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ful generous mind, that bigot lines have never confined, as well as to the great father Serra, that I offered to copy them, and venture to send them to you.
If you knew how much satisfaction the hope that you may receive them affords him you would not blame my boldness in addressing you. My post office is Petaluma.
Dear Madam hoping that Heaven may reward your great generocity. [sic]
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The Padre's Monument
by Alfred J. Puckett.
On California's wave swept strand
The limits of our glorious land
Is placed this stone by Sculpture drest,
A fitting land mark of the west
To crown the site by ocean caves
Where padres landed from the waves,
When gathering up his priestly store,
The noble Serra bless'd our shore.
In memory of his saintly deeds
Now men of different states, and creeds
Unite in honor of that event,
And raise this granite monument,
In reverence to commemorate
The landing in our "Golden State"
Of him who made its wilds to feel
The glory of his Christian Zeal!
Drear and lonely this shore hath been,
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Where trod that band of holy men,
Till woman's love of saintly toil
Bestowed this statue on our soil,
That generations might behold
That hero's form in granite mould,
And stand to mark this sacred spot
When martial glories are forgot!
New myriads shall have throug'd our plains;
Our fabrics left but few remains;
New battles shall be waged and fought,
And changes new by ages wrought.
And unknown realms yet afford
New heroes of the Cross and sword,
Before the elements have rent
The brave Franciscan's monument.
Mrs Stanford's name shall then be heard
When depths of future souls are stirred
By many an eloquent strain,
Upon our land by the western main
While our posterity reveres
The formost of its pioneers,
The leader of that saintly train,
The padres from the shores of Spain.
