The herald., 1895-01-01
ON THE HEIGHTS.
When his frieadu talked one with an

Tho artist is not Ct work; he seeks
inspiration on the mountain tops"
The artist regarded himself ae one
laboring earnestly nevertheless. inspira'
tion came to him, for though the noun
tains over against the City of the Angels
are not very high, they inspire greatly.
Their precipitoua sides bear giant oaks
and greater pines. and syoamores lifting
high heads Tor lollinE ungsinly on the
ground. He who climbs finds the air
strong. and sweet with the odors. OF
greasewood and OF that laurel whsrewith
Horace was crowned. Nearer the sky
are manzanitas, for color, against the
background of cold white rocks, like
blood stains ON the bosom of fail
woman. Among great rocks, by dark
pools where the bright sunlight does NOT
come. are dainty ferns; and tiny flowers,
pale and swest, hide from the suns pas
sionste shining and shrink from the
rude caresses OF the strong sea breeze.
Only the mountain man knows those
pale blossoms; he, seeing, forgeta for q
moment elusive pocket and mythical
mother-ledge and thinks of the may
flowers, family pink, which grew be-
meath the trees Of New England forests
and with hoad uncovered that man
dreams of boyish days when all women
were beautiful and good and ell men
brave and true.
Not many thought the artists pictures
we'll worth tho buying. Hope languishsd
in the garden of the artists Boul, and
would have died but fer the comfortable
dew OF an ever-abiding faith wherewith
the woman with white throat moist
ened the dropping plant.
Sometime, so she said--' 'soon-those
who are themselves artists shall see
the pictures my artiet hath painted and
know them to be treasures greatly to be
desired; and thereafter the cruse shall
not be empty of oil. and the chest shall
be full of meal"
Nevertheless, on day, when the
artist and the woman with white
throat and the baby with wrinkled
wrists sat down, and there lacked some
thing; aud the woman with white
throat said nothing for that she hoped
always and 30 was now content with
little--yea, sometimes for loves sake
she was glad with less than little-and
the baby with wrinkled wrists did not
see the lack. being not yet promoted
from dry crasta to be eater of bread and
butter. the artist said:
Tomorrow an invalid and girl 60
to the great mountain. the invalid seek
ing health and the girl caring for her.
Il go. too.
From rock and tree and flower, from
depths and heights, from the pale sky
and the dark mountains culors. from
the iervid sun and the cold moon sailing
infinitely high, by day and by night
shall receive inspiration. Also. from
tho invalid. she being the bearer of a
great purse, shall receive, by the day,
two large and elegant American dollars,
that may be duly compensated for my
labor.
That labor will not be heavy; it ia
but to walk slowly behind certain bur>
ros, which will bear the camp equipage
OF tho invalid and the girl, Rno often
times to shrek:
"'Hi there. Ramona NOSE
along there, Alejandra, gracio ritar-
do d. g! monte reina. and
to throw rocks and clods and clubs and
such other things as l shall be able to
lift. they not being fastened down, at
those same burros. 30 named as afore-
said by the managing editor OF the cor
rel at the loot OF the trail ior without
such shrisks. and lacking such suppls-
mentary throwing OF clods and clubs
and stones, the said several donkeys
and each and every of thsm will alto.
gether decline and refuse to 20 up the
steep trail"
On the morrow those who were to
aacend the mountain gathered together
at the foot of the staep path; they were
introduced to the burros and allowed to
witness the making of the diamond
hitch, with which mysterious knot a
dog kensol, churn and the fy-wheol
OF q four-horsepowor gss engine may be
securely fastened to burro's back-so
eecursly that that jackass shall come
unskinned before he is able to unisaten
himself from his pile of junk.
Whom the sun WAS high the burros
were laden. and with reluctant patience
they began to go up the mountain after
them walked the artist, and then came
the invalid and the girl, riding at ease.
As they passed on the invalid and the
girl bent their gaze ever eteadfastly to
the right. for the path was but scratch
made by toiling men along the side OF
the great mountain on the right hand
WAS wall OF rock, sometimes over
hanging. and on the left hand was
space, and far below white rocks gleam.
ing in tho Gun and looking to the left
and downward tended to giddiness.
As they climbed they found the thin
air like spices for odor and like new
wine for the bringing of Joy. The girl
sang a song that was high and sweet and
clear like the notes of the lark at sun
rise. The invalid reached forth q wasted
hand to pluck branch OF laurel, making
| therefrom q wreath to crown hersel
withal. She also sang song but very
| softly.
Strength came to them and courage
Though the path was not wide and the
depth on the left hand still greater thar
it had been, yet the girl and the in.
valid looked forth boldly, stopping te
listen. They saw very far below eoi
green spots which were the leaves ant
( the branches of those sycamores which
shaded the path as it came up out o
the valley, and heard q soft murmu
which at the foot of the mountain wal
the roar of o torrent falling over th'
rocks.
As they passed on, the sudden south
ern sunset came. Black shadows crep
out as from their hiding places amoni
the pines, and the dim gorges and th'
distant valley were swallowed up il
darkness. From among the clouds the
wan moon looked down, and not fal
away Mars shone forth brilliantly.
He who climbs steep mountain look
knot before him, but downward, to tn,