Year: 1871

strate with me, and tell me how much am in
juring myself. All these demonstrations, which
seem to Others so outrageous, are to me a moral
necessity; if they were repressed the result
would be insanity, and perhaps suicide, neither
OF which care TO contemplate, Notwithstanding
my existence has become a blank, or, far worse,
blot But I'm pretty host, am not, to keep
you listening to my nonsense, while you are no
doubt as dry as stranded fish. Come let us
take retresher. | used to keep II variety of
liquors, but have come to the conclusion that
old bourbon is at once the most effective and the
most wholesome of intoxicants, and so keep no
other, either for myself or friends"


He produced capaciouS demi John, which
with glasses, he placed upon the table. may
as well confess here that never pretended to be
any better or worse than the majority of the
community in which my lot chanced to be cast
and at the time of which | write most Californi-
ans INDUCED in stimulating beverages, some
from pure Tor impure) love of them, some be-
cause of the temporary benefits supposed to be
derived from their occasional use and others
from social motives. | drank moderately, as
others did, and thought no harm of it; and |
accepted Endicotts profered dram without a
scruple.


&" How modest you are" said he, as he filed
his glass to the brim, and tossed it off as would
have drank glass of water. "Now, wouldn' Z
taste such thmbleful as that it would scarce
ly tickle my throat. But | suppose its in use
I've seen the time-not so very long ago either
when | would have taken no more than you
Now | must drink it like water, and very often
when am in a peculiar bitter mood, it has no
more effect upon me than n draught from the
stream. pray God you may never come to
need it as do -


lie spoke in n weary tone, which was, how
ever, so little pathetic that | could almost have
fancied he was jesting, but for the momentary
passing again over his face of the shade had
before observed.


off you will take seat here in the shade out
side the door," he resumed after short pause
" | will care for your horse, and then prepare
our supper" And he proceeded with alacrty
upon his hosptable duties, while l. reclining
upon bench covered with grizzly bearskin,
placed just outside the door, watched his move
ments, and puzzled myself with conjectures re-
garding his past history and his present life


lie was handsome man, despite of his rough
garb, his bronzed visage, and his long unkempt
locks and enormous matted beard, which gave
him, fancied, the appearance of thrd-class
brigand. Dissipation, the evidences of which
were plainly visible in his face had not dimmed
the lustre of his bright blue eye, nor apparently
abated jot the strength and activity of his 1.-THE
and sinewy form. He had the grace and dignity
of a gentleman born and bred, and his speech,
though careless, and indicating much associa-
ton with uneducateG persons of many classes,
was that of highly cultivated man. How came
he here2 ! wondered.


lmprovising stable under spreading pine,
and producing provender from shed in the
rear OF the cabin, he soon put my tired horse in
the way of comfortable refreshment, and then
proceeded to prepare our evening meal, which
he did very quickly and skillfuly at fire kim
died, on account of the warmth of the evening,
at the side OF large log which lay a few yards
from the cabin when supper was announced
sat down with good appetite, to as good a
mea! of hot bread, venison steaks fried eggs,
roasted potatoes and real mountain coffee, as
ever ate in my life. complimented my enter
tainer upon his cookery. lie replied
" Well, yes, confess that | can cook n little
better than most men who do not make cooking
profession but | don't see why one, who
from necessity or choice cooks for himself,
should not learn to do it as well as he can II is
much less trouble than to do it badly, and the
food is more appetizing and wholesome. And it
is nothing in the world but pride and prejudice
which makes men so much worse cooks than
women when they are driven to it,"


The sun had not yet sunk to rest when, our
supper ended and the dishes and cooking uten-
sls cleared away we took our seats upon the
bearskn lounge and smoked our pipes in ST.
lence. | was curious to hear from his own lips
some account of my strange entertainer but
would not seek to hasten by inquiries the conf
N'N'NN
the night was far advanced At length Endi-
colt laid down his pipe, and asked abruptly


" Are you musician p


I" Not much, | replied "I whistle some
times when I'm alone, but neither play nor sing"


- do little, in my poor way" said he, "at
all three, but don't pride myself upon my must
cal style or requirements. | have an old violin
that I've been trying to scrape an acquaintance
with, and if you don't object, will practise a
little on it,


replied that | would be greatly pleased to
hear him whereupon he produced his instru-
ment and began to sing and play, at first in n
careless desultory way, but at length as he be-
came warmed little, with much skill and feel
ing, He ratified off q few lively melodies but
his preference seemed to be for melancholy dit
ties, and he rendered Mrs. Nortons " Love Not"
with such feryor and pathos as | had never
heard given to it before.


AS night fell and the stars came out the at.
mosphere, as usual in that region, cooled so
much that we were quite willing to replensh the
waning fire, and lay ourselves upon improvised
couches beside it. Having relighted our pipes,
Endicott after a few vigorous whifS, broke the
silence:


" 1t seems strange to me, when | look back
upon the golden promise of my boyhood and the
trumphs of my early manhood, to think how
that promise has been dishOnored and those tri-
umphs cancelled Strange Ay it appears to
me snameIul out aIter ALL DO not see how
could help it. The strongest of us have weak
spots in our nature, through which we may be
overcome Achilles was vulnerable only in the
heel, and through that his enemy found his life.
And yet my weakness has proved the strength
of most men, and it is one of which no true man
should be ashamed.


" don't often indulge in condolences. There
are but two men in this part of the world to
whom have told my story, and they had al
ready been wi Rut
have tonight strong impulse to make a conf
dant of you. | want sympathy, and--a safety
valve. Should you be bored with the recital,
or do you think you could bear the inaiction
with equanimitYP'


81 think | should be much interested in it,"


Well, trust you will be sufficiently so TO
keep awake. | shouldn't like to unbosom my