Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/374



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Houses, streets,  and  society,  and  life  in  general,  ap- peared crude and  raw,  as  indeed  they  were.

Immigration, though  decreasing  in  numbers,  gained in quality. The character  of  its  composition  changed. Men now  came  to  stay,  bringing  with  them  their families, their  lares  and  penates,  and  sufficient  money to establish  themselves  hi  some  industry  tending  to the  increase  of  commerce,  or  to  the  development  of the  country. The fitful  and  irrational  passion  which prompted earlier  immigration  was  less  indulged  in  by later  comers,  who  sought  success  where  success  is usually  found,  in  permanent  plodding  rather  than  in sudden  acquirement. There were  new  avenues  of industry  opened,  and  plains  and  valleys  were  orna- mented with homes,  made  attractive  by  cultivation without and  endearments  withhi.

Immigration was  wanted;  but  not  that  kind  of immio-ration  which  characterized  the  first  settlement of this  country,  and  of  many  new  countries ;  not  the lowest and  vilest  from  the  purlieus  of  cities,  nor gamblers, nor  ephemeral  speculators;  but  earnest, honest, hard-working  and  law-abiding  men  and  women, who should  come  across  the  plains  with  their  ox- teams, their household  goods,  and  their  little  ones;  or  cross- ing the water,  should  come  to  plant  themselves  in  a new  soil,  and  there  remain  and  build  up  for  them- selves and their  posterity  a  new  home. The days  of the  adventurers  were  past;  in  coming  they  fulfilled their destiny,  acted  their  part  in  the  great  social  up- heavals which, in  their  coalescing,  outlined  the  config- urations of future  institutions,  gave  boundaries  to thougjlit,  and  color  and  climax  to  ideas;  but  now  their work was  done,  and  the  slower  process  of  disintegra- tion and alligation  must  be  accomplished  by  other agencies.

Three years  had  scarcely  passed  before  it  was  dis- covered that California  possessed  charms  as  powerful to retain  as  to  attract. It was  a  proud  thing  for  the youiig villager  to  visit  his  old  home  with