Year: 1872

below where he fell. He was from St.
Louis, Mo-, aud cane to this State for his
health.


The grass is now very greer and lc' k
so beautiful. Ii don't seem possible that
you arc having snow IN Vermont, and it is
so cold when it is so warm here. although
| must confess have had come quite j
cold nights. The little birds are as thick
in our yard. They come and eat with the
hens and chickens. The trees are full Of
them all day. and seems as though they
would burst their little threats with so
mitch melody. The country IS beautiful,
but society is poor.


Don't forget to think of me when ynr are
eating warm sugar thi> spring. Before ]
bring my letter to a close must tell you
Of an adventure had the other day SO
you can see how brave California has
made me. The ether day took Fathers
rife aud two dogs prince aud PeO and
went over to the lagoon after some ducks,
but as | did not succeed in getting any, |
came to the conclusion | would return
home, when just then | heard Prince
barking way off in the mona (what we
call woods at home). thought too my
self, | will 90 aud see what he has got, SO
[ start with Pet. For a short distance ]
got along quite nicely, bet soon found !
got more than bargained for, | soon
came to where it was SO very briery and
the branches so thickly interlaced that it
seemed impossible to get through; but |
used my rife for an axe and would 90 a
little ways BY crawling over or creeping
under the branches. l kept thinking ]


must soon come TO a better place than
this; but vain hope.-lnstcad of better


it grew worse When my courage was al.


most gone, came to where Prince was


barking at the bottom of tall tree. JusI


then | heard mother calling me, for she


had got anxious at my long absence ant


came to see what had become of me, bu


she found she could not get into the


thcket. | looked up in the tree ant
there sat large wildcat. was excited


then, so | up with the rifle and fred thrc,
times before I stopped, and hit it eacl


me,-broke a fore.cg and hind-leg and


also hit it in the hip, aud still it clung tt
the tree, although the blood came down ii
stream and now | was in a sad pligh


for my rife was empty and | had no NOR,
cartridgs. | turned and thought woulC
90 home, but could not find where


came in, nor any other place to get out


so | called to see if mother was still there


found she was and told her to 90 hom,


and have father come and bring anothc


gun, for could not get out. Aud Will,
she was gone, the cat fell from th'


tree but not dead. | could not make tn,


dogs take hold of him because it woulC


try and bite them SO it lay there growlin;


and sparling and dog on each side bark


ing. | thought | could put an end to that


so | pounded him over the head with th


rife till he was dead. Just then fathe
came and young man with him, eacI
having gun. but they were of no use.
Father said he did not know as h
: could get to me, for he tried several way
, before he could find one that he could &c
through. | think | should have stage
f there ali night, if he had not come for
don't think ever could have got out.
was in pretty plight when I got home
, My hair was all down, my dress torn in
, dozen places, the ribbon all gone froI
nv hat and tired most to death. Tha
was the first wildcat | ever killed an
will be the last one, in such a spot as thi
| one was.


} It is almost dark so | will draw thi
to close. hoping to hear from you soon
ANGIE.