
 poor petitioner, so he ordered search made 
 for him and he was found and brought. The 
 Pope declared that he had seen the Lateran 
 Basilica falling and held up by one despised 
 man who set his back against the wall and 
 propped it. "Truly," said he, "here is 
 that man who by his work and teachings will 
 sustain the Church of Christ." 
 
 Some years later St. Francis drew up the 
 rule in more compendious form, and it was 
 solemnly ratified by Honorius III. in 1223. 
 The sanction of Innocent III. in 1210 had 
 been a verbal assent. 
 
 Upon the death of St. Francis in 1226, the 
 next Minister-General of the entire Order was 
 
 14 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS JND THEIR WORK 
 
 Elias of Cortona, an ambitious, restless, tyran- 
 nical man. He relaxed some of the stern 
 rules, and controversy arose and the order 
 was divided into Conventionals and Obser- 
 vantines. As the names imply, the Conven- 
 tionals accept the lighter rules and conventions 
 v^hile the Observantines held to the first 
 rigorous rules. 
 
 No Order of the Church has surpassed the 
 zeal of the Franciscans, and to them much 
 credit for the discovery of America must be 
 given, as Fray John Perez de Marchena, 
 guardian of a convent near Seville and a 
 learned cosmographer, entered warmly into 
 the plans of Columbus and greatly influenced 
 Queen Isabella, whose confessor he had been, 
 to fit out the expedition of 1492. Within a 
 year or two Fray John himself came to 
 America and opened the first Christian church 
 in the new world, at a small settlement in 
 Hayti. As early as 1342, or one hundred and 
 fifty years before the discovery of America, 
 the guardianship of the Holy Places in Jeru- 
 salem was committed to the Order, and they 
 still retain it. 
 
 15 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 Among the treasures of the Franciscan 
 College of Santa Barbara, is an old daguerreo- 
 type, taken from a portrait painted more than 
 one hundred years ago at the College of San 
 Fernando, in Mexico. 
 
 The face is one, once seen, never to be 
 forgotten; full of spirituality, tenderness and 
 unutterable pathos. The mouth and chin 
 are delicately sensitive, the forehead and eyes 
 strong, radiant with quenchless purpose, but 
 filled with that solemn, yearning, almost 
 superhuman, sadness which is the sign and 
 seal on the faces of men born to die for the 
 sake of their fellows. It is the face of Father 
 Junipero Serra, the first founder of Franciscan 
 Missions in South California. There is a 
 notable likeness between the face of Father 
 Junipero and that of St. Francis. The small 
 and delicate features, the broad forehead and 
 the expression of great tenderness, are the 
 same in both. But the saint had a joyousness 
 that his illustrious follower never knew. 
 
 He was born of lowly people, in the island 
 of Majorca in 1712, and while he was yet a 
 little child sang in the choir of the Convent 
 of San Bernardino. 
 
 He was but sixteen when he entered the 
 
 16 
 
THE GREAT FRJNCISCJNS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 Franciscan order and before he was eighteen 
 he had taken the final vows. On becoming 
 a monk he laid aside his baptismal name of 
 Michael Joseph and took the name of Juni- 
 pero, after that quaintest and drollest of all 
 St. Francis' early companions. 
 
 At the time when Junipero Serra entered 
 the Majorca convent three other young monks 
 were studying there — Palou, Verger and 
 Crespi. The four became intimate and affec- 
 tionate companions and this friendship had 
 much to do with the success of the great 
 enterprise in which afterwards they jointly 
 labored, and to which even in their student 
 days, they looked forward with passionate 
 longing. 
 
 New Spain was, from the beginning, the 
 goal of their most ardent wishes, and at last, 
 after long years of delays and monastic routine, 
 in 1749 there assembled at Cadiz a great body 
 of missionaries destined chiefly for Mexico, 
 and Palou and Serra received permission to 
 join the band. Arriving at Cadiz and finding 
 two vacancies left in the party, they warmly 
 pleaded that Crespi and Verger be allowed to 
 go also. At the last moment this permission 
 was given, and the four friends set sail, joyful, 
 
 17 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 in the same ship. The voyage to Vera Cruz 
 lasted ninety-nine days and was full of great 
 trials; starvation threatened and storms beat 
 the ship, but through it all Father Junipero's 
 courage never failed. 
 
 For nineteen years after their arrival in 
 Mexico, Serra and his companions were kept 
 at work there, under the guidance and control 
 of the College of San Fernando, in founding 
 Missions and preaching. 
 
 On the suppression of the Jesuit Order in 
 1767 and the consequent expulsion from all 
 the Spanish dominions, it was decided to send 
 a body of Franciscans to take charge of the 
 Jesuit Missions in California. These were all 
 in Lower California, no attempt at settlement 
 having yet been made in Upper California. 
 Once more, the friends, glad and exultant, 
 joined a missionary band bound to new wil- 
 dernesses. There were but three now, Verger 
 remaining behind in charge of the College 
 of San Fernando. The band numbered six- 
 teen and Serra was put in charge of it and 
 was appointed President of all the California 
 Missions. 
 
 It was now the purpose of Spain to proceed 
 as soon as possible with the colonization of 
 
 18 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 Upper California. In those days the passion 
 of the Church alHed itself gladly with the 
 purpose of the State, and the latter had many 
 statesmen and soldiers of fervid religion. 
 Such a one was Joseph de Galvez, who held 
 the office of Visator-General and Commander, 
 representing the person of the King, and in- 
 specfling the workings of the Government in 
 every province of the Spanish empire. Upon 
 him rested the responsibility of the practical 
 organization of the first expedition into 
 Upper California. It was he who ordered 
 the carrying of all sorts of seeds, of vegetables, 
 grains and flowers; everything that would 
 grow in Old Spain he ordered planted in the 
 New. He ordered that two hundred head 
 of cattle should be taken from the northern- 
 most Mission of Lower California and carried 
 to the new posts. He also packed with his 
 own hands sacred ornaments and vessels for 
 church ceremonies. 
 
 His adlivity, enthusiasm and generosity 
 were inexhaustible and he had humor as 
 well, for when discussing the names of Mis- 
 sions to be founded. Father Junipero said to 
 him, *' But is there to be no Mission for 
 our Father St. Francis?", he replied, "If 
 
 19 
 
DRIFT 0\D REAMS 
 
 St. Francis wants a Mission let him show us 
 his post and we will put one there for him." 
 
 This first expedition into California was 
 divided into two parts, one to go by sea and 
 one by land; the sea party in two ships, the 
 land party in two divisions. Every possible 
 provision and precaution was thought of by 
 the wise Galvez, but nothing could prevent 
 the journey from being a terribly hard one. 
 Junipero, with his charad:eristic ardor, insisted 
 on accompanying one of the land parties, 
 although he suffered from an old wound on 
 the leg, and the second day out he was help- 
 less. Portola, the military commander of the 
 party, begged him to be carried in a litter, 
 but this he could not brook, so he called a 
 muleteer to him and told him to consider 
 him as one of his beasts and treat him accord- 
 ingly. The muleteer then mixed herbs and 
 applied them with such good results that 
 the Father could proceed on his journey the 
 next day. 
 
 They had set out on their journey on March 
 24th, and it was not until the 13th of May 
 that they reached the high ground and had 
 their first view of the Bay of San Diego and 
 saw the masts of the ships lying at anchor 
 
 20 
 
THE GREAT FRJNCISCJNS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 there. As soon as the San Diego camp was 
 reached great joy filled every heart. The 
 friars who had come by sea ran to meet and 
 embrace their brethren. 
 
 Six weeks later the second land party with 
 Junipero Serra arrived, eager to proceed to 
 the establishment of the Mission. Sickness 
 delayed this until on the 16th of July, 1769, 
 a cross was raised, mass was sung in a rude 
 booth of branches and reeds ; for want of an 
 organ firearms were discharged ; and thus was 
 founded the Mission of San Diego and the 
 laying of the corner stone of the civilization 
 of California. 
 
 Only two days after this the indefatigable 
 Father Crespi with Portola set out on another 
 overland march to find Monterey, but were 
 unsuccessful and after much suffering returned 
 to San Diego after over six months of toil and 
 hardship. 
 
 On the 24th of March, 1770, the supply 
 ship from Mexico arrived and in a few weeks 
 expeditions were ready to search for the hid- 
 den Monterey. Father Crespi led the land 
 party and arrived at the Point of Pines seven 
 days before the ships arrived with Junipero, 
 still enfeebled from illness, on board. 
 
 21 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 The next day the parties met amid great 
 rejoicing, and on June 3, 1770, they took 
 possession in the name of the Church and the 
 King, planting the cross and the royal standard 
 side by side in the sand on the same spot 
 where Viscayno with the Carmelite friars had 
 landed one hundred and sixty-seven years 
 before. 
 
 The history of the next fifteen years is one 
 of struggle, hardship and heroic achievement. 
 Father Serra was the mainspring and support 
 of it all. There seemed no limit to his endur- 
 ance or bound to his desires ; nothing daunted 
 his courage or chilled his sublime faith. 
 
 There were nine missions founded by him 
 before his death in 1784. In order: San 
 Diego in 1769; San Carlos de Monterey June 
 3, 1770; San Antonio de Padua July 14, 1771 ; 
 San Gabriel September 8, 1771 ; San Luis Obis- 
 po September 1, 1772; San Francisco de Assisi 
 October 9, 1776; San Juan Capistrano Novem- 
 ber 1, 1776; Santa Clara January 18, 1777; 
 and San Buena Ventura March 3, 1782. 
 
 The records of the founding of the Missions 
 are similar in detail, but are full of interest to 
 one of sympathy either with their spiritual or 
 historical significance. 
 
 22 
 
THE GREAT FRJNCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 At the Mission San Antonio, which was 
 one of the richest and most repaying, was a 
 curious mill in which flour was ground. It 
 was run by water brought in a stone-walled 
 ditch for many miles and driven against a 
 large wheel through a funnel-shaped flume. 
 It was entirely the work of an Indian named 
 Nolberto, and made the Mission famous for 
 the best flour made in the new country. 
 
 The Indians of San Gabriel seem to have 
 been a superior race. They spoke a soft, 
 musical language and had many usages of 
 politeness, such as '*a child bringing water to 
 an elder must not touch it," and that **to pass 
 between two persons who were speaking was 
 an offence." They also played games in 
 which they decked themselves with flowers, 
 and had song contests which often lasted 
 many days. 
 
 The San Carlos Mission at Monterey was 
 Father Junipero's own charge. There he 
 spent all his time when not called away by 
 his duties as President of the Missions. It 
 was there he died and was buried. There 
 also his beloved friend and brother. Father 
 Crespi, labored by his side for thirteen years. 
 Almost with his dying breath Father Junipero 
 
 23 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 had promised to use **all his influence with 
 God" in behalf of the Missions. In the 
 next four months there were so many con- 
 verts that the belief became common that 
 his soul had passed diredtly into heaven and 
 that the great wave of conversions was the 
 result of his prayers. Prosperity continued 
 steadily to increase. 
 
 The rule of the friars was in the main a 
 kindly one. The vice of drunkenness was 
 severely punished by flogging. Quarrelling 
 between husbands and wives was also dealt 
 with summarily. The offending parties were 
 chained together by the leg until they were 
 glad to promise to keep peace. 
 
 At every Mission there were walled gar- 
 dens with waving palms, sparkling fountains, 
 groves of olive trees, broad vineyards and 
 orchards of all manner of fruits. 
 
 In a comparatively short time the good 
 friars had transformed savages into masons, 
 carpenters, plasterers, soap-makers, tanners, 
 shoe-makers, blacksmiths, millers, bakers, 
 cooks, brick-makers, carters and cart-makers, 
 weavers and spinners, saddlers, ship-hands, 
 agriculturalists, herdsmen and vintagers. 
 
 In all the Missions were buildings on a large 
 
 24 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 scale, providing for hundreds of occupants 
 for all the necessary trades and manufad:ures 
 and many of the ornamental arts of civilized 
 life. Enormous tradls of land were under 
 high cultivation; the grains and cool fruits 
 of the temperate zone flourished side by side 
 by the palm, olive, grape, fig, orange and 
 pomegranate. 
 
 From the two hundred head of cattle sent 
 by the wise Galvez, had grown herds past 
 numbering; and to these had been added vast 
 flocks of sheep and herds of horses. In the 
 nineteen Missions were gathered over twenty 
 thousand Indians, leading regular and indus- 
 trious lives and conforming to the rules of the 
 Church. 
 
 The friars were forced, on account of their 
 situation, into the exercise of a constant and 
 abounding hospitality, and this they discharged 
 most royally. Travelers rooms were kept 
 always ready in every Mission. He was served 
 with the best of wine and food as long as he 
 would stay, and when he left was offered a 
 fresh horse to continue his journey. All the 
 California travelers and voyagers speak in 
 glowing terms of this generous and cordial 
 treatment of the friars. 
 
 25 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 Did you ever pause to think what a differ- 
 ence there was a hundred years ago between 
 the atmosphere of Hfe on the east and west 
 sides of the American continent? On the 
 Atlantic shore the descendants of the Puritans, 
 weighed down by serious purpose, half grudg- 
 ing the time for their one staid yearly Thanks- 
 giving and driving the Indians farther and 
 farther into the wilderness every year, fighting 
 and killing them ; on the sunny Pacific shore 
 the merry people of Mexican and Spanish 
 blood, troubling themselves about nothing, 
 dancing away whole days and nights like 
 children, while their priests were gathering 
 the Indians by thousands into communities 
 and feeding and teaching them. Mission after 
 Mission had been founded until, in 1804, the 
 line extended from San Diego to San Fran- 
 cisco, and comprised nineteen Missions, an 
 easy day's journey apart from each other. 
 
 The ten new Missions were founded in 
 the following order : Santa Barbara December 
 4, 1786; La Purissima Concepcion December 
 8, 1787; Santa Cruz September 25, 1791; 
 Soledad October 9, 1791; San Jose June 11, 
 1797; San Juan Bautista June 24, 1797; San 
 Miguel July 25, 1797; San Fernando Rey 
 
 26 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 September 8, 1797; San Luis Rey de Francia 
 June 18, 1798; and Santa Inez, September 
 7, 1804. Beginnings had also been made on 
 a second line to be from thirty to fifty miles 
 back from the sea, and this inland chain of 
 settlements and development promised to be 
 in no way inferior to the first. 
 
 The wealth of the Mission establishments 
 had grown to an almost incredible degree. In 
 several of them massive stone churches had 
 been built, of an archited:ure at once so simple 
 and harmonious that even in ruins it is today 
 the grandest in America; and it will remain, 
 so long as arch, pillar, or dome of it shall 
 stand, a noble and touching monument of the 
 patient Indian workers who built, and of the 
 devoted friars who designed, its majestic and 
 graceful proportions. 
 
 The Mission of San Rafael Arcangel was 
 founded December 14, 1817, in the beautiful 
 spot where the city of San Rafael now stands, 
 but not a trace remains save one or two old 
 pear trees planted by the fathers. 
 
 On July 4, 1823, the Mission of San Fran- 
 cisco de Solano was founded by Padre Alti- 
 mira. It was the twenty-first and the last of 
 the great chain of California Missions, the 
 
 27 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 like of which is not to be found elsewhere in 
 the world. Its beautiful gardens are obliter- 
 ated, its great bells gone, and it is fast decay- 
 ing. These last two missions were founded 
 too late to attain any great success or import- 
 ance. With the increase of wealth, success 
 and power of the Missions, came troubles 
 with the military settlements. In the begin- 
 ning there were no grants of land ; everything 
 was done by Eoyal Decree. 
 
 The Mission affairs, literally, were admin- 
 istered with admirable simplicity and system. 
 The soul of the plan was "the minimum of 
 fundtionaries with the maximum of responsi- 
 bility." The soldiers were sent avowedly to 
 proted: the friars, but by 1800 it had become 
 the duty of the Missions to support the Pre- 
 sidios, the military governors being authorized 
 to draw upon the friars not only for supplies 
 but for contributions of money and for levies 
 of laborers. In the years between 1801 and 
 1810 the Missions furnished the Presidios about 
 eighteen thousand dollars worth of supplies. 
 In the year 1820 the outstanding drafts on the 
 Government in favor of the Missions amount- 
 ed to four hundred thousand dollars. By now 
 the Spanish government was impatient to see 
 
 28 
 
THE GREAT FRANCISCANS JND THEIR WORK 
 
 carried out, and to reap the benefit of, the 
 pueblo feature of its colonization plan. 
 
 This meant the forming of the Indian com- 
 munities of the Missions into pueblos, or 
 towns, the Missions to be secularized, that is, 
 turned into curacies, the pueblo being the 
 parish. This was no doubt the wise and 
 proper ultimate scheme, but it came prema- 
 turely. This was set forth in sounding phrase 
 as purely for the Indians' benefit, that they 
 might become citizens of towns; but it was 
 more for Spain, since by its provisions one- 
 half of the Mission lands were to be sold for 
 the payment of Spain's national debt. 
 
 Affairs grew more and more unsettled. 
 Spanish viceroys and Mexican insurgents took 
 turns at ruling in Mexico, and the represen- 
 tatives of each took turns at ruling in Cali- 
 fornia. During three years the secularization 
 projed: was continually agitated. At last in 
 1834 the final blow fell on the Missions. The 
 Governor of California, on instructions from 
 Mexico, issued an authoritative edid: for their 
 secularization. The friars were to hand over 
 all records and inventories, lands, movable 
 property, property of all classes to stewards or 
 administrators appointed. Dwindle goes on 
 
 29 
 
DRIFT a DREAMS 
 
 to say: ** The laws were executed in such a 
 manner that the so-called secularization of the 
 Missions resulted in their plunder and com- 
 plete ruin and in the demoralization and dis- 
 persion of the christianized Indians." 
 
 In 1834 there were, at the lowest estimates, 
 20,000 Indians in the Missions: De Mofra's 
 statistics gives the number at 30,620; in 1840 
 there were left, all told, 6,000. In compari- 
 son, for these same six years the number of 
 cattle, horses, sheep and mules fell from 
 808,000 to 6,320. Under the new regime the 
 friars sufFered hardly less than the Indians. 
 Some fled the country, unable to bear the 
 humiliations and hardships of their positions 
 under the major-domos. 
 
 Among this number was Father Peyri, who 
 had been for over thirty years in charge of the 
 splendid Mission of San Luis Rey. In 1829 
 it had 2686 Indians, 20,000 head of cattle and 
 20,000 head of sheep. It controlled 200,000 
 acres of land and there were raised in its fields 
 in one year 3000 bushels of v^heat, 6000 bush- 
 els of barley and 10,000 bushels of corn. No 
 other Mission had so fine a church. It was 
 one hundred and sixty feet long, fifty feet 
 wide and sixty high, with walls four feet 
 
 30 
 
THE GREJT FRANCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 thick. The tower had a belfry for eight bells. 
 The corridor on the opposite side had two 
 hundred and fifty-six arches. Its gold and 
 silver ornaments are said to have been superb. 
 Father Azagomas of San Luis Obispo, Father 
 Gutierrez of San Antonio, and Father Sarria 
 of Soledad Mission, were soldiers of the cross 
 who remained with their Indian charges till 
 death freed them from their sufferings. 
 
 For ten years after the Secularization Act 
 affairs went steadily from bad to worse. In 
 March, 1846, Governor Pico was authorized 
 by the President of Mexico to sell the Mis- 
 sions to raise money to defend the country 
 against the United States. This he did at 
 illegal sales and for insignificant sums. On the 
 7th of Juty, 1846, the American flag was raised 
 at Monterey and formal possession of Cali- 
 fornia was taken by the United States. Then 
 after being held in abeyance for years, the 
 church. Mission buildings and small parcels of 
 land, were returned into the unalienable pos- 
 session of the Catholic Church. The Mission 
 property, the large tracts of land cultivated for 
 the community's purpose, it was decided, 
 must be considered as government property. 
 The Santa Barbara Mission is still in the 
 
 31 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 charge of Franciscans, the only one remain- 
 ing in their possession. It stands three miles 
 from the beach, on high ground back of the 
 town and looking to the sea. It is an ever- 
 lasting benediction to the city. About thirty 
 miles to the north lies the most desolate ruin 
 of all the Missions. Poor La Purissima! 
 Founded by one of the ables padres — Lausen 
 — it seemed claimed by adversity. Almost 
 totally destroyed by the earthquake of 1812, 
 it was rebuilt, and later badly damaged by the 
 Indians in 1824. Nothing is left now but a 
 long, low adobe building in desolate ruins. 
 Here, too, some old pear trees are to be 
 found, which stretch out gaunt and shriveled 
 boughs which still bear a few pinched little 
 blossoms. 
 
 At San Juan Bautista there lingers more of 
 the atmosphere of the olden time than is to 
 be found in any other place in California. 
 The Mission church is well preserved and its 
 grounds are enclosed and cared for. In its 
 garden the roses and vines still grow in the 
 shelter of ancient palms. The church fronts 
 south, on a little green, locust- walled plaza, 
 the sleepiest, sunniest, dreamiest place in the 
 world. In 1825 there were spoken at this 
 
 32 
 
THE GREJT FRANCISCANS AND THEIR WORK 
 
 Mission thirteen different Indian dialects. 
 The Mission San Francisco De Assisi, in 
 San Francisco, is also in an excellent state of 
 preservation. Its grounds are narrowed down, 
 by the modern world, to the small cemetery 
 on the south side, but services are held regu- 
 larly, and it presents a sharp contrast in dura- 
 bility of material and construction to the new 
 church, which was completely destroyed in 
 the earthquake and fire of 1906. A worthy 
 and admirable work is the recent placing of 
 Mission bell sign posts along the Camina Real, 
 and it is to be hoped that the people of today 
 may and will awake to a tardy realization of 
 the grand work of the pioneers of California. 
 For such were the Franciscan fathers in the 
 truest sense of the word. They were men of 
 pure character, of superior talent and morals, 
 of greatest unselfishness and untiring energy. 
 For these good and devoted men, who with 
 such wisdom, sagacity and self-sacrifice, reared 
 these wonderful institutions in the wilderness 
 of California we can but feel the greatest love 
 and reverence. It is surely our duty to learn 
 all we can of their wonderful achievement and 
 to perpetuate in every possible way the glory 
 of their names. 
 
 33 
 
DRIFT a DREAMS 
 
 AN INDIAN LAMENT. 
 
 The day is done. Across the plain 
 The evening shadows slowly creep; 
 And twilight flings her violet robe 
 To lull the weary earth to sleep. 
 
 The birds fly homeward to the nest, 
 Crooning a lullaby to the day; 
 Faint voices of the evening wake 
 And softly on my heart-strings play. 
 
 As in a dream, I see once more 
 The lordly chiefs in council sit. 
 I hear again their voices chant 
 Our legends old — by firelight lit. 
 
 Their words of council — wisely given - 
 Come echoing back o'er barren years. 
 Alas! The pledge was unfulfilled 
 And faith has given place to fears. 
 
 The God-given lands are ours no more, 
 Our people scattered far and wide; 
 T he fleet deer and the buffalo 
 No longer speed our chase beside. 
 
 34 
 
JN INDUN'S LJMENT 
 
 An ancient race of nature's men 
 
 Has fallen to a low estate. 
 
 And answering my protesting cry, 
 
 The chill of evening wails, "Too late." 
 
 I fold my arms on the aching breast, 
 
 I turn my face to the setting sun. 
 
 I wait in patience the call to rest, 
 
 'Tis the Father's will. The day is done. 
 
 35 
 
DRIFT a DREAMS 
 
 IN YEARS TO COME. 
 
 In years to come ! What a mystic phrase ! 
 With wonder we think of those future days. 
 We clothe that time with our dearest dreams, 
 Our fondest hopes, till at last there gleams 
 Our ideal bright and clear. 
 
 One longs for a name renowned and great, 
 And to win this crown he wars with fate. 
 Hope in his heart for those future years. 
 Guides him safely through toil and fears 
 Like a beacon light afar. 
 
 Another dreams of a quiet nest 
 Far away with one his heart loves best. 
 The aching brain by a sweet voice lulled. 
 The tired eyes rested by roses culled 
 In a twilight garden fair. 
 
 The sailor dreams as he rides the foam 
 Of the bonny lass who waits at home. 
 Of the time at last, with a guerdon won. 
 Home from the treacherous sea he'll come 
 To claim his own fair bride. 
 
 36 
 
IN YEARS TO COME 
 
 In the city one toils from early morn 
 With patient courage, till set of sun; 
 With steadfast hope that the future bring^s 
 Him the joy of travel, — the bird that sings 
 Bravely within his heart. 
 
 And oft there lives in a mansion grand, 
 With luxuries on every hand, 
 An empty heart: that would gladly give 
 All wealth, but a little while to live 
 In the realm of love's content. 
 
 Tell me, oh future years to come, 
 Do you bring at last the wanderer home? 
 Will the plaudits of a famous name 
 Ring out for him who longs for fame. 
 And strives so hard to win? 
 
 My heart goes out to him who dreamed 
 Of the quiet nest, — so sweet it seemed. 
 Will he find the roses he loved so well? 
 And will Love the old, old story tell 
 At last, to that empty heart? 
 
 Beyond today we may not know. 
 But the stars each night in the heavens glow. 
 And faith that our dreams come true, at last. 
 Shall guide our bark though the waves sweep fast 
 On life's tempestuous sea. 
 
 37 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 A PROPHESY. 
 
 Last night in the midst of a peaceful sleep 
 
 A vision came to me — 
 And I beheld a happy throng 
 
 Marching in harmony. 
 
 Sometimes the road was smooth and straight, 
 
 Sometimes over stony lands. 
 Then the stronger turned and helped the weak, 
 
 With eager outstretched hands. 
 
 Each beautiful act brought its own reward, 
 
 Each kind, unselfish word 
 Spoken to a faltering one, 
 
 On the echo, afar was heard. 
 
 Then I knew that the dream was a prophesy. 
 
 That a message had been sent, 
 To each and every one of us 
 
 That our lives be wisely spent. 
 
 That we march courageously on and up, 
 
 Toward a shining goal, 
 Striving to be broad, and true, 
 
 And helping, with heart and soul. 
 
 38 
 
A PROPHESY 
 
 Let us have, like a beacon on a hill, 
 
 An Ideal, — clear and bright. 
 Then steadfastly climb toward it 
 
 With helping hands — left and right. 
 
 Forgetful of self, let us each attempt 
 Something that is worth while. 
 
 Let us be large in thought and deed. 
 And generous in word and smile. 
 
 Remember, he who gives most away 
 
 The richer is by far; 
 And the soul that sees not another's fault, 
 
 Has Heaven for its guiding star. 
 
 And now I dream of another throng, 
 
 Of lofty ideals the same; 
 The bright club women of today, 
 
 All honor to their name. 
 
 39 
 
DRIFT a DREAMS 
 
 FRIENDSHIP. 
 
 (To Hattie.) 
 
 I wandered along in a listless way 
 Grown tired of the dusty road. 
 The hills that at morn had looked so fair 
 Seemed my weary eyes to goad. 
 
 The flowers had wilted from mid-day heat, 
 And life seemed a joyless dream 
 When, all unlooked-for beside my path, 
 Shone a beautiful jewel's gleam. 
 
 I stooped to gather the gem so rare. 
 And into my bosom thrust 
 With boundless joy — this precious find, 
 A friend that I could trust. 
 
 40 
 
ONE HOUR IN A THOUSAND YEARS* 
 
 ' ' A duty fulfilled is the only peace. ' ' 
 
 O the busy, rushing, modern 
 world I am only a beautiful 
 jewel. I admit being one 
 of the favorite gems, and 
 that, even to these thought- 
 less ones of today, I some- 
 times bring a hint of mys- 
 tery. Yet how little they understand ! But 
 the Wise Man of the East would hold me 
 tenderly in his hand and tell you — with pity 
 for your shallow knowledge in his deep, calm 
 eyes — that every opal is an imprisoned soul, 
 to which comes an hour of freedom once in 
 a thousand years. 
 
 If Love, or Friendship, or Loyalty, or in 
 the words of the Eastern poet, *'the one most 
 dear" has stood the test of time, finding her, 
 the soul will remain forever free. 
 
 On the other hand, if the hour's search 
 reveals not such constancy, truth and faithful- 
 ness, the soul must return to its prison again. 
 
 41 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 I am filled with a longing so great it is 
 almost a mortal pain. As the midnight hour 
 draws near it seems as if each second length- 
 ened itself purposely, to test my strength of 
 endurance. But the great law is inexorable, 
 and everything passes — even time. With an 
 inner trembling I remember that they say 
 Love passes too; but that I cannot believe! 
 No, even Time cannot conquer Love! Is not 
 the fervor of my own heart proof enough of 
 this ? Now, as I look back, I can forgive the 
 endless years of waiting wherein was no thought 
 but of the hour when I should be free, to flee 
 to Her. Mortals deem my prison cell very 
 beautiful. I am surrounded by earth's most 
 precious gems — pure glittering diamonds. 
 
 A gentle lady holds me dear and has given 
 me, for many years, her care and affection. 
 This has been to me like a cool, sustaining 
 breeze to the fevered brow of a fainting trav- 
 eler. Indeed I think she understands. Her 
 soul has oft communed with mine, over the 
 hedge of life's trivialities, and the communion 
 has been sweet. She is so gentle and dear, 
 at times I almost shink — but hark! at last 
 the bells! one second more and I shall be free! 
 
 Hs Hs * * 5jc * 
 
 42 
 
ONE HOUR IN A THOUSAND TEARS 
 
 Oh, the glorious expanse of the starHt sky ! 
 The exquisite joy of stretching again the long 
 cramped wings! The fresh, sweet night air, 
 and the unutterable joy of freedom in your 
 heart! There is no question of the way — 
 just straight to Her, and finding Her true and 
 faithful, there will never be for me the prison 
 cell again. 
 
 *J> *!> -^ »1» *j> 
 
 •P" *V' •!* •!* 'I* 
 
 I have hunted far without finding a trace 
 of the "one most dear". Everything is 
 changed, and I am so weary. Yet my hour 
 of liberty flies quickly by. I know not which 
 way to turn! Something seems to draw me, 
 as in a circle, back to the beginning of my 
 flight. Oh, for a word of guidance! 
 
 Then a heavenly calm falls over me and a 
 voice whispers in my ear: — 
 
 "Thy ' one most dear ' is a prisoner also. 
 Had thy thoughts been less of self thou 
 wouldst have known how very near to thee 
 she was." 
 
 "Thy prison cell is thy duty. Fulfilling 
 that duty, thou shalt have peace. Strength- 
 ening thy faith, thou shalt see clearly. For- 
 getting thyself, great reward shall be thine." 
 
 43 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 I am ready, nay, anxious to go back! 
 
 I await the toll of the bell! When the 
 gentle lady looks long and earnestly into my 
 heart again, I shall better understand. I shall 
 know that our souls are very near. That 
 soon, a thousand years, or but a day — it 
 matters not — duty will be fulfilled and we 
 shall be one through all eternity. 
 
 Till then, I will wait content; knowing 
 that love is true, that a duty fulfilled is the 
 only peace, and that our souls, though often 
 faint, can never die. 
 
 44 
 
AN UNINVITED GUEST. 
 
 ' ' To hesitate is to lose — alnuays. ' ' 
 
 Y first consciousness was of 
 some disturbing element — 
 something vague — intruding 
 itself upon me, and against 
 which I rebelled, for my sleep 
 had been deep and refreshing 
 and the darkness told me it 
 must still be quite early. So I nestled down 
 a little closer among the warm covers and 
 tried to drift away again. But it was useless. 
 For now I could distinctly hear a gentle but 
 persistent tapping at the entrance of my 
 thoughts. Resignedly I rouse myself, and 
 cautiously opened the door, and there, close 
 to the portals a chubby little fellow stood, 
 smiling up at me. 
 
 It was His Thought — I recognized him 
 instantly. In the second's hesitation, the 
 moment of mental conflict between the 
 strange wish to call him in and the certain 
 knowledge that he was a bold intruder and 
 without any right to enter, he toddled by me 
 
 45 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 and with a winsome glance stood in the very 
 center of the sanctuary, expectantly looking 
 up at me. 
 
 He was so small in the big, bare room that 
 had been so long untenanted! And yet he 
 had brought with him such a glow of warmth 
 and happiness that I drew quickly back that 
 I might — just for a moment — watch him 
 unobserved. There was also a feeling of 
 guilt. I should never, never have allowed 
 him to come in ; and now nothing remained 
 but to put him out again. 
 
 But how? To hesitate is to lose — always. 
 
 When I looked again he was no longer 
 alone! My Thought was there with him, 
 hand in hand, and they were as contented 
 and care free as two butterflies in the sun- 
 shine. My reasoning material self seemed to 
 shrink and fade away, and the power to act 
 was suspended; I could only remain motion- 
 less and watch. 
 
 Then, without a thought, they clambered 
 all over my choice conventionalities, pulled 
 down my ancient rules and precepts and scat- 
 tered my well kept regulations all over the 
 floor. They nibbled greedily of my treasured 
 sweets, then ruthlessly soiled my keepsakes, 
 
 46 
 
AN UNINVITED GUEST 
 
 leaving marks Time will be long in effacing. 
 And through it all they were amazingly 
 happy ! I could have gasped, only the fasci- 
 nation of what was happening held me noise- 
 less. How My Thought had stolen from me 
 I could never tell; but since she had joined 
 the little ** poacher", the pair boldly ruined 
 my best intentions, disarming me with their 
 foolish happiness. 
 
 Suddenly a noise of the outer world brings 
 a realization that the regular routine of life 
 must be taken up again. With a start I catch 
 up My Thought, and giving her a cruel little 
 shake, I crush her back of will and duty, and 
 bundle His Thought out into the cold and 
 close the door quickly. 
 
 But not so quickly but that he had time to 
 turn his curly head and flash up at me a taunt- 
 ing smile which told me, only too plainly, 
 that he knew the way and might come again. 
 
 And since there is no denying he has a 
 confederate still on the inside, I stand and 
 hold the door, not knowing 
 
 47 
 
DRIFT O' DREAMS 
 
 THE BORDER GATE. 
 
 I seem to stand on a rugged crest, 
 
 A place where three trails meet. 
 
 With backward glance I can trace the path 
 
 I climbed with youth' s brave feet. 
 
 There are many spots where the sun shone bright 
 Some, too, with lonesome shade, 
 And some where storms beat cruelly 
 Before these heights were made. 
 
 'Twas good that youth was with me then, 
 'Twere a sad attempt made now. 
 I turn my face to the future place 
 Nor thoughts of the past allow. 
 
 Down the second path as I shield my eyes 
 And look toward life's setting sun. 
 There hangs a mist of uncertainty 
 To pass, ere the journey's done. 
 
 Then there comes a murmur to my ears, 
 Like the song of a summer sea. 
 And I know, before my soul admits — 
 That the third trail calls to me. 
 
 48 
 
THE BORDER GATE 
 
 Like distant music on breezes borne, 
 Or a half-glimpse of beauties rare, 
 Comes the longing to fathom the beyond. 
 To slip from this world of care. 
 
 The rustling leaves a summons bring. 
 The shadows beckon a hand. 
 And I long through the border gate to swing. 
 Into the unknown land. 
 
 49 
 
DRIFr O' DREAMS 
 
 CLOSING THE CLUB YEAR. 
 
 Another year! So much it means 
 Either of progress or decay. 
 For in our busy rushing world 
 There is no " standing still " today. 
 
 Each one must march with lifted face 
 Toward the higher spheres, that call; 
 Or careless, lagging, lose the race, 
 And slow decay, like crumbling wall. 
 
 The bright club-women here today, 
 Have heard the call, and eager rise 
 The heights to climb, the truth to prove : 
 Success in earnest effort lies. , 
 
 So let us in the coming year. 
 New victories win, — new heights attain. 
 " On every mountain-top is rest" 
 Each cross is given a crown to gain. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 llllllllillllllillllllllllllllllnlllllllllllilill 
 015 926 679 5