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Rh or bloom or fruit, at whatever time of year you sat on the Señora's south veranda."

The garden nearest the south side of the house is to nearly all who visit the ranch the most delightful feature of the place. It is barely an acre in extent, but is filled with trees and shrubs that give forth a rich fragrance, and inhabited by many birds. In the centre of the garden is a large, deep basin, into which fall the waters of a fountain. Around the rim of the basin are pots of flowers and curiosities found in the adjacent fields. To the left of the fountain and extending down the east side of the garden is a long grape arbor, overhung with vines. It leads to the brook that runs in the shade of some old gnarled willow-trees, where the maids are made, in "Ramona," to do the washing of the Señora's luxurious household. It was there, too, at the foot of the arbor, that Alessandro first saw Ramona, as she was busy washing the altar-cloth that Margarita had carelessly allowed to become torn. Beyond the brook is the Santa Clara River, and from the south bank of that shallow stream rises a group of hills, one being capped with a huge wooden cross, which "H. H." says the Señora Moreno caused to be set up, that it might serve as notice to all passers-by that they were on the land of a good Catholic. There is another of these crosses on the hill to the north of the ranch.

THE CHAPEL. To the west of the garden fountain is a little chapel, so often referred to in "Ramona." Standing in the shallow of the orange-trees that fill the garden, and overgrown with trailing vines that creep over the pointed roof and are festooned about the sides of the building, the chapel is a delightful place. A shaded gravel-walk leads through the garden to its entrance, and the interior contains a small white altar, on which are several choice ornaments and a statue of the patron saint of the household. The walls are hung with pictures of saints, some of them admirably well painted, and with brackets, on which stand vases of freshly cut flowers. The present Señora is a devout churchwoman, and holds regular service in her chapel. She reads the service herself as she kneels before the altar, and the responses are made by her children and maids. Whenever a Franciscan Father or a priest of the Catholic Church passes up the Santa Clara valley, he is invited by the Señora to visit her house, and say mass in the chapel. During such service the visitor is robed in richly wrought vest-