Etc. [pp. 327-333]

1888.]
Etc.
Thus the commonwealth would retain control of the
water.
The assessor and collector of each county could
assess and collect the license money, conveying it to
the State treasurer. An individual or an association could build a ditch or a canal and get water
under said license, neither of them being able to
acquire a prior right.
If this main principle is constitutional, as I believe
it to be, and is applied, it matters little as to how
the details are wvorked out,-the long vexed problemn of irrigation w ill be solved. L.
The Serenade.
SEE the swarthy caballero,
Underneath his wide sombrero,
O'cr the plaza walk with pride,
IL ike the owner of a million
Or a true grandee Castilian,
Such &-eandea in his stride.
But despite his lordly bearing
He is poor, and from long wearing
His casaca'gins to shine;
In his pocket there is iiada
At the rickety Posaa
To procure a drink of wine.
When the moon is softly gliding
Through the sky, we see him striding,
Now a cav alier of love,
Love his steps is hither bringing,
Love his eager steps is winging
To the spreading olive grove.
There upon the mesa blooming
The old hacienda looming
Is his goal and shrine tonight,
For there dwells the old Alcalde,
Sefior Don Romero Valde,
With a daughter, fair and bright.
Sweet Dolores, his heart's treasure,
Whom he loves beyond all measure,
Whom he follows like a shade,
Happy ever to pursue her,
And tonight he comes to woo her
With a tender serenade.
Neath the old adobe standing
Underneath the boughs expanding
Of a spicy pepper tree,
He prepares his fond love-crooning,
His guitar low probing tuning
Carefully and tenderly.
Now he starts to play upon it,
And to launch his well conned sonnet
On the silent air of night,
To the window gazing often
In the hope that she may soften,
And bestow the longed-for sight.
331
Ah! he sees her, - he is certain
From behind the window curtain
Shyly peep her black eyes bright.
Now his heart-blood warms and bubbles,
Now his efforts he redoubles,
And he serenades with might.
Thus he cannot hear the laughing,
Thus he does not heed the chaffing,
That is going on in there.
If he klnew whose arms enfold her!
If he knew upon whose shoulder
Sinks her head of glossy hair!
Padre mzo! If he knew it!
Sadly shall he be brought to it,
Little dreams of such a thing!
In there sits, the accepted lover,
In high feather and in clover,
Harry Smith, the cattle king.
Cease thy twanging, caballero,
Rich in kine is the ranchero.
Get thee horne and into bed.
He is rich and he is bolder,
He hath got her, he doth hold her
In a week they are to wed.
Know your serenades impassioned,
Are grown foolish and old-fashioned;
Times have changed, as all things show.
Land and profits, gold and cattle
Better serve to fight the battle
For the hearts of nmaidens now.
Ah, carraulba! hated Gringo,
With thy harsh and barbarous lingo,
Ilast thou not beyond.] thy due?
Land and water we have given,
From our homes we have been driven, —
Must thou take our maidens too?
H. 1. S.
Life in an Antiquated Mining Town.
THE antiquated mining town is the offspring of
great expectations. Built during the wild flurry of the
greatest gold excitement of this age or any other,
whilst the air was literally alive with flying rumors
and fabulous reports of diverse and peculiar kinds, it
stands today a monument to the want of judgment
and deliberation displayed by its founders.
If they had been built in full view of the possibilities of the placers becoming exhausted in a short
time, it might be considered a demonstration of excellent judgment that they were built in the particular
manner that prevailed. But it is safe to assume that
the idea of exhaustion had no influence whatever
over their construction; the quickest w'ay to get to
work raking in dollars and cents was the thing
aimed at in their hasty architecture. A town built
solely to meet the wants of that most uncertain
industry of mining is safe to be found wanting in that