The San Francisco call. [volume], November 13, 1910, Page 16, Image 16

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

Catherine Robertson Hamlin
Dn. SZ^'ARD WEBB has offered.'
Eleanor. Den of Santa Barbara, .
Cal.. the position of superlnten- .
dent of horses at Shellburne \
farms, at a salary that would tempt .
the ordinary man of affairs. While her.
chief dudes would be the breaking of
periled thoroughbreds to saddle or
harness, the entire supervision of the
etud would be in the hands of -.this
Blender Flip of a. girl who has never
set foot outside of California, but who
was at Lome on a horse's back long
before she could speak plainly; and •
vho won cups ere more timid children
tvere deemed safe away from the-re-
Btraining hands of mother or 'nurse. •
Unhesitatingly the tempting and -
lucrative offer has been declined. Xot
because t!;e gir! is not eager to train
those wonderful horses and to- catch
a glimpso of the wide world that lies
beyond the rim of her mountain girdled
date, but because there :s a gentle,
delicate little mother at home, who
could not stand the changes of an east
ern climate and who would droop and :
die ?way from the only corner of th*v
world she has over known. \u25a0 To go with
out this mother, would, in the simple
standard laid down by Miss Den for her
own rule of conduct, l>e a monstrous
thing. It is because of her, < that ' the
Birl has taken up a line of work that
lias practically made her famous, lea fl
ing to such offers as that she., has just
declined at Shellburne farm.'
Miss Den is familiar among those
\u25a0who make their winter homes in.Santa .
Barbara, llontecito or Miramar.'and
they are many and from all parts of the
\u25a0world. Among her powerful patrons ?
are J. Hobart Moore, president of the.
Rock Island; E. P. Riple>v president of'
the Santa Fe; the late E. H.-Harriman;
the late Rear Admiral Bowman H. Me-.
Calla, Ptewart Edward White, Samuel
Hopkins Adams, William Tevis, Sir .
F-obert Iladfield and Dr. Seward Webb.
Miss Mary Harriman was a pupi! of
Miss Den ana, during her stay in Mon
t*>c!tr>, ps.it of two winters, .the two,
pupil and teacher, rode every day, some
timos takJr.g the trail across the Santa
Ynez mountains, not drawing rein un
til they reached the old Sarita Ynez
mission, now falling to ruins. Again,
winding about Eucalyptus^ bill, they
v.ould skirt Montecitov and make
Ftrais'.it for the top of the ridge, where
they could gaze over two counties, scan
the lir.e of islands of San Clemente, San
Miguel, AnacaprC Santa Barbara, 22
miles across the Santa Barbara channel,
or they would prallop like mad along
the beach, .their horses' .small feet,
throwing a shower of drops . A3 they ,
brushed the' surf. But, whether they
climbed mountains, rode through for
ests of giant .'redwoods or by " the.
"sounding sea," the- two were together
day after day. and when she was ready
to take her departure. Miss Harriman
was so delighted with her, instructor
that she offered to carry her off to New.
Tork, or to one of the exclusive country
resorts In that vicinity, and make her
the fashion. This, like the. offer from
Doctor Webb, was gratefully but firmly
declined.
Unlike the up to date ypu.ng; woman,
Miss Den rides sidesaddle \u25a0fashion, sitf^
ting as -erect' and easily in the. saddle"
us though- In a rocking chair. .-She',
never sits: cross saddle unless . on a
mountain trail, where a limb might
knock her from the horse. But she can
change from"*. one; position to. another
es quickly,* as. tlve -'wind can. Veer, and',
*<he does jt with as little apparent ef-;
fort. While .shejcliobses this manner. of ,
rising for herself. "Miss Den. permits her.
pupils to ride as they prefer, often' ad-.
vising thie newer mode, as it 15 growing,
to be almost universal; and she; admits
that it takes . an ,- expert Uo. ; ride Both
•ways with. equal facility^ . :.'.' - v -\
Miss Den Is the daughter..of Emanuel
Den, head of one of tbeCxnoit. illus- .
trlous of the old < Cafitiriah faml
}!»« \u25a0who ruled California. .before the,
g-rmgo came. When Ire lost'theranchos
that numbered -thousands •of x acreseach; ;
and saw the last means of support slip-,
from his fingers he accepted "the ua-;
kindness of- fate wlth.no conimenti'lje-i
yond a shrug and lifted eyebrows. But:
upon Pansy, thoha child of 12 jears.
delicate and small tor her age, ; the; blow
fell harder; it left: her the ; sole pro-^
vider for a feeble mother. "I liave
done my best," said the father, lament- \u25a0'.
Ing the frowardness of racers and cards, j
•Do not worry, mndre-mia;-If will- do
niy Lest . tv- 1 takc.,/cinii_ of! you/!.;
supplemented. -: the .r. r fragile ", child.
As . In -^alry,'. tales, " a - tiny -. god mother/
came t rapping^at^thGrddoV.' at' the-?cru- ;
cial. moment, -.carrying •ald.to, the help
less, 80-came'a'lady briskly up the brick
paved^walk;to-, the. adobe^house,, with
Its -.'overhanging;-' roofrTof* red, tiles f >by
her;arrlvar^preyenting'Pans^'s' running
after'the ; relatives to tellxthem In deep
contrition^ that; she would .cook, .wash,
or; do whatsoever <they'-.ln '\u25a0\u25a0 their
ness/ could 'find for/heri. small" >haiids
toido.'";:;'': •-'.' '- ; .' \u25a0 -•' r * ;';; ' ; "\u25a0\u25a0"'J^S
• .."Does 'cthe\ little- 'gii-I who-; rides ;
well •llve.-hererv asked; the., lady. 7^ -•", \u25a0\u25a0 ?~, \u25a0'*.
• ."I- live_ here ; \u25a0 I-r'a-m \u25a0 Pansy -Den : and j^l
ride," was the: modest;respo'nse.:.\.: '' -1 -.
" *"Myj dear,; what;? will: you; charge.'; to
give;- my": children, "lessons?*": she f-a'skefl.
gfqins^Btraight^.to ; the -point. l ."l- waiqt
them* to .-sit*;their-ponies,»'as \u25a0easily? as
you"ido;yours.*.. You ',can start* withjtwo
hours a; day,' and: I ; feel certain . that >I
can; get . you /a; number, of /-children, | pro
vided, ' t of Uc6urie, vypii i <care:,to; teach
themv'kWniiyqulco'nsider'ltr' V ' f ;
Would!; she.^consider ? lt?.; 'Pahsy,': flew
at Visitor/: seized I and . kissed;, hejr.
hands,.-told''h>r. she was 'the: fairy the'
dear* Lord jj had. .sent clfi; her "^stress /and
them Uie ytjears; that V.the f amily ;'; councjl
had J been]: powerless ttos bring flowed in
a- smili^rlvulet. down »the^child's cheeks
and"her:body;shqok 'with', sobs." *: ". .' >
I -SooriVtbe-visitor', wai In poss'essiqn. of
the whole story, and., ln' Miss; Den's-own
words :. 'That .was: the', beginning.', and
the end' of trouble; /the ;day :• tliat
seemed' to 1 stand \u25a0between .?the past? and
the prekent, dlvJdlngHhqu'g:htleJss'chil4- :
hqqdvf rqm^ prudent womanhood. v.From
that time" iSn^r^havc-- had as .much' as
could» possiWy- -<!<>.• :»IV>for<;-;v*- y-oa.r-\vas
over I had: decided •to'.buy/siiue. h6r£«a, !
[bo". that : li should- know what myjpuplla
•rode, & I have added and'added'. to them
\u25a0'until. rVhave f a"large-"stud.,-I -shave" "also
.\u25a0purchased and -hold | in niy' -own ' .name !
the.tltle'-to the old^place-and have made"
Hhe. grounds. ais'plcturesque.as' they v. r ero.
/when 'we i *entertaincd r the -flower^ qff.tlie;
' Spanish .C nobUity-' hefe;Y6r% at Ueasti when
"my -family .did:. - 1 bought this place; be- (
cause Mtf is "home ;-' toV my_ mother ; ; she i,s-
r al U- 1 " have ,'; she i'a'nd '.. : m y^.wjo rk.' 'i S h e jj i s
?'near .the -old s mission,- v wherej she^was
? baptized,; confirmed- an'd^i married; she
3 shall-. always .remain here, 7 than ks to the
;'grog'dv' friendsXwho " havfc'f ;let> "nie-. : teach
Hhem.tq'. rifle.-- :I ram- proud^of^the-gtTis:
,and,:'men .1;, have _senf iback; east.'.' goad
r, horsewomen CandVhorserrien^ • who . can
ijrider'as* easily", as ~ they > can; vwalkV. arid ;
jvwhd'li'a re.*; perfectly; at their..
'.•horsesVi backs., a3 •' every.'. gooci^ rid^r
j-'should*j -'should* be.*" 'When (any ,' one- askls whp
| taught. 'them to' ride, like; tliat;they, will
;-'-\u25a0•\u25a0;." \u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0 7 \ \u25a0\u25a0. • ; - V. '\u25a0'.,' ;'; v ' v i ;? v.'''\ ''";:.-:'...
I,::": tVJust a little vaquero maid \u25a0in Call-;
Sjfornia.' -; : --: ; ; ;-.-'i \u0084' I ".'\u25a0\u25a0'" "'.''.'. \}-.
': x "That- : is': I.'/i; : r Pansy; ,seru")iwith-«a
little.- -laugh** of ,childiSh**-pleas-.
s"ure*over;the\pictui-e heri.wards-;call'.up/
I ;'''Did 'IT- ever* tell you 'of i rny^nau'shty ;
«triCks?"/, asked -';', Miss' .D^ii^. .hgrjvlace
j'brightenirigranU dimpling,: after 'a*; -se'ri-<
Voiisi* opinion"^s'h'e- hft^l*- 'b'een;/ giving.'" r'«- J
'\u25a0 gardihs J the.j necessity, priding » to
rbrbadeh'-and ""strength_en»the chest, 1 : with
ithe^added encouragement w that
}. woman* ibqkV.-bctYer.il'qn/ax horse.'than
!jany where. : elsevih^ the'^wfTlcl. ' ' , S ' \u25a0'\u25a0 \:V-? \
j-;.'*'My^trjck^qlf. ; ltvwas^funny,V* said 1 the
| Kirlf ; 'was >vhcn',l/ was \u25a0 training 'Dt.
•Webb's - "wildVhprses^'^causht *'on the
I p'Vairi s \ And V b roll g'Uv to . Sii n t a • Br,rt)ara
ifor^thaUpurpose. -flJidt cv«iryone-u'«s.,-T,
Ilii-stH class 'bucket-.;: 1 AYiisViioL "rr.uun
Pansy Den
Girl Vaquero
of
Santa Barbara
THe San Francisco Sunday Can.
onrer "10 years old, and th» Santa Bar
bara Jockey club was in full swta^r,
with ~ Pierre LoriHard and Pierre Dur
yea, both from the east, at Its head.
They got up a sort of combined race
and wild west show. A number of en
tries were made for the race and 1
slipped In, for those nice boys said:
•On, it Is only that little wild west
youngster, Pansy Den." and so I en
tered. Well, they had some pretty good
horses, but I knew my pony, because
I raised him, and really that is the
only way one can be perfectly sura of
a horse. . He trotted along Just as I
knew he would /and every one thought
thafwe would "trail along: .at the end
of the. line, but I '.whistled to him and
-by that, he knew it ..was up to him to
pet ahead and he. did. ' My, but they
were surprised, but they handed me the
pur.3e and told me they were glad I
won it.
"Ai\other time I surprised eastern
men" waa when -I took a seven foot
hurdle, just to show Dr. Webb what I
could do in teaching a horse steeple
chasing.
'. "Yes." confessed the young: woman.
with a laugh and a- deep blush, "I used
torlde at every fair that was given In
.the* town, wild west and vaquero
shows, but I was very smalt then and
I always, won p-r'ses, too. I trained my
OTvn. trick horses; no one ever knew
.v;'cat they would do next. . I still have
bucking broncos and. l keep the dear
little . pony that 1 taught* to put his
four feet in one hoie andthen jump as
high as. lie. coulrt. Oh. But housed to
\u25a0end the boys spinning: My. but that
was'funr*. -