The Sierra citizen., 1854-08-12
For the Sierra Citizen.
'Desultory Penciings.

ri. OAV~Ay ASAoA@Ss'
By or Lady Correspondent --FLonEScE.
After a silence of four weeks, / am
again seated to write you. My COM
munications must naturally be egotisti-
cal, so do not expect the commendation
of writing either spirited or graceful effu-
sions; but if my pencilingsi shall either in
terest or amuse you, or any one else, l
shall have realized the height of my -.
ambition, I was going to say, but ezpecta
tion is more appropriate word. aH.
l was much amused to-day in reading
one of "Shirley's" letters, and wish I could
instil into my communications some of
that natural and easy style which beautify
and embellish her own. Though have
no new loggery to describe to you, with
ell its fxings, yet l should like to tell you
Of rambling excursion I took some time
ago in company with friend.
Did you ever take a mule-back ride ?
Ofcourse you have; else you are no Cali
fornian. l will not follow the long estab-
lished fashion of story tellers by COM
mencing "once upon time," or "it was
mild and lovely night, the stars came
out one by one," &C.; but in this way ]:
The bright beams Of the morning sun
had descended just long enough to dispel
the clouds of mist from the mountains s
side, bidding each tiny flower unfold its
beauties to Aurora's gaze, (how do you
like the style?) when we started upon
a journey, ] viii call it, in absence of a
better name. The number of miles we
were to 60, and the exact direction we
were to take, presume would not sinter-
est you, as take it for granted that un-
like our, venerable aunts end grand
mothers, you have no curiosity to crafty
in that way. Suffice it to say, it was a
Journey: -
Imagise then if you please two delicate
females seated upon the backs of two in
comparable pack-mMes, starting off "alone
and sunprotected" exactly like those
in the "Home Journal" nevertheless, un-
protected. The prospect Of escaping for
one whole day from the artificial atmos-
phere of a fashionable town, to enjoy the
countrys cool and invigorating air, ena-
bled US to bid adieu to our "liege lords
with commendable fortitude. BY dint. OF
good management we contrived to leave
town in the most approved style, and pro
ceeded through the famous city Of "Hong
Kong" withoutianything of particular in
terest occurring to mark our fight,
though I could not help thinking it might
have been somewhat accelerated by hav-
ing large sized spur attached to the
heel of the left shoe. Unlike the "fat
mule" which transported Dame Shirley
over the hills, mine was bird of one eye,
and diminutiye even to leanness, but pos
sessing nevertheless innumerable good
qualities, the most prominent of which
was the unusal development of the bump
Of go-ahead-ativeness. In short, ! soon
discovered the most striking contrast be-
tween my mule and the poor little white
bearer of my friend. whose stubborn pro
pensities seemed likely to verify tie old
saying
"When she will, she will, you may depend
ont, d
When she wcut, she wont, so there an
end on't;''
For on looking around / perceived my
companion and the white mule permanent
fixtures Oh the rocks below, seeming to
preclude all hopes of prosecuting our
Journey. With your vivid imagination
/ am sure you can see us now, "poor
things" seated in the full blaze pf the sun
almost at smeridian height, with not SC
much as the shade of q pine bough tc
screen us from its pitiless rays. For the
space or fifteen minutes we ceased not tt
call upon Whitley to proceed; Thereby ex
hausting every word we knew ever use'
for that purpose, both in our own and tn
Spanish language, "barrin' the swearin'.
But twas no use. In this dilemma W
Gifted up our voices and would hay
wept. but saw approaching US avery hant
some man, dressed in q very handsom
coat, with very handsome pet moustach,
who offered US no further assistance tba
advising us in his handsome way. to unl
and lead our mules, as he believed It to /
the only resort; and then giving his gol
headed cane one grand flourish passed o.