The San Francisco call., 1909-09-18
BY FRANcEs F.IRcHILp

II o a picturesque California farm
some years ago came Ephraim.
The donkey. with his young mas
ter, Jack Brown.
This farm lies in the foothills Of the
snow capped Sierra seven miles from
A town which in pioneer days was
called ~Hangtown, and which is only
a few miles from historic Coloma. the
place where gold was discovered in
1913
The farm is not q level tract Of land,
but the fruit trees and vineyards grow
on the sunny hillsides. where the first
rays OF the morning sun can kiss the
grapes and peaches, pears and apples,
making them red and juicy and sweet
IN the dales are cool crystal streams.
bordered by dainty ferns and beautiful
flowers that creep from pool TO pool.
over moss covered rocks, forming
waterfalls. with bubbling eddies al
their base in which the mountain trout
love to frisk and hide. and finally reach
e. larger stream called the Cosumnes
river.
Ephraim was very happy. He nib
bled the fruit, wandered over the hills
in the sunshine. slept in the shade OF
the great oaks and quenched his thirst
with the cool. sparkling water of the
clear streams
He was only a donkey, gray in color
his big eyes shaded by long gray
lashes and shaggy brows and his head
surmounted by the long ears, so eN-
pressive Of the many moods to which a
donkey is subject His name was close
cropped, resembling a stubby scrut
= brush and his tail at the end was
sheared in rings as near the gristle as
twas possible to get
Yet "Eph." as the children called him
was a real beauty. He was city bred
100 and having been taken away from
his own donkey mother when a mere
baby, he was hand raised on bottle
until old enough TO eat the tender
green clover and the sweet dry hay. As
he grew older he had barley also, which
made him very frisky and playful. Tn
III he grew to be quite a grown ar
donkey he was fond Of his bottle OF
milk
Moving from the city TO this lovely
quiet farm. he enjoyed the freedom as
much as did his little owner Jack
Ephraim was Jacks pride and the
envy OF all the little boys and girls
near the farm and in the town. He was
only "A donkey, yet his part in Jacks
life was a most impdttant one The
two were almost inseparable. and will
Jack he was the most docile donkey
that ever lived. But when Jacks
friends came to visit him then he wa:
Just a long cared. stubborn donkey
one beautiful September day, wheT
two OF Jacks friends, Frank and vii
Ham. came out from the city, Jacl
planned TO give them fine ride. IL
put the bride and saddle on Ephraim
led him TO a box and told the boys Il
mount Just at the moment Frank:
foot was put toward the stirrup those
tell tale ears rose in expectancy. ther
he 5erked away and gave them all 2
merry chase of half mile or more
BY the time the run was over the boys
were about as determined TO have the
ride at any cost as 1sph was to eluds
them. After a breathless chase. how
ever. he was captured and all returned
TO the box to get a genuine start thi.
time" No sooner was he aware OF
their intentions. when one long eai
dropped upon his neck and both hind
feet shot out backward with such force
and certain aim that the box went roll
ing down hill. with the three boys
rushing after il.
The box replaced. Jack put his hand
sn his pocket. drew forth a few cubes
Of sugar. giving il piece by piece to
Ephrafm. who rolled 1t about on his
tongue much as a boy would dos who
~antee il to last q Little longer. tThen