The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Specuadons Of Tuolnne Preacher and How They Panned Oct

vine was the recipient OF many dividends,
SO that his field of spiritual labor was not
oVergrown by the weeds and thistles of
worldly growth.
how frequently do we notice confirn,a.
lions OF the old saying that misfortunes
and blessings never come singlv. Sinner
stitlon has inverted this adage, with sio.
nitcance bordering on the spnernatnra1
so that IN many instances causes of nba'
nomena If not unknown are entirely ovor.
looked. About this time there died in or
Eastern State an old ladv wbo had
adopted III former years an ornban obiId
and educated and schooled her in the dr-
ties OF life. The foster M other of tha
child manifested erinterest and affection
by the bequest of considerable portion ~
| ner estate, which was now being distrib.
uted among the heirs. This orphan child
became the wife of our parson, so that
here was an important addition 10 his in
creasing stock of worldly treasures. Nor
was the influx of prosperity arrested
here.
The period OF his labors in the land of
gold was about expiring and the success
OF his mission as minister and peace
MAKER was probably instrumental in his
being assigned a church near the bay
shore, with good salary. The treasures
OF this world and those of the kingdom
were now brought in juxtapostion, and
all the moral power at the command of
the parson was essential to mainta the
center OF religious gravity. On removing
to his new field of labor it became ques-
ton OF some Importance to decide on the
proper investment of his material wealth,
and it was ultimately concluded to estab4
lish an additional sheepfold within cIip1
ping distance of the one over which h r.
presided. In conformity with this pIauA-
ible determination his golden fleece was
exchanged for one of those peaceful fields
of nature which form the border line of
the American River and which was peo-
pied by stock of the same kind of animals
that Jacob took charge of when he bar.
gained with the old patriarch for a lovely
wife.
To say that this enterprise succeeded
swimmingly is but literal version of the
fact. The history of the American River.
in common with other aff1uents of the Sac
ramento, shows that its banks, once widely
separated, have been gradually contracted
by the immense amount of debris which
is carried down stream by winter rains
and summer thaws. The alluvial deposit
on each side of the river from this cause
has formed productive farming soil, to Sc
cure which in place levees have been con-
structed on each bank, sufficiently high to
allow of rise of water without flooding
the surrounding country. 1t was on a
portion of this that the parson located q
ranch, and the quiet qualification with
which he surveyed his focks as they
graZed over the verdant plain made him
both thankful and happy.
But the poetry of life has no persistent
properties. Like vernal showers it comes
and goes with the inconstant currents OF
the atmosphere. The sudden develop
ment of storm will quickly change
gentle and placid stream into an irresist-
able and destructive torrent. An annual
food of unusual magnitude came booming
down the American River from mountain
gorges packed with melting snow and
broke the feeble escarpment which was
intended to hold the torrent within its
lines.
There was no high land on the par
sons domain on which his stock could
find a safe retreat, and horses and cows
aud sheep became victims to the merciless
food as though they were but straws on
the troubled surface of the water. Thus
ended the worldly speculations of the
merinos slipped from his possession ne
still retained the fleece of his pastoral
flock. w. P. GIBBoN.