The Springfield herald., 1913-04-11
T was a clear. bright morning
when they started-the Tall
Girl. the Book Girl. the Ordinary

when they Started-the Tall
Girl, the Book Girl. the Ordinary
Girl and the Man. The lure Of
the mountains was strong upon
them. the ranges beckoned them to
come and see: 80 they set their faces
toward old Grayback. and obeyed the
call of the hills.
The four had three humble but use
full companions in the shape Of burros.
Poor old Jerusalem carried the camp
ing outfit. and the Book Girl rode
Fritz The Ordinary Girls animal
possessed no name at starting, but
after half an hours experience with
him she decided to call him Epami-
nondas, for he didn't have "the sense
he was born with" The Tall Girl and
the Man scorned burros. and had
chosen to walk. thus leaving them
selves free to make derogatory re-
marks about Fritz. Jerusalem and
Epamirondas.
The road wound through pines and
cedars and oaks between the Yucai-
pa and San Barnardino ranges. The
morning air was cool and fresh, and
the Four regarded with sympathy the
frisking of the big gray squirrels and
the little striped chipmunks.
The Real Climb.
Soon the Vivian Trail was reached.
and then began the real climb. Over
Mil creek the trail led, and then up in
seemingly endless zigzag against the
side Of the mountain. Twisting back
and forth. they went up and around
and then down, until the -Four heard
IN nf uR nd int
beautiful Bluejay canyon. The pines
reared their stately trunks as II trying
to outdo the mountains themselves in
height. while through their midst ran
clear mountain stream, bordered ON
either side by brake and lemon lilies.
The -Four rested here. and when the
Man went on to examine the trail, the
girls gathered lilies-lilies with eight
and ten fragrant cups along the stem,
and the stems themselves taller than
tho Ordinary Girl.
The Man came back. and led them
around great fallen tree. and up .
narrow winding trail. past clumps of
thistle poppies. through ferns and
columbine and pentstemon and lilies,
until they came out into q great
stretch Of pines. The trees stood
along the trail in ones and twos and
threes, throwing their shadows on the
gray, rocky ground. Young, strong
pines they were for the most Fart,
with only here and there an old vet
eran bare and broken with its fight
against Time, but not bent.
Then the trees gave way to brush.
and the Four pushed '''eir way through
buckthorn and manzanita that did
their best to hold them back from the
ranges. Once past the brush, the
trail again led upward. again the wa
ter and the lilies, and over all a purple
blue sky. like Maxneld Parrish pic
ture, and away in the distance. the
valley. and Old Baldy. with its streak
of white, standing sentinel at the head
of It
The trees were gradually growing
smaller and more stunted, and pres
emily they came upon some not erect
at all, but bent over and crouching
close to the ground for protection
from the cruel winds. and then they
were at timber line.
Above them was not sign Of q
tree. nothing but bare. gray rocks.
AWAY uP " tho suAhhis ~ dppiUpr16L6-
ly called Grayback.
It was all very beautiful. bu. the
Four were more alive just then To the
call of hunger than to the call Of the
mountains. A fire was quickly made,
and soon they were enjoying soup
and sandwiches. doughnuts and coffee,
that were a. the Man said. "$ust
bully"
Great Red Ball.
Then once more the mountains
called, and the party climbed small