Everything was very friendly; they seemed to enjoy themselves, and the
uniforms of the two countries were very handsome. On the next day but
one the governor gave a ball. It was to be at his home, which was the
only two-story house in Los Angeles. To show the Americans how patriotic
the people of California were, the governor requested in the invitations
that all the ladies wear white with a scarf of the Mexican colors,--
red, green, and white. Of course we gladly complied, though some of us
had to work hard to get our costumes ready.
"The day of the ball came, but with it came rain, such a storm as I never
had seen. As it drew toward evening the water came down faster and
faster. The governor had the only carriage in California, and this he
was to send for the commodore, Mr. Stearns, Isadora, and myself; but the
poor young officers had to walk, and their faces were long when they
looked out at the rain and then down at their fine uniforms and shining
boots.
"Our California horses were not trained to pull loads and would not work
in the rain, so when the carriage came for us it was drawn by a number
of the governor's Cholo soldiers.
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