s of fruit were shot about like
war-like projectiles; and the eccentric heaping of engine, tender, and
freight cars gave us an idea of the impetus of the force which caused
the whole disaster. Fortunately no lives were lost.

It was Sunday morning when we reached Brentwood. It was a scattering
village of detached houses in the midst of a vast plain through which
the railroad ran, straight as an arrow, from horizon to horizon. The
somnolence of Sunday and of nature hung over all, giving little promise
for the twenty-four hours we were to stay there; yet unpromising as it
all seemed, we passed there a very enjoyable time.

We were left to our own devices all day, for Dr. and Mrs. Humphreys and
the members of his family, went off in the early morning, to visit some
relatives ranching in the foot-hills of the encircling mountains, which
enclose the vast plain, on which Brentwood stands. How beautiful and
ever-varying those mountains were! They told us new stories from
morning until night--now a romance of purple and gold; again, a story
of less heroic character, as they stood out plain and clear in the
sunshine; and again, a tale of deeper mystery, as the night shadows
gathered upon their sides, and the moonbeams gave a strange brilliancy
to their higher peaks.

Brentwood and all its belongings was before us for the Sunday. After an
exploring tour, we found two churches, a Campbellite and a Methodist.
They did not look particularly inviting, although the hymn singing in
one by the Sunday-school children touched us. We still strolled on and
came upon a group of people busily engaged taking flowers into a long,
blackened shed which we were told was the town hall, and that there a
Dominican monk was to hold services that morning. A fine-looking young
German of the tall, black type was busy arranging the rude temporary
altar, and a number of ladies and others were assisting him. My German
friend offered us an introduction to Father Burke, the monk in
question, but we declined, not wishing to intrude upon him before his
Mass.

The hour for service came, and we were on hand, with a varied crowd
from the town and country adjacent, quite a goodly number. There was a
large, white curtain hung back of the altar as a sort of reredos. It
did not reach the floor, however, and as the platform was rather high,
we had a preliminary view from almost the knees down of all the
necessary preparation and vesting, more interesting than edify