The morning call., 1891-01-04
The NGZ PGrGGS War Correspondent On
journalism"
He Takes Tramp With the sight-seers
and Delivers an Impromptu Lecture
by the Wayside.
Written for The MORNING CALL.


The party left Ross Station, on the line
oil the North Pacific Coast Railroad beyond
Sausalito. and had proceeded over the Bo-
hnas wagon-road out through Ross Valley
past Liberty 's-about six miles, where the
driveway crosses Lagunitas Creek and then
turns to the left and swings around
the hillside in order to make gradual
ascent to the ridge, which it passes over at
Lawsou's. just after crossing the bridge
the observer will notice that the telephone
wire leaves the wagon road and takes a
straight shoot up the hill. Crossing the
creek which comes down from Cataract
Gulch n trail begins which follows under
meath the wire until the road is reached
again, but the trail continues on up the hill
to the top of the ridge.
1t was while putting and blowing up this
trail that the reporter referred to found time
to deliver the remark which begins this mar
rative, and as he mopped the perspiration
from his intellectual brow he gazed after
one of the boys who was nimbly gliding up
ward. and added that without doubt an eX-
animation OF his family history would reveal
the TACT his active companion was dis
family related to the squirrel family"
The reporter was James June, we'll
known journ alist and Traveller. every inch
gentleman, who, by his exceedingly good
natured ways, had become Familiarity known
to MS companions as Jimmy" Jimmy"
took great liking to the Quartermaster's
canteen, which he patronized frequently
during the climb. So it was quite natural
that his fellows readily combined Is name
and tastes, and forthwith called him ''Demi-
john"
During the short but sharp climb many
rests were taken, and Demijohn " con-
Guided that when the summit was reached
he would bid adieu to the party and pro
coed to Lawson's and hire a conveyance to
get back TO Ross Station witll-if he lived.
On reaching the top, however, the view was
SO impressive and the assurances so numer-
Gus thar 1--WE will now 90 right down into
Mill Valley" that he was persuaded TO
change his mind and stay with the Sight
seers, for better or for worse. Probably
the assurances had more influence than the
scenery.
Along the top of the ridge is a wagon
road, and, proceeding eastward over it, the
tIamperS soon passed Longley's milk ranch.
winch, " Demijohn" tacetiOusly observed,
might more appropriately be known as
Lnnely's on account of its isolation from
civilization. just south of the farm house
all hands climbed over the fence, crossed
plowed field, passed through gate and then
proceeded along the TRAIL which in gen.
eral way parallels the fence until another
gate is reached at the trunk of a large
madTOne. About quarter OF q mile be-
yOnd this old tree a flowing stream OF clear,
cold water was found in 4 pretty little
wooded valley, and 1t being past the hour OF
noon II was decided to rest and partake OF
luncheon.
What good site this would be for
busted capitalists to retire to for the pur-
pose OF avoiding importuniDg collectors"
suggested Demijohn.
You might locate an asylum here for
the Sight-seers, chimed in one of the
trampers.
Not by mill site," replied Demijohn.
gazing into the babbling brook; "t6ere's
an Institution supported by the State at
Agnews for them, and if ever / accept de-
tail to accompany you again. | hope the
Commissioners will send me there"
everybody laughed at the joke except
DemiJohn; he did not intend it as a Joke.
10 HIN 1t was serious matter.
After this little exhibition of repartee
hands devoted themselves to satisfying
their appetites. The silence was broken
by one of the party thougntlessly mar
rating his experience in trying to
be appointed on the reportorial staff
of one of the daily papers. This was
too much for Demjohn. Turning TO the
young man he deplored his lack of judgment
and ahen proceeded to deliver an impromptu
address 10 him in particular ana all hands
were fortunate IN being unsuccessful. Look
at me! Observe what a wreck / am.
Laughter. It's all very fine to be detailed
to attend a banquet in town, where between
generous iibatlons OF champagne one
may write out his report and dis
patch it by messenger to the
editor, but when you get a detail which
pulls you out Of bed before daylight to JOIN
a lot of cranks and follow them across the
mountain trails, up steep canyons and over
a alro a D,,t
one is compelled to obey the orders Of his
superior. Newspaper men are public
servants and to be faithful reporter one
must get outside of himself. so TO speak. He
should be celibate, without mother or home
either. Like the express messengers and
railway mail clerks he may have a sweet
heart in every town in the country, but he
must be careful not TO fall in love. In fact
no tie, should be formed which in the small
est degree should attract him from his
chosen line OF duty. | was educated to obey
at all times and that's why I'm here now
You don't suppose it's matter of choice
with NE! Not bit of it, I'm not in love
with the blister on my heel nor this scratch
which that tree made when the men in front
OF Inc let it 90 suddenly-to MY surprise and
discontinue. No! No!
Look at this nose. Every one looked and
everybody laughed One time | wrote an
article for my paper about how butcher
ground up his wife's pet poodle to produce
sausage meat. He objected and threatened
to bring libel suit but the editor bluffed
him ont OF that notion. However lie had to
! get even some way, so he laid in wait for mo
| one night and when / regained conscious
ness the next morning L was in the ReceiY-
| ing Hospital with broken nose, and for the
following two weeks | hobbled around on
clutches aud took a vacation 1 drew
| full pay during the period of my disability,
| but that did not make my nose straight. It's
out of joint now and | would not be sur
! prised il l went around on crutches for the
! next two weeks. You are lucky you never
| became a journalist"
A general laugh made the little valley
| ring as Demijohn fell back on the sod to
rest his weary bones for few brief mo-
ments before the walk was resumed. Every
one was happy except Demiiohn, and it was
| imma;erial to him who knew he was not
He took no interest in the magnificent view
| of the ocean, with its ships of commerce
passing up and down the coast, or distant
Mount Diablo in the east and Silverado to
the northwest, or the densely wooded La
gnnitas Canyon stretching away toward
| Taylorville, or the sunny slopes already
clothed in the cOlors of spring, OF the dis
| tant Farallones, or the panoramic view of
| the beautiful bay and city of San Francisco /;
but he only wished he was safely back at
the latter place-so near, but, alas, so far
away.
just as Demijohn was dropping off
into peaceful doze the captain of the club
blew his whistle and called attention to the
fact that the sun was on the wane and that
we must move on. As the procession filed
away from the camp and began to climb up
the slope onto Table Mountain Denli-
john threw himself together and brought
up the rear, remarking that he would act as
whipper-up for the expedition. We
crossed over to Table Mountain and reached
the Eldridge grade and followed the road
along to Mount Tamalpais, where we again
took the trail at the upper spring for the
! summit, just before reaching which the
leader veered off to the west on a side
track and led tile party down the ridge
above SeQuoia Canyon over the old Throck-
morton trail. This trail is very steep, and
not being used extensively in late years
| the manzanita bushes have grown across 1t
| in many places The boys all went bound
! ing down the mountain side, with Demi-
john bringing up the rear, so far behind
that for time he was entirely last sight of.
| When he again appeared 1t was minus the
| ma Tor mart of one leg of his frnuaars vybfob