The Sierra citizen., 1854-09-16
vneye Sierra County, California Saturday September 6 1854

sensation, and striking terror to the hearts
Uf the denizens of woods. How often,
long years ago, when used to live at the
foot of the Alleghanies have listened to
the baying ofthe Watchdog, half fearful
that it boded evil, and when the hours
grew small, sort Of superstitious dread
crept over'me, and stories of hobgoblins
and ghosts come to my mind, nor could l
close an eye till his barking ceased. What
would not give to hear those half melan-
cholly, half savage sounds ringing through
the woods again! But the old house-dog
is dead. the stone wall broken down round
the garden, and the hand writing of Death
is left upon the wall. But when the Sab
bath Morning breaks over my native vah
ley, the cM chascA beA st;A calls together
TIE worshipers,
"And SO twill he when Tam gone,
Those tunefai peals will still ring on"
From the window of my apartment 1
can nearly reach the branches of our tall
old shade tree, a particular favorite of
mine, for under its shade l have taken up
my abode, confident that when the wrath
full spirit Of the storm speaks bitter
things" it cannot be uprooted and crush
our primitive dwelling.
BY the way, what glorious life is that
of the pioneer, To wend ones way
through the untrodden wilderness, cut
away the trees, and build q rough log
shanty which we call our home. The deer
look obviously out from the thicket, won
dering what all this row is about, and
who the interlopcrs on their territory can
be- So it was when the adventures went
ashore from the Maydower, and built an
altar in the wild wilderness to the God of
the oppressed.
Did you ever pass the night in the cabin
ofthe pioneer? 2he silence is oppressive
to the stranger, and there is an i4dfscri-
bable loneliness which makes him wish to
hear the bowling of TIE wolves, or the
she'll scream Of the wildcat-anything else
bat the silence that brOods over the woods.
But in that rude cabin the settlers family
rest as quietly as though they slept in an
cestrals halls, which aforetime protected
the Barons from the predatory hordes that
besieged the castle of their high born
master. 1t may be that the wife and
mother may turn her face on her pillow,
and smother the yearnings of her heart
for her old home; trying to forget how
sorrowful the gray headed grandmother
looked, and how her dim eyes filled with
tears, when she bade goodbye to her child
and watched the emigrant wagon disap'
pearing over knoll in the prairie. But
when the morning sun appears above the
hills and the busy day begins, the settlers
wife has no time for regret, and she be-
takes herself to her household duties,
while her husband busies himself in the
field.
III didn't think you might consider me
sentimental, l would tell you about little
pet of mine, little brown bird that comes
up from the ravine to forage under my
window, and keeps turning mp his little
head sideways, half con6ding, half dis
trustful, seeming to think, "well, perhaps
I'm so very petite she won't hurt me, still
I'll keep my weather eye open-there! I've
got about enough anyhow, so here goes !"
and away he flies, to the great astonish-
ment of the larger birds less venturesome,
that look askance at the window, but
won't let me into their confidence.
have just got letter from friend at
the Bay, requesting me to pay her a visit;
but what sort of an appearance would a
mountaineer make among the gay and
fashionable throng in Yerba Buena .
They might mistake me for relict of re-
mote antiquity, the respected widow of
the late Ptolemy Philpater, just in on a
visit from the catacombs. So my sweet
friend from the sea shore, excuse me; 1
had rather stay at home, help bank up the
cellar, oversee the gathering of the vege-
table crop, so that when gray old winter
comes rafting his frozen fingers against
our door, and when the storm-god goes
raving down the glen we may sit in our
loggery and tell the winds to "blow and
crack their cheeksl" I'm tired scribbling;
50, good bye.
CurrIxo Sr1ck.-Punch says, "as the
Russian soldier tastes 20 much OF the stick
it Is no wonder that he shonl3 t.kA Il.