The record-union., 1891-06-20

"What'dIhe do it for?''
Dunno. He was caught here a
slaughtering of i'm"
KILLED i'm, didn't hep"
Dunno. He was a-slaughtering i'm
when he was caught
The inquisitive man pondered mo-
ment. Then he said:
That man Maggie must be a Terryble
feller."
A corpse in the baggage-car heard the
pun, kicked violently and broke leg.
After we left Lathrop we skun along
pretty tolerable,'' and 1 amused myself
by trying to get bet out of a sharper
who had puzzle he couldn't do unless
he was paid for it. / wanted to bet that
my pet corn was bigger than his'n, but he
was only milk and water fiddle de
wink sort of sport with no sand in him,
and when offered to take off my shoe
and let him feel of my corn with his eyes
shut he got up and took his puzzle racket
into the smoker, and sat there, looking
like wIlted cowslip, until l got off at
SaugerS.
An incident which shows how human
some folks are occurred just after we had
left Ripon. An elderly lady with two
children-her grandchildren, 1 guess
sat just ahead of very aristocratic group
of women. The old lady was plainly
dressed, and was very pale. Both the
children were sick and troublesome.
l.
lady 'on the trot' perpetually. Finally
one Of them became very sick indeed,
and had a convulsive attack. The old
lady looked back at the richly dressed
women and said:
"Will one Of you help me moment,
please?"
But not a women stirred. They sat
there and screwed up their aristocratic
lips and didn't hear the tired Old voice at
ali.
The child had another convulsion, and
from the other end OF the car came an ex-
clamation that was heard above the rattle
of wheels and rails:
''Wel, I'll be -p'
A great, big man, roughly-dress
with WhiSlSers that had not been trimmed
for month, ana arms as long as the legs
OF an ordinary mortal, came stamping
down the aisle.
Here. madam, give me q shown' he
said, and then he sat down and attended
to the child, as tenderly as a Sister of
Mercy. He was wonderful man when
he undertook to assist people III distress
and when the child had dropped off into
sound sleep in his arms he coddled it
up close against his rough coat, and held
1t there until we arrived at station
where the old lady was met by friends,
and got off.
wanted to see the Tehachapi country.
but we passed through it in the night
and l was too busy trying to sleep TO ask
much about it. | got tangled up, too
We went through tunnels and around
curves until l didn't know the difference
between the front end of the car and
hole IN the ground, and when we had
gone over the LOOP" / was in a perfect
razzle-dazzle of uncertainty.
About O'Clock in the morning I awoke
feeling as fresh as man who has slept
under a brickyard in the earthquake
NJ q 1ni, -, l.,
of the Mojave desert, and as we went
along l was greatly interested in the
aspect OF the land.
Mojave desert is noted for it's rare
horticultural productions. Sagebrush,
sand, stickers and other common
growths are numerous, but the people of
Mohave take the greatest pride in their
forests. The trees in the Mojave desert
do not grow straight up for more than
few feet, and they are about as graceful as
full-grOWn set of bunions, but they are
very odd. In fact they are so odd that
they grow best two or three acres apart
from each other. The foliage is made up
of long needles that stick up as straight
and stiff as the tail OF a mad cat, and is Of
not much account for shade. The trunks
OF the trees are covered with a shaggy
growth of grey whiskers, which stick
down the other way, giving the observer
the idea that the trees in the Moiave des-
ert grow both ways at once.
OF what species these trees are do not
know. An intelligent conductor. who
was rubbing his nose against the Notice
to Passengers" said they We're ''some
sort OF cedar"
My arrival at Ventura was rather un-
expected, as l had not forwarned the
people, and the usual reception was
omitted
I found the old town looking very
much as it was thirteen years ago, but
there We're not many OF my old friends
left to salute me. l viii describe the
place in my next. a. V. HOFFMAN.
San Buenaventura, June 6, 1891.