Year: 1871

Stand, stranger, and give an account of your
selfT'


was returning from a tour of collection in
the northern mines, and with large amount of
gold-dust in my saddle-bags, was urging my
tired horse over an unfrequented road lying
through the widest part of the Trinity Noun
tains, when | was abruptly greeted with the sa-
luton have quoted. / was not alarmed by it,
however, for although it proceeded from the
mouth OF MS rough-ooking man as one would
wish to encounter on lonely by-way, there was
a heartiness in its tone which assured me of its
entire friendliness With broad good-natured
smile upon his bronze and heavily bearded WIS.,
age, the speaker advanced, laid one hand upon
my bridle-rein, and the other upon the pommel
of my saddle, and with look of inquiry awaited
my response.


Good evening"" said I. Do you often stop
travellers in this manner2 | should think there
would be a risk in it sometimes, especially fyou
should chance to encounter nervous man"


mo" said he, laughing, al don't often do
So Few travellers come this way, and m not
always in a familiar mood when they do happen
along. Just now have longing for company,
and if you will do me the honor to share my
poor cabin tonight, I'll do what | can to make
you comfortable. assure you its the best thing
you can do, for its yet a good fifteen miles to the
river, and there is no certainty that you
cross when you get there. The ferry rope was
broken yesterday, and part of it lost, and don't
think they've had time to replace it. You look
like a man who could swim fast enough in an
emergency, but | would not advise you to try
old Trinity to night on that horse--he appears
as If he had done more than a fair day 5 work
already. Just consent to put up with my bach
elor S fare and my garruity-for I'm in one of
my talkative moods and must have a con6dant--
and you shall be as welcome, if not so well taken
care of as you would be il you were safe in the
Mountain House with old Peters"


was tired, and so was my horse I liked
this mans frank hospitality, the manner of
which was not rare in the mines dozen years
ago; | knew would be safe under his roof, not
with standing the valuable contents of my sudde-
bags and, divining from his appearance and
manner that his was an extraordinary character,
was curious to see little more of him. These
considerations prompted me to respond:


" Well, sir, If you think my company worth
the trouble shall put you to, accept your hos
pitality with thanks. presume you live not far
from here, Mr.. - what shall call you p


I" Endicott is my name-Gardner Endicott"
he replied; "names better known in Massachu-
setts than in this wilderness, Perhaps you have
heard them?"


{" certainly have" answered " they are
historical. My own name is a more common
place one-George Wilson,"


AS good name as my own, Mr.. Wilson,
though it is perhaps more common. But names
are nothing. The respectable ones | bear do not
prevent me from being the 6ete noir--the black
sheep-of my family"


Over the smile which still played upon his
face as he uttered these last words, there came a
shade of WEAKNESS and sadness pitiful to see,
telling of some hidden pain gnawing at the heart,
and only kept from stronger manifestation by a
struggle. But the expression was gone in an in
stant and but that it had so plainly observed
it, would not have dreamed that the hearty and

was forced.


"Come along, then," said he; am wager
that you haven't dined to-day, and it will take
me some time to prepare supper, for suspect
Tom has let my fire go ont. We shall talk to
better advantage after we have refreshed our
selves"


GU have a companion, then?' remarked
as he led the way, | following


" Yes, cat, and a jolly good companion he
is, too. Takes care of the house when I'm gone,
and makes himself sociable when I'm at home,
and never bores me with good advice when he
sees me pressing my bourbon to an undue extent.
If there's anything in this world hate it's good
advice, which everybody likes to give and no
body is willing to take. prefer my liquor with
out any mixture of that kind but generally
speaking, | can get it straight, and at the same
time enough of it, excepting at home"


We had proceeded for short distance along
the road, and then taken blind trail to the left,
which soon brought us to broad grassy plot
amid the pines, through which coursed spark
ling mountain ril, and near the centre of which,
under the shadow of giant nut-pine, stood a
cabin of ordinary size and exterior appearance.
On entering it, however, to deposit my saddle
bags, was struck with the neat and eleanly APP
pearance of its furniture and arrangements
which exhibited an unusual degree of order and
care for bachelors belongings, and remarked
it TO him.


Well, " said he, "I do like to have things
about me look clean, but it is no great credit to
me that they are so, for | have nothing but my
housekeeping for employment. am not an hon
est miner, as you probably supposed, who have
struck good thing here in this retired spot,
and am keeping it to myself; neither am far
see that for yourself nor am
brigand, who inveigles unsuspecting travellers
like yourself into my stronghold, and murders
them for their money. My wants are abundantly
supplied without the necessity of exertion on
my part, and choose this solitude because en-
joy its freedom. Here can NOPE in melancholy
or bubber and howl in the agony OF grief, or
shout and sing in the recklessness of despera-
tion, without being questioned as to the cause
of my strange conduct or | can, when that be-
comes the only available remedy for my inward
fever, stupefy myself for days at time with liq-
uor and there is M onfcioua friend IN remon-