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THE ARID LANDS

THESE lands are clothed in burning weather. These parched lands pant for God's cool rain;

I look away where strike together

The burnished sky and barren plain.

I look away; no green thing gladdens
My weary eye, no flower, no tree,
Naught save the earth the sagebrush saddens,
The scorched, gray earth that sickens me.

O, for the pines where the cool wind revels!
The ringing laugh of the crystal creek!-
Alas, gaunt Hunger haunts these levels,

And Thirst goes wandering, wan and weak.

No shadow falls where swiftly passes
The gray coyote's noiseless feet;
No song of bird, no hint of grasses,
The home of silence and of heat!

Herbert Bashford.

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"Alas, Gaunt Hunger haunts these levels,

And Thirst goes wandering, wan and weak."

PECULIAR RUBRICAS ATTACHED TO VARIOUS

EARLY SPANISH SIGNATURES

A STUDY IN ANTIQUE PENMANSHIP

BY WILLIARD M. WOOD

NUMBER of legal documents, which had been stowed away in a remote corner among some obsolete papers, formerly the property of a well-known attorney-at-law of large practise in this State during the early fifties, were but recently brought to light. Many of these papers had not been disturbed since the death of this lawyer, which occurred some twenty years ago, and a great number of the signatures of early Spanish residents, then well known, were found to be attached to the papers.

These documents were in Spanish, and when translated were found to relate to the selling of different alquerias the transferring of large tracts of lands, and other similar matters.

The most noticeable thing about the signatures was, that they showed various particularly peculiar and interesting rubricas.

The Spanish rubric, as will be understood, is the complicated flourish attached to a signature when the person is about to subscribe, sign, and seal, a legal document or statement, and it is as characteristic as the signature. They were used by the Spaniards principally to guard against forgery and were not made ordinarily in signing letters and unimportant papers.

Observe the great flourishes united with some of the following signatures. In a few cases these rubrical eccentricities are quite remarkable. What study it must have caused these Spaniards to originate rubricas unlike those possessed by any of their associates or neighbors! After devising one, what practise they must have had, in

order to memorize fully the curves, figures, and scroll work!

For an elaborate rubrica, we will take as an example,

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It is attached at the extreme left hand corner of a very yellow document, and was signed at the old historic "Mission de Sta. Clara, 18 de Mar. de 1846." Particular attention may be called to the exceedingly odd zigzag lattice work which occurs directly beneath the last letter. The signature would betray the writer to be a man well along in years probably sixty still one cannot be very positive, for this person may have been quite nervous when writing, knowing that he was in the act of deeding away a certain number of acres, of his alqueria.

It appears that Pena began to write very slowly, and although his hand was considerably shaky, he continued slowly until he reached towards the termination of his rubrica, the rubrica in this case being a continuation of the signature without an interruption, then he ended with a series of very rapidly made curves, showing clearly that he was now happy to think that the business transaction was almost

PECULIAR RUBRICAS ATTACHED TO EARLY SPANISH SIGNATURES

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that Castro street was named after this well known soldier, yet how many thousands who live or have walked upon that street, have ever seen his signature or rubrica? It is a pleasing one to look upon. There is no conglomeration of lines as is seen in other rubrics herewith reproduced. The lines are exceedingly graceful and very distinct. In the legal document the date 1839 appears opposite his signature.

Juan B. Alvarado. Another name as familiar as that of Castro. Alvarado, who was some years afterwards elected Governor,

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This signature is also attached to the document. In fact, Arce witnessed the signature of Pena. Arce was a young man when he attached his name, as readily distinguished by his beautifully formed letters. Señor Arce was not content with quite a flourishing mark, which very much resembles a mattress for his name to rest upon, but he must scrawl a line a bove the signature, which truly looks as if it was necessary to have a sheet drawn over the mattress.

He did not consider his rubrica complete until he had finished with five small lines, which form the letter H perfectly.

arrived in California during the month of September, 1809. The signature and rubrica, of which the above is an excellent reproduction, was written at Monterey, February 9th, 1838. Alvarado, as well as most of these early Spanish residents, was fond of curves he more particularly so than others. After looking over a number of his signatures, it

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may be said that the rubric is not connected with his name in any of them although in some he starts the rubric in the middle of the last letter, giving the idea at first glance, that the rubric is a direct continuation of his name. It generally commences directly under the last letter. At first there are a few, generally six, small graceful looking curves, and then he branches out toward the left side of his given name and commences a series of larger curves, ending finally in the middle with a neat little turn.

Manuel Micheltorena is the full name of one Spaniard, who was connected with the Mexican Department at Monterey during the year 1844. Micheltorena had many titles, such as "Inspector of Departments of all California," "General of the Mexican Brigade," etc. Whenever he signed his

name to documents he failed to write it in full. In fact he always left off the given name, and abbreviated the surname. The

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curves, he might have had very conveniently an Elizabethan collar attached to them. This is truly a picturesque rubrica.

Romano Sanches

signature has a peculiar but very plain and distinct rubric underneath. The last A is separated from the name, and the ending is quite elaborate. The portion below the name begins at the left with a curve and glides directly to the right for some distance, then back again towards the beginning, and with a small curve it gradually ascends until it passes the end of the signature, forming thus, a rather flattened capital D.

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Ramona Sanches, was the widow of Bernancio Galindo. The original of the

above was signed at Monterey on the 29th of September, 1837,- twelve years before our old forty-niners arrived in this State,and her signature is witnessed by Ex-Governor Alvarado. What a list of formerly noted persons! See how she attempted to make the curves in her rubrica. Apparently she found it quite difficult to do so. Nevertheless, it was finally accomplished. It is severely plain, yet an odd addition. As will be noticed, two O's have been joined to the first curve.

Evidently the writing of a person unused to the handling of a pen. It certainly has a very odd rubric. beneath it, much resembling the interior of a maze, or more correctly, the shape of a coiled snake about to strike.

Juan Gonealey

Losé A. Galinds

"Sta. Cruz, Octubre 11 de 1837," is the date on which Señor Gonzalez placed his name and rubric to a deed. There are lines in this resembling quite plainly the letters L and C. Had this Señor continued the

The place and date on which José Antonio Galindo, son of Bernancio Galindo and Ramona Sanches, signed and put his rubrica to a very lengthy written statement, is, "Monterey, Nov. 8-1844." See how differ

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