Thomas County cat., 1886-10-28

AOi euc ACW uOufS cA GIciI az iutihe'lSO
that they honestly regretted his depart
are. And though they would have dis
claimed Indignantly, and with truth,
any suggestion that they had suffered
ennui before his appearance, still they
began to look forward to the possible
Sunday when he would come again.
They might have had visitors in abun-
dance. of course. But, though not by
any means selfish people, they were
still not gregariOus to any extent.
Their unsocial instincts were prob
ably due to their fondness foT travel
ing, and the ease with which they had
always been able to crafty that fond
ness. Amy, in fact, could hardly b ave
told which was her own country. She
was as familiar with France and Ger
many as America, and Scotland she
has always loved. But since they had
discovered the redwoods of California,
she was inspired by their grandeur to
quite strong patriotism. for, though
cosmopolitan bred, she was California
born.
The next Sunday John Westwood
could hardly conquer his desire to visit
his new friends But he felt that it
would be better taste to let one Sunday
elapse between his visits. He was not
very much expected, to be sure, as
they did not look for him before two or
three weeks. But in that week, Mr..
Desart received telegram that de-
manded his immediate presence i'll
New York. And in few days this
family, always prepared for such emer-
gencies, were on their eastward way.
Mr.. Desart, as politeness demanded,
wrote note of explanation and apol-
ogy 20 Mr.. Westwood, whose address
he intended to transcribe from the San
Francisco directory. His intentions
were good, but when they had left New
York and were far out on the Atlantic.
he discovered the still unaddressed
note in one of his many pockets.
| 1t is unnecessary to dwell on the dis
appointment and surprise of Mr.. West
wood, When in high spirits he set out
on the woodland path, only to find a
deserted house at the end of it. He
ing the rest of the summer and fall,
but always with the same result, till
he finally gave up in despair, and
came near to believing that he had
never been lost in the redwoods, but
had fallen asleep on an enchanted
hillside Gas Grimm's people do) and
dreamed the whole thing. .tt fa..
/ 1t was late in September of the fol-
lowing year before John Westwood felt
able to take his annual vacation from
business cares. But the days grew so
warm that he determined to break
away from the hot pavements and
ceaseless noise of the city, for week
in the mountains. But where? There
were mountains north of him, mount
aims east of him, mountains south of
him. He had only to choose. The
mountains to the north were the Marin
| County branch of the Coast range, Of
which Tamalpais is the most promi-
nent feature. But Tamalpais is visible
| from the city, so they wouldn't do.
The same fault attached to the mount
aims to the east, that rise from the arid
San Joaquin plains. Mount Diablo was
their great failure, and his Internal
majesty was plainly visible from the
| city. TO the south were the Santa
Cruz mountains, in whose depths his
short-hvcd romance of year ago was
| enacted. 1t is not strange that ignOr-
ing the charms of MendocinO red
woods which necessitated day or two
of steamboat travel, and steeling his
heart against Bonner lake and the
| snowy Sierras (Which were rather far
| off into the bargain), he decided to
seek the bracing mountain air in the
! Santa Cruz range. r was only Il
few hours distant from the city, and
yet the place was Il wild, untrOdden
Wilderness wilderness possessing
| the great advantage of accessibility.
One had only to strike out from the
station at r in any direction to
lose himself-as he had once proved
in 9: virgin and primeval forest.
He had no hope of meeting his quon-
| dam acquaintances again. Ii they had
been down at all, he felt sure they had
iiown before that He assured him
self that he would not have wished to
meet them, for they had treated him
| shabblly. 1t was most contradictory
| impulse, then, that drew him the very
| first day of his arrival past the red
wood cabin. Ii ne had hoped for any
sign of his will o-the-wisp friends,
however. he was disappointed. No
sign of life was about the place, and he
avoided it in his future rambles. The
large streams that flowed through the
forest We're famous for trout. and to
| trout-tishing he devoted himself, as
offering fewer opportunities for getting
lost than hunting the wary deer. So
with rod and line, a plentiful supply of
light literature, and a sportsman
lunch basket well filled. he would start
out for the day. He was impartial in
his choice of streams, and often angled
in the one that flowed near Hepsidam.
He choose that one To-day, ard made
his way up the stream for long dis
tance by leaping from stone to stone,
or by walking the mighty length of the
redwood trees that lay. as they had
fallen, in and across the stream in
every direction, and by wading with
his water-defving boots in the beautiful
smooth stretches of water.
AT last he reached place he judged
favorable alike for angling and for
reading. 1t was redwood trunk, soft
with mossy growths. hid among mighty
powders; ana from this shelter his line
could play on smooth pebbly pool
that promised lots of trout. Here he
ensconsed himself comfortably. baitcd
his hook, flung his line out into the
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