AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN
Continued....
CHAPTER XVII
YELLOW POPPIES
"So this is California!" exclaimed Patsy gleefully,
as the automobile
left Parker and crossed the Arizona line.
"But it doesn't look any different," said Myrtle,
peering out of the
window.
"Of course not," observed Uncle John. "A State
boundary is a man-made
thing, and doesn't affect the country a bit. We've
just climbed a
miniature mountain back in Arizona, and now we must
climb a mate to
it in California. But the fact is, we've entered at
last the Land of
Enchantment, and every mile now will bring us nearer
and nearer to the
roses and sunshine."
"There's sunshine here now," declared the Major.
"We've had it right
along. But I haven't seen the roses yet, and a pair
of ear muffs
wouldn't be uncomfortable in this cutting breeze."
"The air _is_ rather crisp," admitted Uncle John.
"But we're still in
the mountainous district, and Haggerty says--"
The Major coughed derisively and Mumbles barked and
looked at Uncle
John sagaciously.
"Haggerty says--"
"Is that a rabbit or a squirrel? Something has
caught the eye of our
Mumbles," interrupted the Major, pointing vaguely
across the mesa.
"Haggerty says--"
"I wonder if Mumbles could catch 'em," remarked the
Major, with
complacence.
"He says that every mile we travel brings us nearer
the scent of the
orange blossoms and the glare of the yellow
poppies," persisted Uncle
John. "You see, we've taken the Southern route,
after all, for soon we
shall be on the Imperial road, which leads to San
Diego--in the heart
of the gorgeous Southland."
"What is the Imperial road?" inquired Beth.
"The turnpike through Imperial Valley, said to be
the richest bit of
land in all the world, not excepting the famous Nile
banks of Egypt.
There is no railway there yet, but the Valley is
settling very fast,
and Haggerty says--"
"How remarkable!" exclaimed the Major, gazing
straight ahead. And
again Mumbles, curled in Patsy's lap, lifted his
shaggy head and gave
a wailing bark.
Uncle John frowned, but was loyal to Haggerty.
"He says that if America was now unknown to all the
countries of the
world, Imperial would soon make it famous. They grow
wonderful crops
there--strawberries and melons the year around, as
well as all the
tropical and semi-tropical fruits and grains,
flowers and vines known
to any country yet discovered."
"Do we go to Imperial?" asked Myrtle, eagerly.
"I think not, my dear; we just skirt the edge of the
Valley. It's
rather wild and primitive there yet; for although
many settlers are
flocking to that favored district Imperial is large
enough to be an
empire by itself. However, we shall find an ideal
climate at Coronado,
by the edge of the blue Pacific, and there and at
Los Angeles we shall
rest from our journey and get acquainted with the
wonders of the
Golden State. Has the trip tired you, girls?"
"Not me," answered Beth, promptly. "I've enjoyed
every mile of the
way."
"And so have I," added Patsy; "except perhaps the
adventure with the
remittance men. But I wouldn't care to have missed
even that, for it
led to our acquaintance with old Dan'l."
"For my part," said Myrtle softly, "I've been in a
real fairyland. It
has seemed like a dream to me, all this glorious
journey, and I shall
hate to wake up, as I must in time."
"Don't worry just yet about the awakening, dear,"
returned Patsy,
leaning over to kiss her little friend. "Just enjoy
it while you can.
If fairylands exist, they were made for just such as
you, Myrtle."
"One of the greatest marvels of our trip," said the
Major, with a
smile, "is the improvement in our dear little
invalid. It isn't the
same Myrtle who started out with us, believe me.
Can't you all see the
change?"
"I can _feel_ it," returned Myrtle, happily. "And
don't you notice how
well I walk, and how little use I have now for the
crutches?"
"And can you feel the rosy cheeks and bright eyes,
too?" asked Uncle
John, regarding her with much satisfaction.
"The trip was just the thing for Myrtle," added
Patsy. "She has grown
stronger every day; but she is not quite well yet,
you know, and I
depend a good deal upon the genial climate of
California to insure her
complete recovery."
Uncle John did not reply. He remembered the doctor's
assertion that a
painful operation would be necessary to finally
restore Myrtle to a
normal condition, and his kindly heart disliked to
reflect upon the
ordeal before the poor girl.
Haggerty proved a prophet, after all. Each mile they
covered opened
new vistas of delight to the eager travelers. The
air grew more balmy
as they left the high altitudes and came upon the
level country to
the north, of the San Bernardino range of mountains,
nor was it
long before they sighted Imperial and sped through
miles of country
carpeted with the splendid yellow poppies which the
State has adopted
as the emblems of California. And behind this golden
robe loomed the
cotton fields of Imperial, one of the most
fascinating sights the
traveler may encounter. They made a curve to the
right here, and
headed northerly until they came to Salton. Skirting
the edge of the
curious Salton Sea they now headed directly west
toward Escondido,
finding the roads remarkably good and for long
stretches as smooth and
hard as an asphalt boulevard. The three days it took
them to cross the
State were days of wonder and delight.
It was not long before they encountered the roses
and carnations
growing on every side, which the Major had
persistently declared to be
mythical.
"It seems all wrong," asserted Patsy's father,
moodily, "for such
delicate flowers to be growing out of doors in
midwinter. And look at
the grass! Why, the seasons are changed about. It's
Springtime just
now in California."
"The man at the last stop we made told me his roses
bloomed the year
round," said Patsy, "And just smell the orange
blossoms, will you!
Aren't they sweet, and don't they remind you of
brides?"
From Escondido it was a short run to the sea and
their first glimpse
of the majestic Pacific was from a high bluff
overhanging the water.
From this point the road ran south to San Diego,
skirting the coast
along a mountain trail that is admitted to be one of
the most
picturesque rides in America.
Descending the hills as they neared San Diego they
passed through
fields of splendid wild flowers so extensive and
beautiful that
our girls fairly gasped in wonder. The yellow and
orange poppies
predominated, but there were acres of wild mustard
throwing countless
numbers of gorgeous saffron spikes skyward, and
vistas of blue
carconnes, white daisies and blood-red delandres.
The yucca was in
bloom, too, and added its mammoth flower to the
display.
They did not halt at San Diego, the southernmost
city of California,
from whence the Mexican line is in plain sight, but
drove to the bay,
where Wampus guided the limousine on to the big
ferryboat bound for
Coronado. They all left the car during the brief
voyage and watched
the porpoises sporting in the clear water of the bay
and gazed
abstractedly at the waving palms on the opposite
shore, where lies
nestled "the Crown of the Pacific"--Coronado.
AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN
Continued....
 
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