“Let us see,” said Don Mariano, counting on his fingers, “there are three or four Darrells, and six or eight Alamares, if my brothers and half of my nephews come. That ought to be enough, I think.”
“Plenty. I'll send a vaquero to aunt's to call the boys, and you bring your brothers and sisters, Clarence,” said Victoriano.
“With pleasure,” was Clarence's reply.
“There will surely be some fellows from town this evening, and we'll make them stay,” added Victoriano.
The dance took place and was followed by many others. The Alamar family were very hospitable, and had many visitors, who were only too glad to spend their evenings, dancing with charming and refined young ladies, whose society was certainly most attractive.
There were several young gentlemen from the Eastern States stopping at the principal hotel in San Diego, and they came to Alamar almost daily, to have a dance, or picnic, or musicale, or a card party.
These gayeties were not confined to the Alamar and Mechlin and Darrell families, nor was the Alamar rancho only made happy because Tom Scott was coming. The entire county of San Diego was buoyed up with hopes of prosperity, which now seemed founded upon a solid basis.
As for the town of San Diego itself, the dwarfed and stunted little city, she went crazy with joy. Her joy, however, was not of the boisterous, uproarious kind, it was of a mild character, which smiles at everybody, and takes all that comes in good part, ready always to join in the laugh on herself, provided everybody enjoys it. She was happy, seeing a broad vista of coming prosperity in the near future. Why not? She had every reason and every right to expect that the Texas Pacific would be built.
At last, Col. Scott arrived, and drove to the principal hotel, where a deputation of the most prominent citizens immediately waited on him to pay their respects, and learn his wishes as to how his time should be occupied during his stay in San Diego. The city desired to honor the distinguished guest with liberal hospitality, but the business of the railroad was the main point in view. There were speeches to be made at “Armory Hall,” with meetings and consultations to be had at nights, besides drives to examine the town site and surrounding country during the day. The ladies wished to give him a ball, but the business men said Tom Scott did not come to dance, he came to work. There was a banquet given to him, but no ladies were present, only men, and plenty of railroad speeches. The ladies could only meet him at private receptions in the evening, when he was tired out with driving. Yet, this was the best that could be done, as his time was limited. But he was amiable, the ladies were amiable, and the gentlemen were amiable. So the little city of San Diego gave all she had to give; all the lands that had belonged to the old “San Diego & Gila R. R. Co.,” all that had been transferred to “The Memphis & El Paso R. R. Co.,” all the town lands, water front and rights of way that could by any means be obtained, all was most generously proffered, adding more lands than those originally given to the road under the old names of “The San Diego & Gila Railroad” or “The Memphis & El Paso Railroad.”
Col. Scott left well satisfied with the people of San Diego, and the people were charmed with Col. Scott. Speculation then ran wild. Town lots were bought and sold at fancy prices, but in the madness of the hour folly seemed wisdom.