Stockton, by the invitation of its master, made his headquarters in a portion of the Bandini residence, which was extensive. Its large dancing hall was in especial requisition during the stay of the American officers, although Don Juan was always a frequent and delightful entertainer. One of his dances would cost, says Mr. Bancroft's History, as much as a thousand dollars, but as his income was at the time eighteen thousand a month it was not considered reckless expenditure. The field glass used by Commodore Stockton during his conquest of California, he presented to Mr. Bandini, and it is preserved in the family, being the property of his son, Mr. Arturo Bandini of Pasadena.

Of the descendants of Don Juan Bandini, Arcadia, his eldest daughter, is perhaps the best known. Her beauty was of the rarest, even to the present day she retains such remains of it that one meeting her cannot realize the flight of time. In Southern California she was a queen in the early days, having no rival. Early she became the wife of Don Abel Stearns, one of the pioneers and leading Americans of the country. His features though noble, were too strongly marked for the California idea of beauty. The vaqueros on his many ranchos had the following verse, which was common as any proverb in the southern country:

Cantaban dos palomitas
Sentadas en un laurel,
Tan bonita Doña Arcadia
Tan feo Don Abel.

This they were in no wise loth should reach the ears of their master, as the tribute to his wife delighted him, while the contrary remarks about himself did not in the least disconcert him. A lady tourist was relating recently how she, a girl of twelve years, was in Los Angeles in the early fifties with her father, an officer of the United States army, and it

was her delight to be allowed to see Doña Arcadia Bandini Stearns when dressed for a ball, that it was a sight to remember with pleasure because of her great beauty and good taste. The delightful hospitality of the Stearns mansion is mentioned by every writer who visited Los Angeles.

Doña Arcadia is now the widow of Colonel R. S. Baker, and resides in Los Angeles, where she has much property. On her mother's side of the house she is a representative of the Estudillos, a family of eminence of whom her grandfather Don José Estudillo was head in the southern counties. He was long collector of the port of San Diego and held other offices both under Mexican and American rule, being known as a man of unblemished reputation and wide influence. His daughters, who were beautiful, married into the leading families of the State. His son José while still young was a banker in San Diego, later he became county treasurer, and finally his party gave him the same position under the State government.

The San Diego family of Arguellos were descendants of Lieutenant José Dario Arguello, an officer of the Spanish army, who came to America in 1781. He had a large family, the touching little story a fact-of one daughter, Bret Harte has given to the world in his poem of Concepcion de Arguello, which is one of the best poetical romances of this Coast. His heroine had the shapely neck and arms and luxuriant hair for which her family were famous. Her niece, Mrs. Bandini, has told me how when after death Doña Concepcion lay upon la mesa her beautiful hair enveloped her from head to foot, like a veil, and then fell to the floor, so long was it. One son of Lieutenant Arguello, Don Luis, was governor of California; another, Santiago, was comandante of San Diego.

Don Santiago married while yet very young Doña Pilar Ortega of the Refugio Rancho, Santa Barbara. Like many another California couple their bridal tour was to San Diego, but instead of journeying in a palace car, she rode the whole way behind her husband on his famous roan horse. This couple had twenty-one children; it was said of the Comandante that he used to ride out with his sixteen sons, all over six feet high, handsome, fair-haired men of the pure Castilian type. The Arguellos are of the true sangre azul of Spain. The family books in their possession contain their history back to the time of a nephew of Charlemagne, who settled in Spain near Burgos. These quaint volumes bear the proud boast of the nobles of Castile, "Blood free from taint of Jew or Moor," the margins of the parchment are illuminated with the arms, quarterings, and style of dress, of each succeeding generation.

Refugio, one of the daughters of Comandante Arguello, and second wife of Don Juan Bandini, was particularly worthy of her noble birth. Beautiful, of queenly bearing and unfailing courtesy, sweet Lady of Refuge, she was fittingly named. No one appealed to her sympathy in vain. She was the wisest of patronas. It was no small matter to rule a household on one of the great ranchos. Doña Refugio had sixteen to eighteen Indian maids in her sewing room at one time and she in their midst, had to rule them as servants and look after them as children, to see that the lace makers, in gossiping did not make misstitches in the delicate linen intrusted to them, that the makers of household garments gave a good fit with strong seams. When contentions arose she had not only to use authority, but pour oil on the troubled waters, that no rancor should lie dormant to burst into flame when she was not by.

was, who going to kind, encouraging

In the morning she it the door would cry in tones, "To the brooms! To the brooms, muchachas!" adding, if it were foggy, "such a fine morning for the brooms, little ones, and the draggled skirted Indian girls would flock to the corner where stood the huge round brooms, and fall to work on the bare, hard ground that surrounded the house, sweeping it clean as a floor for nearly quarter of an acre. A drift of dirt left by some careless one would be sure to meet the eye of the Patrona and she would call in gently chiding tones, "No bueno, Maria!" or, "Where are thine eyes, Margarita ?” She, it was, who apportioned the stores for the under ranchos when the carts came to the resedencia, or home rancho, for supplies, and she knew to an exactness what each required. It was not possible to deceive the Patrona, they all agreed, but they loved while they stood in awe of her. Left by her husband's death the head of a large family, she ever held the love and esteem of her own and her step-children, there seemed no difference in their intercourse.

I dwell longer upon her history, not only because it is a labor of love, but because she was a type of those times now fast passing away. With education. much neglected, she spoke little English, yet had such wonderful memory, sweet voice, and grace of gesture, that her reproductions of Spanish tales and dramas, or stories of early times, were some of the most interesting experiences of my life. Born in Santa Barbara in 1817, Mrs. Bandini died in Los Angeles at the age of seventy-four, loved and mourned. by a multitude of relatives, friends, and dependents.

One of the most accomplished gentlemen of early California was Don Miguel de Pedrorena, a citizen of San Diego and member of one of the noblest families of

Madrid. In the war between Mexico and the United States he commanded troops under Stockton, giving valuable aid to the American cause. His son Miguel married the daughter of Lieutenant Burton of the American army of occupation, and settled near San Diego, where they had extensive land claims.

Don José Antonio Aguirre, a Spaniard exiled from Mexico for his stanch adherence to his native land, came to California, where he became one of its leading merchants, known and respected from the southern to the northern line. His son Martin was at one time sheriff of Los Angeles County, a most efficient officer, noted for his bravery, yet ever ready to use gentle methods with the refractory citizens that came under his

care.

The San Pasqual Rancho, where Pasadena now stands, was owned by Captain Manuel Garfias and his wife, the latter a member of the wealthy Avila family. Of their two sons - the first white children born in Pasadena's precincts one, Manuel, died recently in Honduras, where he was colonel of a Mexican regiment. He was a young man of great promise, whose bravery and readiness had gained him rapid promotion and the warmest praise from President Diaz. The other brother, a lawyer, was one of Mexico's commissioners to the Columbian Exposition.

A family prominent through the Territory was that of Lugo. Don Antonio Maria Lugo of Los Angeles County, it was said, could ride from San Diego to Sonoma, a distance of seven hundred miles, and sleep every night on his own. lands, and change horses every day from his own herds. At ninety he was still straight, of military carriage. It was the aim of young horsemen to acquire his style of riding, which was designated, "El cuerpo de Lugo." He had many

children and made the boast of a patriarch, "Yo he cumplido mi deber á mi pais." He left a name unsullied and many hearts mourned his death, but his leagues of land had in a great measure passed to the new comers; his "cattle on a thousand hills" had vanished, and he was at the close of life a comparatively poor man. The question arises would it

have been better for his descendants had his nature been less nobly generous, more cunning, his love for money greater than his love for man, "quien Sabe?" The daughters of the Lugos were sought in marriage by the best families of the State. It was a boast that they were even courted in the cradle, as when the young officer, Colonel Ignacio Vallejo, being in San Luis Obispo on the occasion of the birth of a daughter to the Lugos, asked her father the hand of the day old baby, provided, when the time came to fulfil the contract, the señorita should be willing. This seemingly absurd betrothal took place. The child grew up to be an intelligent as well as attractive young woman, married her betrothed, and became the mother of many children, among them Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo.

Of two other extensive land owners in the South, Don Manuel Dominguez, owner of the San Pedro Rancho, was one of the few who met the trials of the transition period and came off conqueror, keeping his lands and fortunes intact, while his neighbor, Don José Sepulvida of the San Joaquin Rancho, though he lost much of his property, had "hostages to fortune" in his bright sons whom he sent East to be educated. Ignacio became a lawyer of ability; when scarcely past his majority was Judge of Los Angeles County, discharging his duties so creditably that he was raised to the dignity first of District and finally Superior Judge. His brother Andronico is a politician of prominence.

Don Eulogio de Celis was a native of Spain, who settled in Los Angeles sometime in the forties, where he added to an already large fortune. His children were educated in Europe, but made Los Angeles their home. The oldest son, Eulogio, long ably edited the Spanish paper of Southern California. He was a student, a brilliant conversationalist, and was well fitted to take a creditable part in the world of politics. It is lamentable that he was contented with the limited facilities afforded by the Los Angeles of those days. A younger brother, Don Miguel de Celis, an artist and decorator of the Royal Chapel, Madrid, died recently in Los Angeles.

One of the foremost Spanish Americans of the State was Don Antonio Coronel, at one time Mayor of Los Angeles County, treasurer of both county and State, member of the State Board of Agriculture, and one of the founders of the Historical Society, in which he did efficient work in preserving records and ancient landmarks. He was greatly liked by the Americans, who found him always ready to assist them in gaining information about early times and customs.

Don Augustin Olvera, for many years Judge of Los Angeles County, came to the Territory in company with the Coronel family and others in 1834. He soon became prominent in all matters relating to the welfare and improvement of his adopted country, and was one of the commissioners who arranged the treaty of Cahuenga.

The Yorba is a large and still wealthy family of the southern counties. Its founder, Don Barnardo, called in history, "that head and front of all that is useful and elegant," died in 1858, leaving great wealth and many descendants. One granddaughter married J. de Barth Shorb, Esq., of San Gabriel. Their interesting family unite the characteristics of one of

Maryland's old families with those of the Spanish American race and are prominent in the social world.

Don Pio Pico, last Mexican governor of California, was born in 1801 near San Gabriel. While a young man he defied Church and State by aiding his niece- a Carillo to elope with her Yankee lover, though governor and padre forbade the bans. Don Pico had a reputation for being soft-hearted, and it is said his laws in favor of women of the colony, gave even the gentlest dame courage to take her husband by the beard. Governor Pico ruled with wisdom and good sense, though much has been said against his mission policy, but as they fell to his charge after they had been well plundered by his predecessor, he had to make the best of a bad situation. His earnest efforts to win Padre Duran, president of the mission, to cooperate with him in the best methods then possible to bring to a close the process of secularization, met at first with no success, the good father refusing to share in the "tremendous responsibility about to be incurred before God and man.” Later, however, he was won over by the arguments of Don Juan Bandini, to give his hearty assistance. Don Pio died in 1894. His brother, Don Andres, was commander of the native forces at the battle of San Pasqual, where he defeated Kearney, and he it was who concluded with Frémont the treaty of Cahuenga which brought to a close hostilities in California.

With the Picos closes the account of the possessions and customs of the families of California most often mentioned by historians and writers upon the period. preceding the Mexican war. Other native Californians there were, equal in wealth and position, but who were not so prominently before the public as to form matter of history.

Of the causes, that in one generation

led to the downfall and poverty of families possessing such fabulous wealth, the land trouble must be admitted as chief. The foundation of these fortunes was in the great tracts of fertile soil obtained often from the government only for the asking; of the wilderness they were so anxious should be occupied, the authorities were only too willing to make large concessions to would-be settlers of the better class. Sometimes the gift was made with little or no legal contract, and generally the Mexican government was fatally lax in designating the boundary lines of her grants. The secularization of the missions increased the trouble a hundred fold, leaving so many leagues of the best lands with no owner save the poor Indian, whose rights, then as now, no one was bound to respect.

The years preceding the American occupation were a period of turmoil in the lonely province on the Pacific Coast. The Californians, weary of misrule, wishing to be governed by one of themselves, quite regularly revolted and sent home the ruler foisted upon them by the home government. There was a strong desire for a separation from Mexico, which had never done them justice, though the leaders must have been aware that in such case their territory was too sparsely settled long to continue an independent state, and they must have felt the necessity of an alliance with some stronger power as an event that might occur in the near future. Had our government then managed with more generosity and wisdom, it is probable that this princely. domain would have come to us peacefully with nothing but fraternal feelings on either side, and this sensitive, hospitable people would have been spared the bitterness of defeat · a bitterness more galling to such a high-spirited, impulsive race than to the more stolid Anglo-Saxon. The Californians would have looked upon

the Americans, not as conquerors, who in their strength had relentlessly crushed a smaller power, bringing sorrow and loss to many homes of the brave defenders, but as brothers to be received with hospitality. Land disagreements would have been more easily settled, race prejudices less keen, and the two people in reasonable time amalgamated.

But it was not to be. Our government, with possible war with Mexico in view, with the certain determination not to allow England to gain an interest in California, empowered its agent here to sound the leaders and win them if possible to favor annexation to the United States. This was managed secretly and wisely and there seemed to be a strong feeling among them in favor of joining. the Eastern republic. Then came offenses, how, or by whom, it is useles to inquire; at this day the wounds are still too fresh, the actors in the drama still many of them alive. No doubt, the Americans who were here- that is, the later comers were anxious to gain the country for the United States. "But," says Mr. Bancroft, "so kindly were they treated, so obviously unfounded were the rumors of intended oppressions occasionally circulated, that no pretext for rising could be found; there was not, in 1845, the slightest disposition to oppress foreigners." No doubt there were misrepresentations, perhaps too readily believed, the "wish being father to the thought," but whatever the excuse, the uprising of the Americans, the action of our government in beginning hostilities, was most deplorable, and the results of this general mismanagement are felt today and will continue to be felt for at least another generation.

After the conquest, the Californians, feeling hopeless and chagrined, were glad to be let alone. They had not buoyancy to rise promptly from defeat, the assur