The Sierra citizen., 1854-08-26
tor the Sierra Citleen.
Sketches from Sierra Valley.
BY ALICE.

Have you never visited our romantic
little valley, hid away among the pine
trees of the Sierra? Well, then, there are
many things that are not dreamed of in
your philosophy, for even away up here, ,on
the borders, we are not "out Of humanity's
reach" though sometimes in the twilight
grey, ones ear is startled by the hoarse
howl If the wolves holding a carnival over
the carcass of an antelope, that they have
hunted down. But even here we have
one advantage over the people on the Rio
Sacramento-we catch the first beams of
the morning sun as he circles up from the
desert, and his golden beams flash through
the tree tops and dance down the noun
tain's side, as though they knew that in
the quiet little vale there were some of
the Caucasian race, whose hearts would
beat quicker when the same sun lights up
their cabin, that has gladdened kindred
hearts far away.
l must tell you about a riding party of
ours; for you know that is something la
dies like to talk about, and if didn't say
something about that you would set me
down as "a blae-stocking, which | would'n
have YOU do for the world l took my
way across our own beautiful valley, in
company with several ladies whose good
qualities | will not stop to enumerate-
suffice it to say, their moral and intelectu-
al worth is appreciated around their home
and hearth, 'and that is enough, for
"whereso'er is love, is happiness Just
take peep (in imagination) at our ami
mails and accoutrements--not very gaily
caparisoned steeds, champing the bit and
finging the foam over the green sward
nor yet lean, cadaverous pack-mules; but
we'll behaved, proud looking horses, that
stand at the cabin door tossing their
heads. waiting impatienlly for their timo-
rous riders, well-knosin that they will
not feel, the cruel rowels on their fanks
as they scour across the plains. A few
+ adjustments of our riding dresses, and we
d were seated and off, not "alone and unpro-
tected," but with our worthy escorts by
our side, not with "pet moustaches" and
arraytd in fashionable gear, but with
g smoothly shaven faces, and carelessly
dressed, in keeping with our wild noun
tains. Don't for moment suppose that
!. we ladies were afraid of the breeze that
sometimes kisses ladies' checks too rough.
", or that we were sickly and pale from
being cooped up in a parlor. Instead Of
this saw nothing but youth, hope, vigor
and contentment. faces glowing with ami
nation, embrowl ed by the sun and famed
by the same breeze that plays among the
sunny curls of the pale-faeed maiden. and
ac0ols the brow Of. the Indian girl, while
: pounding acorns ON the hill. At last
{ we were of, and then
VI -
! There was racing and chasing on Canobie
lea;" =
j ltAoagh not in quest of the lost maid OF
Netherhy, but after-strawberries.
The, scenery in Sierra Valley beggars
,aan description; my feeble pen can ne er
/, portray nag feelings of delight, when fam
aled by. the morning air heavily freighted
with the sweet odor Of the fields Of flow-
:, ,ers which were trampled beneath our
aahessec feet-delicate little flowers, spring
81 ing from the same stock where their pre-.
edscessocs, for 50 many years "wasted theil
ID sueetaess on the desert air." While our
!. horses pressed on in the fury of their ma
,sStpse. - spHF attention was often arrested by
4sesrsups of antelope and deer, which hound.