Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/326



heart knows  no  alchemy  that  will  turn  it  into  gold. There is  a  limit  beyond  which  mere  mental  culture and unaspiring  industry,  be  they  never  so  earnest  and patient, cannot  broaden  or  deepen  the  soul. There must be  a  little  sentiment,  a  little  feminine  ambition, a little  womanly  excitement  other  than  that  which  a purely  money-making  husband  usually  gives  ;  else  the tender harmony  of  the  heart  is  silenced,  and  the  deli- cate flower withers  and  droops. California was  no place  for  a  fastidious  woman. She who  could  wash best, iron  best,  or  cook  best,  was  the  most  independ- ent, and the  one  to  win  fortune,  and  even  happiness  if her  nature  admitted  it. Nevertheless, there  were many whose  hearts  nothing  but  a  golden  key  could unlock.

It is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  intemperance  in business  and  pleasure  should  result  in  social  discord. Though the  Yankee  element  predominated,  there  was in society  at  the  first,  scarcely  what  could  be  called  a recognized  or  recognizable  nationality  ;  California  was then but  a  geographical  expression — Vox  et  prseterea nihil.

The guests  of  a  large  dinner  or  supper  party  were as varied  in  character  and  qualities  of  mind  as  among the rich  men  of  Rome,  who  had  acquired  wealth  by disreputable  means  in  the  days  of  Pliny,  though  the San Francisco  host  did  not  carry  the  distinction  so far  as  to  serve  up  different  qualities  of  food  and  wine to the  different  ofuests  as  in  Rome.