The Trinity journal., 1856-04-26
The CaIifOrnian's Last Wish.
By $. II. TRACY.

To give me grave in the spot | crave
Meath the boughs ofmy tayorite camping tree
know it is distant from all that love
My father, and mother, and sisters so dear
l know that the shade where | wish to be laid,
They may not eer halow with sghs or Il tear
l know they will miss me as seasons revolvc,
Along with the time they expect me to come
When my pen never more from this beautiful shore
Receipts the epistles of love and of home
And O there is one so confding and kind,
So full of young hope is her soul-bcamng eyes ;
Who vainly will pray Ser the wanderer's stay
Unthinkng that yet he was called on to die
But mar not the dreams of the fond ones at home,
Or Weld them the knowledge that causes pain
When word to the heart may a sorrow impart,
'Twore better than speaking it, we should re
[irain.
Then bury me humbly, ask nothing more,
When iromIile and its turmoil my spirit is free
Than an ungarnished grave meath the rustlng
wave
OF the leaves of my favorite camping tree
-~ G
MANUSCRIPTS FOUND IN DESERTED CABIN.
"rEKEL."
Thou art weighed in the balance and found
wanting
Nearly four years ago | had built me a
cabin in one of those deep mountain gorges
so well known to the miners of northern
California, where lived all alone. One eve
ming, after had returned from work, was
buSily engaged kneading bread in front of a
brisk fire, when a stranger stopped at the
door and asked for drink of water. Look
ing up in his face, | saw in moment that
water was not all he needed, for he seemed
ready to faint, and looked rs though he had
not friend in the world | do not know
why it was, but felt my heart warm up to-
ward the poor fellow. That had been an un-
lucky day Il had toilcd all the day and
taken nothing, 8" and had returned to my cab
in very much out of hmor with myself and
the world but the p0lld, cmaciated face of
this wayfarer dispeIlcd all my misanthropy,
and bidding him come in, placed stool
for him in the corner, and resumed mixing
bread, feeling, somehow, better satisfied with
myself for the little act Of hospitality.
Supper was soon ready and bringing out
my extra tea things which consisted Of an
extra knife and fork, an old rusty tin plate
and drinking cup, all of wltfch were scour-
ed up, formally requested my guest to draw
nigh and partake Of my humble fare. And
oh, didn't play the master Of ceremonies
in style? Had | been lord of boronical
castle, with a king incognito for my guest |
would not have felt happier for | felt that
low and poor and unknown as | was, there
was still some one dependent on me, to whom
a cup of coffee and piece of bread might
be a kindness The man ate yoraciously,
leaving but a scant allowance for me, in the
meantime telling me that he had eaten no
thing since the morning of the day before.
Poor fellow, he had not strength to work,
and to beg he was ashamed.
After supper we drew our stools in front
of the fire, and placing an empty keg be-
tween us, took down pack of cards and
asked him to join me ina game to help while
away the hours till bedtime. Springing to
his feet every fibre of his flesh seemed to
quiyer, while he spoke hurriedly:
No, no For the love Of God put up
those cards They have been my damna-
ton, soul and body Would you play cards
with a doomed man 2"
| flung the cards behind the backlog, and
tried to calm the agitation Of my guest, who
at length sat down with his fingers on his
wrist, evidently counting the pulsatons
and to make amends for the mischief had
done, tried every way to gain his confidence
and to possess myself of the history Of this
being, whom | had begun to think mad
man.
His story was soon told, and it was little
different from many others | have listened
to he had found himself physically unequal
to the labor necessary for the miner, and
had become an idlcr, then gambler, and
them a yagabond, yet no great crime had
stained his soul. Having finished his sto-
ry, he drew from his pocket an old soiled
letter. and bringing his hand down heavily
on the table, said to me Look there =
Read !" And did read in letters traced
with a delicate female hand this
40, William, we have heard such dread
full stories about you II. has asreturned and
told mother that you are gambler Last
Sunday night she took me to the room where
you bade me good bye, and there made me
promise that would not be your wife But
o, my heart is almost broken "
| could not read farther, for my eyes fill
ed with tears the young man sat gazing un-
der the fire stick, and taking advantage of
the silence made him bed in front Of the
fire. turned into my own bunk and tried to