A few memories

FEAST-DAYS IN NEW CALIFORNIA n
Southern cause. There was a choky, terrible feeling in the air, which caused me to sleep with my head under the coverlet for several nights.
Soon after this my brother and I were allowed to go to New California to visit Nonie. The bright little town, with its houses painted blue, red, pink, and white, with meadows and pastures intersecting them, looked more like a toy town than a " real live one." Now, alas ! all the quaint pretti-ness has vanished: large factories, ugly breweries, and brick-yards disfigure it. The church, the priest's house, and the school of the old time alone remain. We always spent the great feast-clays there. Especially do I remember Corpus Christi. On that day the pasture near the church seemed, to my childish eyes, like an enchanted scene. Many altars were erected there, covered with lace, flowers, and lighted candles. The village band played festal music, and was answered by the distant notes of the organ and choir from the little church. Three times the beautiful procession filed around the pasture. Preceded by small girls in white, scattering rose-leaves, and acolytes swinging their silver censers, came Pater Anton carrying the monstrance. Kneeling in the grass, we sent up fervent prayers, the warm summer sun shining