The Sierra citizen., 1854-11-11
RAILROAD HILL.
Nov. I, 1854.

nave thought me stopped for want of
winding up, or in very bad temper with
the world, and with you in particular.
But if you thought so, you were wrong.
My reasons simply were that in reading
the communications with which you have
been favored, have felt that could not
write and suffer my poor efforts to appear
when the pen Of such writer as Alice
was giving forth thoughts so blythe and
free, one can almost imagine them the car
olings of some beautiful bird of the far of
Sierra Valley. Many time and oft as
have watched the expiring embers of my
cabin fire, have tried to imagine that
beautiful home, Il kroap it must be beauti-
ful) from whence these bird songs come
Now, dear Mac, is not that reason enough
for a modest little man to give for not wri-
ting. Again, might have said l had
nothing which would interest you if |
wrote. If had said so | would have been
telling an arrant falsehood, for is there not
something daily occurring which would
interest some one whose dwelling place is
not with US.
| Tonight l sat me down, and, calling
upon the good spirits to assist me, gazed
around the little room and sought for
|
something. Without, the tall pines are
creaking, swayed to and fro by the autumn
wind within, no noise, save now and then
a steeple chase among the rats upon the
rafters of the cabin. | am alone, yet not
alone, for memory places familiar faces
around me; and before me is Citizen.
Oh. that memory is a terrible thing to me,
for it sends me back so many, many years
into the past, that | almost caught myself,
but now, looking into the glass, to see if l
could find a gray hair among my black
locks. 1t seems so hard to feel ones self
growing old, and that, too, (dont tell H)
without being married. Heaven help the
first gray hair that makes its appearance
upon my Uranium, after that confession.
Since have told you that am not
married, of course you guess that I am
found at most of the balls and merry
makings, where ladies most do coHgregate.
And within the last fortnight there; have
been enough to satisfy the most ardent
pleasure seeker. At the last which at
tended, lat Bope's) | saw the younger
Citizen, and pleased, indeed, I was to find
him in the best Of spirits. q am not sure
that the last line would not have been
better if the last three words had been
placed before the words an him? If so,
please let the younger CHi-en correct it. J
We had a glorious time-good music
and beautiful women good supper, and
one or two good looking men-not private
Citizens, however. Sierra County, in that
affair at Bopes, has taken the lead of Yu-
ba, and the good people of this burgh have
therefore concluded to endeavor to win
back the laurels by giving splendid ball
on Thanksgiving night If had made
the ball | should have given it the night
of the 22d, in order that the bachelors
(those who did escape) might return
thanks for their escape from the witching
glances Of bright eyes"
But my letter is becoming very ramb-
ling one, and at best you will have to take
it as an apology for letter, it is so much
easier to apologize than to quarrel and
then fight; and hence in this matter, as in
some "afairs of HONOR the pen is mightier
than the sword. | cribbed that last line
from very pretty piece of poetry in the
Golden Era, and seeing it as l did about
the time Of the arrival of the States pa
pers, | could not help thinking that the
great European powers thought so, which
would account for the cones afraid, and
viz O0HCl Odl = uOb dJJlluuc III WHICH luc
forces have remained for months past
May it not be that as destructive instru-
ments have improved in modern warfare,
the bravery to use them may have oozed
out; very much upon the same principle
as that upon which the Irishman acted,
when he expressed his perfect willingness
to meet his adversary with a single bar
relied pistol, but never with little horse,
alias Colts revolver. But what care YOU
and | for their European blood-you in
your little sanctum, with the letters of
Alice to peruse, and in my miners palace,
with my household gods, frying pan and
coffee-pot, 1anked by the California Stat
utes,) around me. But you can have a
feeling of security which l cannot. for the
Guards are quartered near you; while in
this little place, with such houses upon
the road as we know are kept, we never
could expect the Guards to reach us upon
forced march; although we have some
hopes that Taylor with his Spear, may
some day get US all to Aikm. "Now