Adventures and 
 Day Dreams 
 
 By I. OWEN THOMPSON 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 Long Beach, California 
 1913 
 
Copyright, 1913 
 By I. Owen Thompson 
 
PREFACE 
 
 In giving this Book of Adventures and Fiction to the 
 public, it is hoped there may be some who are thirsting 
 for knowledge, such as we are able to write. It is 
 natural to crave the knowledge as the result of personal 
 experiences of others. Of the millions and million 
 of people who inhabit the earth, no two are alike in 
 feature and thought. How interesting if all our lips 
 were unsealed to the world. Society has taught us to 
 curb our emotions. If we could live for one day 
 naturally, and express our thoughts as they come to us, 
 then we would interest the public. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 OR 
 
 THE DAWN OF DAY 
 
 The moon is on watch tonight. He sees a little 
 white house covered with vines and trees. Someone is 
 crawling down the vine from the porch. A son leaving 
 home. The moon smiles. You might imagine him 
 saying, "An honest face. He will come back again. 
 I have seen the act before." Then the moon pulls a 
 huge cloud over his face and goes to sleep. 
 
 It was Bixby Chandelor, leaving his home near 
 Dayton, Ohio. The day before, he had driven the 
 black colt to the city against his father's orders. The 
 colt was unshod and fell on the ice, breaking his leg. 
 He had to be shot and father and son had hard words 
 over it. Bix, as he was nicknamed, decided to leave 
 home. He left a note telling his parents not to look 
 for him and that he would come back some day and 
 pay for the colt. He went down through the orchard 
 and out on the highway to Dayton. Here he stole a 
 ride on a freight train going west. After a good many 
 hardships he landed in Wichita, Kansas. Hungry and 
 tired he roamed the streets, with no money to buy food. 
 He wandered around until he came to the big horse 
 sales stables at the show grounds. He sat down on a 
 bench and overheard two men talking. One was 
 asking the other, "Do you know where I could get a 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 man to help me? I live out in Oregon and have bought 
 a carload of Percherons from Robinson at Towanda. 
 I want a man to go through with them." 
 
 Bix asked him for the job. 
 
 The man said, "Can you furnish any recommenda- 
 tion?" 
 
 Bix answered, "No, sir, but I was raised on a farm 
 and know how to care for horses." 
 
 "Well, I will give you board and a free pass and if 
 you get through with the colts all right I will allow you 
 a dollar a day." 
 
 "All right, sir, I will take the job." 
 
 They went to the car. It was to be pulled out at 
 8 P. M. It was a thirty-four foot box car. They made 
 a partition in each end, leaving a space in the middle 
 as wide as the doors. This was for baled hay and a 
 barrel of water. The horses were to stay in the car 
 until they reached their destination. They were two 
 year olds. They put five filleys in one end and two 
 stallions in the other. Just before starting, Mr. Smith, 
 the owner, told Bix to get another barrel the first 
 chance he got. He was afraid the one would not hold 
 enough water. 
 
 The engine coughed and wheezed. The cars jerked 
 with a bang nearly knocking Bix off his feet. The colts 
 jammed and crowded each other. The train was 
 moving. They switched onto the Missouri Pacific, 
 then up to Ellsworth on the main line. Now the car 
 Bix was in was coupled onto the through freight. Bix 
 
 6 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 would feed and water the colts and then at the first 
 stop would go back to the caboose where there was a 
 fire, and ride. It was February the first, and pretty 
 cold, but there was no snow. At the end of each 
 division the engine and the caboose would be exchanged 
 and Bix would go into the car with the colts and stay 
 until the train started again. 
 
 When they pulled into Denver, Bix was told that 
 they would lay over there eight hours, so he started 
 out to find an empty barrel. First he took the number 
 of his car 13415. They were cutting the trains all 
 up and switching every way. There were hundreds of 
 cars on the sidings. It was about 8 P. M. and Bix went 
 to several stores but they were all closed. He was 
 about to give up when he saw a barrel in front of a 
 saloon, marked for sale. He went inside and asked the 
 bartender if he could buy the barrel. There were 
 several rough looking men at the bar drinking. One 
 bleary-eyed, red- whiskered fellow turned and said: 
 "Come up, kid, and have a drink." 
 
 Bix said, "No, sir, I never drink." 
 
 The tough threw his arm around Bix's neck and said, 
 "You drink or fight." 
 
 Bix was getting mad and he punched the fellow in 
 the jaw, causing him to fall like a sack of bran. The 
 others made a rush for Bix. Now the bartender took a 
 hand. He stepped from behind the bar with a six- 
 shooter and said, "You fellows leave the kid alone and 
 get out." 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Bix thanked him and bought the barrel. When he 
 started with it he found he could not carry it so he had 
 to roll it down the street. He would kick it along with 
 his feet and here poor Bix was misjudged. There was 
 some whiskey left in the barrel. Just enough to smell 
 and to make matters worse he gave the barrel a big 
 kick. His foot went up and he went down on his back 
 in the gutter. The people saw him lying there, smelt 
 the whiskey and thought he was drunk. It was lucky 
 for him that there were no police about. He finally 
 got the barrel to the car and knocked the head out. 
 Then the men came with the hose and filled both 
 barrels. 
 
 He closed the door and lay down on the hay and went 
 to sleep. When he awoke the train was speeding 
 towards its destination and he felt lonesome. He 
 counted the minutes and miles that separated him from 
 his parents in the little Ohio home. 
 
 While crossing the big desert the brakeman invited 
 him to ride in the lookout. From here he saw miles 
 and miles of level country. Looking back he saw two 
 shining streaks of steel as far as the eye can penetrate. 
 He looked ahead and saw what looked to him like a 
 huge worm wiggling its way along. Nearer and 
 nearer it came. Now a ring of smoke curled along its 
 back. It is the express. Swiftly the narrowing span 
 between the rushing engines was closing. Unaccus- 
 tomed to railroading, Bix is panic striken. He thinks 
 they are in danger of collision. They come to a siding. 
 
 8 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 The brakeman throws a switch and they run out on the 
 siding. With a shriek and a roar the huge engine goes 
 rolling by. It is an every day occurrence with railroad 
 men. They count the minutes and seconds as we 
 do hours. 
 
 Passing through Idaho there was snow on the ground 
 and they hear of washouts ahead. They pulled into 
 LaGrande, Oregon at four o'clock in the morning of 
 February the eighth and were sidetracked twenty 
 hours. This was the year of the big washouts on the 
 upper Columbia, Snake River and other streams on 
 the 0. R. & N. Co.'s lines. The sidings were all 
 jammed full of freight trains, waiting orders. Bix 
 takes on more baled hay. He was getting short of feed 
 on account of the delay. At night he fed and watered 
 the colts and spread his blankets on the hay and lay 
 down. He thought of his nice, soft bed at home. 
 Then he dropped asleep and dreamed of his parents. 
 
 He saw his father come from the barn with the milk 
 pails and tell him not to drive the black colt to the city. 
 Then he stole the colt out and with a neighbor boy went 
 to the city. Now he is coming home over the ice. 
 Bang! Crash! the colt fell and was floundering. He 
 wakes up. The train had started and thrown him 
 off the hay. One of the colts was down and the others 
 were tramping on him. Bix got over and helped the 
 colt up. They were going up grade now in the Blue 
 mountains. The two engines charged up the grade 
 pluckily. The string of cars was a long one, but the 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 big mountain creepers steamed easily up and up. The 
 train climbed past the little stations which now and 
 then were set on the wooded mountain side. The 
 grade was not steep all the way. There were plateaus 
 part of the way. Then they were up to the summit and 
 the extra engine cut loose and went back. Down the 
 western skirt of the saddle the train shot out on the 
 level to Umatilla Junction. They got orders to side- 
 track here again. 
 
 Bix has some experience with tramps here. Two 
 tried to get into his car. He shut the door and put up 
 a bar to hold it fast. He stayed inside until he heard 
 the engine coupling onto his train and then he opened 
 the door. The train was starting slow. The two 
 tramps saw the door open and made a rush to get in. 
 One got in, but Bix knocked him out on his back and 
 shut the door on the other's fingers. He was dragged 
 some distance before his hands came loose. At Pendle- 
 ton Bix got off to get something to eat and when he 
 came back there was another tramp in the car. He was 
 a young fellow about Bix's age and he had no overcoat 
 and was about froze so Bix let him stay and told him he 
 could ride as far as The Dalles. That was as far as the 
 car was to go. So the young fellow lay down on the 
 hay and went to sleep. When they pulled into The 
 Dalles, Bix woke him and told him to get off. The 
 tramp was about half asleep. There were some empty 
 sacks over the barrel half full of water. He got up and 
 walked over the baled hay and stepped on the sacks. 
 
 10 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 Down he went in the ice water. When he went 
 shivering down the track, Bix felt sorry for him. 
 
 Smith, the owner of the colts met Bix here. He had 
 saddle horses and they drove the colts out to his ranch. 
 Bix worked here until the following harvest. Then he 
 decided to go back in the wheat country to work with 
 some big threshing outfits. He got off the train at 
 Biggs, a little junction station. Here a branch line 
 runs south about seventy-five miles to Shaniko. He 
 asked the agent when the train went south. The 
 agent said some time that day. They did not have any 
 regular time. 
 
 So Bix decided to walk up the track. He followed 
 up the canyon until he came to a little siding called 
 Gibson's. He saw six box cars standing on the siding 
 loaded with wheat. He was hot and tired so he crawled 
 in one car on top of the wheat and soon fell asleep. 
 When he woke the car was in motion. He thought the 
 freight train had come along and picked up the car 
 and was taking him back down to Biggs before he could 
 get off. The cars were gaining speed all the time. Bix 
 looked out and could see no engine. Then he began to 
 realize his danger. He crawled on top of the car and 
 looked back. He saw two tramps standing on the 
 siding. They had been put off the cars the day before 
 and through spite had loosed the brakes and turned 
 the six cars loose. Every moment they were increasing 
 the speed and swaying dangerously. On his trip with 
 the colts Bix had hopes of becoming a brakeman but 
 
 11 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 now he lost all desire for the job. He lay down and 
 crawled to the end of the car' and set the brake, but 
 this did not lessen the speed much. He remembered 
 seeing a curve just before the track went out on the 
 main line at Biggs. He must do something before the 
 cars got to the curve. He thought of the sand drifts. 
 He would jump into the sand. The railroad company 
 put up boards to shield the sand from the track. The 
 wind blows the sand up along the boards and forms little 
 mountains of sand. Bix stood up and jumped with his 
 eyes closed. It was fortunate that he lit angling on the 
 side of a huge drift. His breath was nearly knocked 
 out of him. He went rolling and sliding down with the 
 sand all over him. Then he heard a crash. The cars 
 had gone over the curve. He shook the sand from his 
 eyes and got to his feet. There were the cars down the 
 bank and thousands of dollars of wheat scattered in 
 the sand. Unlucky Bix! Now a new danger awaits 
 him. The switchman had seen the runaway cars 
 coming. He ran to throw the switch and saw Bix jump 
 and the cars go over the bank. He told the agent so 
 they took Bix to The Dalles and put him under arrest. 
 Then he told about the tramps turning the cars loose. 
 The company sent a man up the line to investigate. 
 He found the tramps making a meal off some goods they 
 had stolen from the cars the day before. He took them 
 to The Dalles. Bix was given his liberty and a ticket 
 up the Shaniko branch. 
 He secured a job with a combine harvester on a big 
 
 13 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 wheat ranch. Unlucky Bix! Here he had more 
 adventures. There was a long pen to feed the horses 
 in, about thirty feet wide and one hundred feet long. 
 It was made of panels three feet high and twenty feet 
 long. These were tied at the ends to posts set in the 
 ground. This pen was filled with wheat headings and 
 the horses were tied around the outside. There were 
 about forty horses tied to the pen at night. The men 
 would take their blankets and sleep on the hay inside 
 the pen. Bix had a canvas sewed up like a pillowcase 
 with one end open. His blankets were inside and he 
 would slip down between them and sleep warm and 
 comfortable. He was sleeping in the pen one night 
 when there came up a wind and thunder storm. Some 
 of the horses were bronchos and they got frightened and 
 broke one panel loose, jumping over into the pen and 
 swung around over Bix. They broke three more 
 panels and went across the field dragging the panels by 
 their halter chains. When they swung over Bix there 
 was a big spike in one panel that caught in his canvas 
 and dragged him across the field bottom side up for 
 half a mile. He was trapped like a cat in a sack. 
 Finally the canvas tore loose and left him. He crawled 
 out and went limping back after his clothes. The 
 boys joked him about his ride in the aeroplane. 
 
 After harvest was over he went south into the stock 
 country. He stopped at a big ranch near Antelope 
 and asked for a job riding. He did not have much 
 recommendation as a cowboy, but the boss was short- 
 
 14 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 handed and hired him. Unlucky! he had more trouble. 
 The boss gave him a gentle horse to ride. The other 
 boys saw that he was a tenderfoot so they planned for 
 some fun. At night they ran off his saddlehorse and 
 in the morning told the boss they could not find the 
 new man's horse. He told them to get up another for 
 him to ride. The boys winked at each other and went 
 to the corral. They already had one picked for Bix, 
 an innocent looking little bay that could buck some. 
 They told Bix he was the only gentle one they had up, 
 so he saddled him. The other boys were in no hurry to 
 leave the corral. They saddled slow and lounged about. 
 They all wanted to see the show. The boss came down 
 and said, "Come, boys, you had better get started." 
 Then they got on their horses. When Bix got on his the 
 little bay humped his back and walked a few steps 
 stiff-legged. That was a sure sign. Then he gathered 
 his feet all together, put his nose between his knees and 
 flew into the air. The first jump Bix lost one stirrup; 
 the next jump both feet were loose and he was holding 
 onto the saddlehorn with both hands; the third jump 
 he went sailing up in the air and turning a complete 
 somersault lit in front of the horse in a sitting position. 
 Bix felt as though his neck was two inches shorter. By 
 the time the horse had quit bucking the boys had all 
 disappeared in different directions. Bix was getting 
 his dander up and he saw the boys had played a game 
 on him. So he made a vow right there that he would 
 ride the little bay or die trying. 
 
 15 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 The little horse must have understood his resolve, for 
 when Bix got on his back he never bucked a jump, but 
 trotted off. This was the part the boys did not see. 
 Bix rode all day and at night when he came riding the 
 little bay into camp the boys all respected his grit and 
 shook him warmly by the hand in true western spirit. 
 
 He stayed on the big ranch one year and learned to 
 be a good rider. Then the roving spirit took possession 
 of him again. He crossed the mountains into the 
 western part of the state and hired to a farmer by the 
 name of Cribs on the Willamette River. The rainy 
 season had set in so he was to chore around for his 
 board. When it came good weather he was to get 
 wages. Unlucky Bix! his trouble this time was to 
 spend the night in a tree with a pig. But hold I am 
 getting ahead of my story. In this part of the state 
 it sometimes rains for two or three months at a time. 
 This fall it seemed to rain harder than ever. The river 
 began to rise and the smaller streams were all swollen. 
 The sloughs were sheets of water. 
 
 In the morning at breakfast Cribs said : "Bix, we will 
 have to get the sheep up off the river and move them 
 to the hills. I am afraid the river will be out of its 
 banks by night." 
 
 So they put on rubber coats and long rubber boots 
 and went after the sheep. They had to cross them 
 over a slough. The water was only about two feet 
 deep (in the middle but sheep are foolish about taking 
 to water. So the men shoved and "shooed" until they 
 
 16 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 nearly gave up. Then Cribs said, "Bix, if we could 
 get a few over the others would follow." So each 
 grabbed a sheep and carried it over. When they set 
 them down and started back they ran back to the 
 flock. 
 
 Bix said, "You hold the sheep while I bring more." 
 He brought one over and it stayed with the other 
 two, so he carried ten over, one at a time. Then they 
 both went back and started the bunch. When the 
 flock saw the others across the water they all made a 
 rush and drowned two. They drove the sheep to high 
 ground. It was nearly dark when they got back. The 
 river was up around the house. Cribs said, "Go and 
 let the stock all loose while I carry things upstairs." 
 
 Bix went in the barn and untied the horses and 
 cattle and drove them outside. Then he heard the 
 pigs squealing so he went to the pig pen and found them 
 all floating in water. He got a plank and threw it 
 over to the top of the fence and walked across. He 
 kicked some top boards off and turned to walk back. 
 The water was rising and the plank teetered, throwing 
 Bix in head first. He struck his elbow on a floating 
 chunk and it hurt, so he could hardly swim, so he floated 
 down until he lodged against some driftwood in the 
 fork of a tree. He crawled up on this and lay down. 
 Presently he saw a barn door floating towards the tree. 
 He got a limb and drew'it*near and pulled it up on the 
 drift and now|he had a comfortable platform. Then 
 he saw something white coming his way. It was a 
 
 17 
 
BIX, HIS OWN MASTER 
 
 good sized shoat. He reached out and pulled the pig 
 onto the platform. Then he sat down with his back 
 to the tree. All around him was the roaring, foaming 
 water. The only living thing near was the white pig. 
 Some people may only remember the pig as sliced into 
 breakfast bacon and some may have a memory of nice, 
 juicy spare-ribs, but to this day Bix will not eat pig 
 meat in any form. The pig walked around the plat- 
 form three or four times and lay down against Bix's 
 leg. It was getting chilly and the warm body of the 
 pig felt comfortable. All through the long night Bix 
 and "piggy" kept each other company. Bix was 
 homesick and he thought if he got out of that place 
 alive he would go home and turn over a new leaf. 
 
 At daylight he heard someone halloa so he put his 
 hands to his mouth and halloaed back. Two men in a 
 boat came and took him and the pig to land. 
 
 t t t 
 
 It is 9 P. M. and dark. If the wise old moon had 
 been on duty he would have seen his prophecy come 
 true. A well-dressed young man was coming up the 
 road from Dayton leading a fine black Percheron filly. 
 When he came to the little white house just off the road 
 among the trees he went into the gate and past the 
 house. He seemed to know just where he was going. 
 He led the colt to the barn, lifted the latch and went in 
 the stable. A horse nickered and he went over and 
 patted her on the neck, saying in her ear, "Kit, old 
 girl, you know me, don't you?" 
 
 18 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Now this same evening farmer Chandelor and his wife 
 were talking about their absent son. 
 
 His wife said, "Pa, don't you think you were a little 
 severe with Bixby." 
 
 "I think I was, Ma. I thought it for the best then. 
 I ought to have let him go in company more, I guess. 
 Do you think he will ever come back? It has been five 
 years now and we have had no word from him." 
 
 The old lady answers: "I feel that he will come, Pa. 
 He was a boy that kept his word and you know he 
 left a note saying he would come back some day." 
 
 The door opened and in walked Bixby Chandelor, 
 tall and sturdy with a beard on his face. He said, 
 "Am I welcome, father and mother?" 
 
 They both exclaim, "What is this? Our son?" 
 
 "I am he." 
 
 "Welcome home, son," said the old man and they 
 embrace him warmly. 
 
 Then he tells them, "I see now that I was wrong. 
 I have tried to make good. The duplicate of the black 
 colt is in the barn." 
 
 "Son, we will look at it in the morning. We want 
 to talk to you tonight." 
 
 In the morning they all go to see the black colt. 
 The old man said, "My gracious, ma, isn't she a beauty. 
 What do you call her, Bix?" 
 
 "I haven't named her yet, but if I was to suggest one, 
 I would call her Roxana, which means 'Dawn of Day/ 
 for this is the dawn of a new day to me." 
 
 20 
 
THE WOLF 
 
 For shrewdness and cunning he could outdo the most 
 ferocious timber wolf. He had been a menace to the 
 settlers along the northern slope of the Siskiyou 
 mountains for years. When pursued he had always 
 eluded those that tried to capture him. One time it 
 would be a fat pig missing and then complaint would 
 come from some rancher miles away. He had been 
 robbed of bacon and canned goods. Finally the 
 sheriff took up the case and offered a reward of five 
 hundred dollars for the capture of the outlaw known 
 as the "Wolf." 
 
 About this time two young men from the east took a 
 claim at the foot of the mountain on a little creek. It 
 seems strange how opposites in Nature take to each 
 other. Jack Harding was dark, stout and robust, while 
 Joseph Wing was fair and slim and of a nervous 
 disposition. They were very much attached to each 
 other. 
 
 They cut some logs and constructed a rude cabin, 
 then they built a stable and corral for two small horses 
 they had. One day Jack went to the store to get some 
 provisions and mail a letter. He rode Tony, the little 
 bay, and led Jim, the sorrel, with a pack saddle. As 
 he rode off he turned in the saddle and said, "Joe, I 
 may be late getting home. Don't wait supper." 
 
 When Jack got his provisions packed on the saddle 
 he looked at his watch and it was 2 p. m. Then he 
 
 21 
 
THE WOLF 
 
 thought to mail his letter so he went to the back of the 
 store where the office was and as he dropped his letter 
 and turned to go his eye caught the sheriff's notice: 
 "$500.00 reward for the capture of the outlaw known as 
 'The Wolf/ (Signed) Billy Wiggins, Sheriff." 
 
 Joe worked until dark getting out material to make a 
 pasture fence for the horses. Then he went to the 
 cabin and built a fire to cook supper. He ate his 
 supper and set some by the fire for Jack. He sat down 
 by the fire and as he was tired and drowsy he soon fell 
 asleep. He was awakened by the heavy slab door 
 creaking. He looked up and saw in the door the most 
 ferocious human being he had ever seen. His face was 
 covered with a shaggy beard and his hair hung over his 
 shoulders. His few clothes were in rags. His eyes 
 were like two burning coals. Joe was frightened, but 
 it was evident that the creature had not seen him as the 
 room was partly dark and Joe was sitting nearly behind 
 the door. The intruder slouched across the room 
 towards the table. Joe saw his chance and dodged out 
 the door and pulled it after him with a bang. There 
 was a pin and latch on the outside. This he fastened. 
 Now he was undecided what to do with his prisoner. 
 Then a welcome sound came to his ears. It was Jack 
 coming over the creek. Joe was so excited he could 
 hardly explain to him. 
 
 "You light the lantern," said Jack, "and open the 
 door. I will cover him with my revolver." 
 
 Joe pushed the door open and moved his lantern to 
 
 23 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 and fro. They peered into each corner, but could see 
 no one. Then Jack saw the small trap window open. 
 
 "Well, Joe, if you had a prisoner he is gone, but I 
 rather think you were dreaming." 
 
 "Dreaming, was I? See that piece of cloth sticking 
 on the nail in the window." Joe then explained what 
 his prisoner looked like. 
 
 Jack exclaimed, "Just our luck. We lost five hundred 
 dollars by letting that fellow get away." He then 
 told Joe about the sheriffs notice. 
 
 No doubt this was "The Wolf," the wild man of the 
 Siskiyous. The boys planned to capture "The Wolf." 
 The reward would come in handy to stock up the ranch. 
 For months no one heard or saw "The Wolf." The 
 boys bought a cow and exchanged work with a neighbor 
 for two pigs to drink what milk they did not use. They 
 cut some small logs to build a house for the pigs. When 
 laying the foundation Joe said, "I have an idea. Let's 
 build so as to guard against 'The Wolf stealing our 
 pigs and at the same time set a trap." His plan was 
 to build a partition and put the pigs in the back end 
 which would be covered over. So the thief would 
 have to go through the front end to get the pigs. The 
 open end would have a top swung up and set with a 
 trigger. When the thief stepped on a board in the 
 bottom of the pen the top would close and shut him in. 
 
 "A wise head," exclaimed Jack. 
 
 They worked on the trap pen until it was completed, 
 then Jack went inside to see if it would work. It 
 
 24 
 
THE WOLF 
 
 worked like a charm. In fact, it worked like a charm 
 because Jack was a prisoner and Joe was unable to 
 release him and had to bring one of the neighbors 
 before the door could be raised. 
 
 The next day they put the pigs in. There was a hole 
 in one side to put the feed in so they need not bother 
 the trap. 
 
 Now came word that "The Wolf" had been plunder- 
 ing five miles up the mountain. Joe and Jack went 
 well armed and the settlers were all on the watch hoping 
 to starve him out. One morning Jack was getting 
 breakfast while Joe was gone to milk the cow and feed 
 the pigs. Jack was walking to the table with the 
 skillet of hot bacon when the door flew open with a 
 bang, knocking him down. The bacon and grease 
 flew every way. In rushed Joe yelling, "We got 
 him. We got him." 
 
 Jack got to his feet and shook Joe by the shoulder, 
 "Joe, have you gone crazy or what is the matter with 
 you?" 
 
 Then Joe said that the trap pen was down. 
 
 They grabbed their guns and run to the pen. The 
 pigs were squealing and something was moving around 
 inside. 
 
 Jack said, "Joe, you ride after the sheriff while I 
 watch him." 
 
 Joe mounted and rode as fast as the horse could run. 
 Jack sat on a stump and kept watch. After two or 
 three hours he realized he had Jiad no breakfast. He 
 
 26 
 
THE WOLF 
 
 ran to the shack and grabbing something off the table 
 came back to watch. He could not hear the pigs now 
 so thought they had quieted down. 
 
 About 10 A. M. Joe, the sheriff and a deputy came 
 loping up. When the sheriff saw Jack sitting on the 
 stump he said, "Well, my boy, so you have trapped 
 The Wolf/ " 
 
 "He is in there/' and Jack pointed to the pen. 
 
 They planned how to get him out. The sheriff got 
 a rope and they all go up to the pen and look through 
 the cracks. The sheriff jumped back and roared with 
 laughter. 
 
 "Boys, your wolf is a mountain lion/' 
 
 Sure enough they had trapped a mountain lion. They 
 shot him through the cracks and opened the trap. 
 The lion had devoured both pigs. 
 
 "Boys," said the sheriff, "I will excuse you this time. 
 If the trap will catch a lion it might catch The Wolf/ 
 So you had better bait the trap again. The lion will 
 more than pay for the pigs. But be sure and look 
 inside before coming for me again/' 
 
 He rode off and Jack and Joe felt beat. 
 
 When they got the pelt off the lion they felt better. 
 They sold the pelt and with the bounty netted fifteen 
 dollars. For three dollars they bought two more pigs. 
 Then they were ready for more game. 
 
 Autumn had come; the squirrels were storing nuts 
 for winter. Jack and Joe were up the creek cutting 
 dry wood for the long winter. They took no dinner 
 
 27 
 
THE WOLF 
 
 with them so came|home^early. When inside the 
 clearing Joe clutched Jack's arm. "Look, the trap is 
 thrown." 
 
 They do not think of catching "The Wolf" hi the day 
 time and looked in the pen expecting another lion. 
 Jack jumped back saying, "Joe, he is in there this time, 
 sure." 
 
 Sitting in one corner was the wild man. 
 This time Jack rides after the sheriff. ^When he 
 comes, "The Wolf" puts up a game fight but is over- 
 powered and tied with ropes. The sheriff tied him on 
 one horse and as he started he turned and said, "Boys, 
 don't forget to come and get the reward." 
 
 Jack and Joe felt rich. They planned to buy some 
 young colts and improve the ranch with the money. 
 The wild man could not stand confinement and after 
 a few days was found dead. In one hand was a package 
 of papers closely written in a neat hand and in the other 
 was a pencil. The paper read thus: 
 
 "They say I am mad. If so be it the whole 
 world is mad. Is it madness to live in Nature's 
 forest far away from society's deceitful clutches? 
 Nature produces food and I eat thereof. Is this 
 madness? I did not always look like this. These 
 bushy locks were once silky and smooth. My 
 hands were white and soft. I had wealth but was 
 robbed by a crafty guardian. When I came from 
 school I was forced into society. Wine was passed 
 around. I declined and was laughed at so I 
 
 29 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 drank to keep up appearances. I learned to like 
 the taste of liquors. I met a girl that I loved and 
 adored. One night I took her to a ball. I drank 
 too much wine and was overcome. Then I started 
 to go home and met my love on the stairs. I told 
 her to go home with me and she declined. I gave 
 her arm a jerk. She fell over the railing to the 
 floor. The people all came and pushed me away. 
 Someone said, 'She is dead/ No. No. She is not. 
 I saw them carry her away all dressed in white. 
 She was asleep. She will some day wake and come 
 to me. I went out into the night and drank more 
 to drown my grief. Then I went home and my 
 guardian drove me out. He, who first taught me 
 to take my first drink. Then he had me shut in a 
 mad house. May the Lord judge who was mad. 
 He or I? Ha! Ha! Then I fooled them. I 
 escaped and left the city. Far away from society's 
 maddening clutches where they play, gamble and 
 drink at night and sleep in the daytime. 'Tis the 
 idle rich that is mad. Ha! Ha! I fooled them. 
 They stole my wealth, but I have more. I can 
 buy the wealthiest of the world. I know of a cave 
 under a cliff. It is full of gold. Some days I go 
 there and keep bank. Ha! Ha! Mad world. I 
 alone am free ' 
 
 Written on the back of the package was the dying 
 man's scrawl: "See, she is awakening. She is coming 
 to me; all dressed in white. Now I am free." 
 
 30 
 
ON THE TRAIL 
 
 It was June of the year 1884, that my brother, 
 Edward, and I hired to the Morey Company to make 
 the big drive from Oregon to Nebraska. There were 
 four of us to drive the horses and we each got forty-five 
 dollars a month and board with the exception of my 
 brother, who was to oversee the crew at sixty dollars 
 a month. I was eighteen then and my brother was 
 ten years older. 
 
 The old gentleman Morey drove two horses on a light 
 spring wagon. His son, Frank, drove four horses on a 
 light wagon and hauled our bedding and provisions. 
 There was a cupboard made on the end of the wagon 
 and when the doors were opened it formed a table. 
 We had a sheet-iron stove and covers on the wagons. 
 Frank was to do the cooking and he would go on ahead 
 and find a good camping place with plenty of grass 
 (we carried our drinking water in a barrel on the side 
 of the wagon) . He then put up the tent and had supper 
 ready when we came up with the horses. 
 
 We never went over twenty miles a day and on some 
 days only eight or ten. We wanted to keep the horses 
 fat so they would be saleable when we got through. 
 
 The Moreys were in the hardware and machinery 
 business for several years, and had a good many bills 
 out, so they took horses whenever they could settle 
 the debt. The others were bought from all over 
 eastern Oregon and Washington^ so we naturally had 
 
 32 
 
ON THE TRAIL 
 
 a mean bunch of horses to handle. They were mostly 
 small, weighing from eight to twelve hundred pounds. 
 There were two hundred and twenty in the bunch and 
 mostly all unbroke. We had one broke saddle horse 
 each when we started, and Mr. Morey said we could 
 have as many more as we wanted to break. 
 
 I started with a little pinto. He was gentle and 
 trusty and I used him on the night herd. The first 
 one I broke was a high-headed white Indian pony. 
 When I saddled him in the corral, the boys all watched 
 for the show. He put me back of the saddle the first 
 jump. The boys opened the corral and chased him 
 out. I soon had him under control and then it came 
 my turn to laugh when the others rode their first 
 bronchos. 
 
 The next was a fellow named Jim Grant. He picked 
 on a fine looking cream colored four-year old. She 
 jumped pretty lively in the corral and when we let 
 her out she bucked down the hill side and went down 
 in a badger hole. Jim went ten feet over her head. 
 He got up with a bad knee which bothered him all the 
 trip. 
 
 The next was Bob Spoon. He had a shady character 
 but was a first-class rider, so my brother hired him. 
 He picked a buckskin with a mean head. We blinded 
 him until Bob got on. He bucked twice around the 
 corral, then stood on his hind feet and fell over back- 
 wards, but Bob was too quick for him and jumped 
 clear. He went backwards three times, then Bob 
 
 33 
 

ON THE TRAIL 
 
 gave him a rap between the ears with his quirt as he 
 was coming up and that settled him for that trick. 
 
 We kept breaking until we each had eight or ten to 
 ride. We generally changed horses twice a day. The 
 first day we made fifteen miles and camped at night 
 on the high bunch grass lands east of the John Day 
 River. We had a hard time getting the horses to 
 swim this river. We bunched them in the water 
 knee high and all shot our guns in the air. Some of 
 the horses jumped in swimming water and the rest 
 followed to the opposite bank. There were several 
 colts from two weeks to two months old and they 
 floated down stream and landed about a half a mile 
 below the herd. 
 
 The first night we drew straws to see who would 
 night herd. It fell to Bob and Jim; one to herd 
 until midnight and the other until morning. The 
 second night we camped on a big level prairie. I took 
 the first shift from six until twelve. There was no 
 moon, but the stars were shining. I felt pretty lone- 
 some as I took Pinto around the herd, not too close 
 as I might waken some that were lying down, as they 
 might drift. I learned while night herding that the 
 horses get uneasy about midnight and just before 
 daylight. About twelve, I heard spurs jingling and 
 was mighty glad when my brother rode up. I went 
 the way he told me and was soon in camp. I was 
 pretty sleepy and I tied my pony by the side of the 
 wagon and rolled in my blankets. In the morning 
 
 35 
 
ON THE TRAIL 
 
 the boys woke me and said my horse had pulled the 
 stop out of the barrel and let all the water out, so we 
 had no coffee for breakfast. The cook and all the rest 
 were in ill humor. 
 
 The second week out Jim and Bob planned to steal 
 part of the horses. While Bob was on the first shift, 
 he split the herd and drove about fifty head down into 
 a deep canyon where Jim met him later. Then they 
 drove towards the Columbia River where they expected 
 to cross to the Washington side. In the morning we 
 did not see Bob rolled in his blankets as usual, so my 
 brother went to the herd to investigate. He soon came 
 back as fast as his pony could run and said that the 
 herd was scattered and the boys were not to be seen. 
 Frank had been looking hi the wagon and said that 
 their valuables were gone. Then we were suspicious 
 and all rode to bunch the herd. We missed forty or 
 fifty head and Edward and I rode all day and found no 
 clue until evening, when we met a cowboy from the 
 Willow Creek Ranch who said he had seen two fellows 
 driving a bunch of horses towards the Columbia River. 
 We persuaded him to go with us and then rode to the 
 breaks; then down the river trail. Just at dusk we 
 came up to Bob and Jim. They were trying to swim 
 the horses across the river. When they saw us they 
 rode up the bluff and opened fire on us. We exchanged 
 shots, but it was getting too dark to see good and only 
 my brother got a slight wound hi the leg. 
 
 We move two miles up the river and corraled them 
 
 36 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 for the night, then sent word to the sheriff. The next 
 day we drove to the herd and my brother rode to 
 Pendleton and hired two more boys. 
 
 One night we camped on the edge of the Umatilla 
 Indian Reserve and it was here Bob and Jim made 
 their second attempt to drive off some of the horses. 
 They got some of the young Indian bucks to help by 
 giving them whiskey. One of the new boys was herd- 
 ing and we heard shooting out at the herd. We all 
 saddled and rode to the herd. The Indians were 
 scattering it every way and it was hard to tell the 
 Indians from our boys. I saw a fellow driving a bunch 
 from the herd and I took chances and fired. His horse 
 went down. It was an Indian and I had killed his 
 horse. Bob and Jim, with some of the Indians were 
 riding towards the mountains with a bunch of the 
 horses and as it was too dark to follow we rounded up 
 the herd and held them until morning. Then Mr. 
 Morey went to the agency and notified the agent. 
 
 When the agent came we took up the trail to the 
 mountains and came to four of the Indians holding the 
 horses in a deep ravine. Bob and Jim were too slick. 
 They had left the Indians on watch and rode away. 
 The agent put the Indians under arrest and we drove 
 the horses back to the herd. We were shy five head 
 when we made a count. 
 
 F The next morning we continued the drive. About 
 one month later it fell my lot to night herd. It was 
 up near Pouder river and about the most dismal place 
 
 38 
 
ON THE TRAIL 
 
 I was ever in. An owl hooted from the swamp and 
 the coyotes answered him from the hillside. As I 
 rode around the herd a colt squealed from the other 
 side and the mother answered. Then they were all 
 neighing. The bells were jingling. They were on the 
 drift. 'Twas dark and I rode fast around the herd and 
 tried to hold them. Still they were drifting fast. I 
 thought I heard someone halloo and I stopped to listen. 
 It was Edward who rode up and asked me where I was 
 going. I replied that I was going to better feed. 
 
 It proved by daylight that I had gone two miles. 
 When we had them quiet my brother said that I could 
 go to camp. I asked him where camp was and he 
 showed me the way he thought was right, but he was 
 wrong. I rode for half an hour and then thought the 
 pony might know the way so I dropped the rein on his 
 neck. He turned square to the right and went straight 
 to camp. 
 
 We had had so much bad luck that the Moreys 
 concluded to ship the rest of the way so that the first 
 town we came to where we could get cars, we loaded 
 the horses on and Edward and the Moreys went through 
 with them. The new boys got work near Baker City 
 and I had to take the trail back and pick up the horses 
 we had lost. 
 
 When I had said good-bye and the train had pulled 
 out I started on my long ride back. I rode a little 
 white horse called Chub which proved to be a good 
 one, as I rode him all the way. 
 
 39 
 
ON THE TRAIL 
 
 When near the Umatilla Reservation I kept my eyes 
 open for the strays. While riding down the Snake 
 River I saw someone driving horses toward the river. 
 He looked familiar to me and I led my pony to the 
 bank and waited until he passed by. It was Bob and 
 when he was out of sight I rode to the nearest ranch 
 and sent word to the sheriff, then rode back and took 
 Bob's trail. He left the river and went towards the 
 mountains. Presently he seemed to be looking for 
 someone and he finally let the horses graze and laid 
 down on the grass. 
 
 I left my pony and crawled near enough to see the 
 brands on the horses. There were ten head and three 
 had the M brand. I slipped back to my pony and rode 
 towards the river where I met the sheriff and two 
 deputies. I led them back on the trail and we left our 
 horses and crawled up to some bushes. Bob and Jim 
 were sitting crosslegged eating a lunch. We jumped 
 out and ordered hands up and as they saw we had the 
 drop on them they held up their hands. The sheriff 
 took them to Pendleton. 
 
 I took the three M horses and turned them over to 
 Morey's friends. Bob and Jim served their time at 
 Salem. 
 
 Edward wrote to me that the horses were sold at a 
 good profit. This concludes my experience on the 
 M drive. 
 
 41 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE MIRROR 
 LAKE 
 
 It was the fall of the year. The grain was golden 
 and the leaves were falling when the wind shook the 
 trees. They went whirling and fluttering more like 
 things of life than of the dead. 
 
 I was visiting my old chum, Dave Miller, out in 
 Oregon. We were lying under the trees down by the 
 brook. Dave said, "Bun, how would you like to make 
 a trip over the mountains into a little valley not far 
 from here?" 
 
 Bun is not my name, but only a nickname. When 
 I was in school, about eight years old, I was caught 
 eating a bun in school hours. So the teacher made me 
 stand in front of the school and finish it. I have been 
 Bun ever since. 
 
 I rise and bow and say, "I would be delighted to make 
 the venture." 
 
 So on the morrow we hitch two ponies to the buck- 
 board and head towards the mountains. 
 
 When our Creator made this world he made a lot of 
 barren, waste land, but like all other things there is good 
 to offset the bad. The little valley of the Lake Creek 
 country will offset some of nature's barren spots. As 
 we drop down, down the trail into this valley, I think 
 how much nicer it would be if we could go sailing over 
 the mountains in our aeroplane, then circle the lake 
 
 42 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 and light like some huge bird by the clear water. Some 
 day it may be done. 
 
 We are getting down in the valley now, but still in 
 the timber. Now we pass a sawmill busy sawing up 
 the giant trees. A little farther and we come to small 
 farms. The crops look thrifty. They raise wheat and 
 oats and clover in abundance. Dave points out dairy 
 barns along the way. This is an ideal dairy country. 
 
 We come to a schoolhouse, church, store and post 
 office. This is where mail is supplied for the upper 
 end of the valley. We stop here over night, and in 
 the morning we go on down the creek. Dave says 
 we will soon be to the lake now. 
 
 We enter the timber and come out again in sight of 
 the lake bathed in the glorious sunshine. The birds 
 are singing glad notes to the new born day. The whole 
 forest world mysteriously enchanting in its primeval 
 grandeur. 
 
 I grab Dave by the arm and say, "Sh!" A doe and 
 two fawns wade into the water and stand in the shallow 
 waters. Very graceful they are and very sensitive. 
 Presently the old doe scents danger and leads her 
 young ones into the deep forest. The lake is called 
 Triangle lake on account of its shape. It is about one 
 and a half miles across and about eighty feet deep. 
 If I was to name it I would call it Mirror Lake. One 
 sees his face dancing down in the clear water and you 
 may see the reflection of the trees at the bottom. It 
 is surely Nature's mirror. The birds come in the 
 
 44 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE MIRROR LAKE 
 
 morning and looking in the water primp and preen 
 their feathers with as much pains as a lady in her 
 boudoir. Now a jaunty buck comes down from the 
 mountains and takes a look to see if he is in shape to 
 go calling on his lady doe. 
 
 From here Dave says it is about thirty miles to 
 tidewater and about twenty-two from tidewater to 
 the ocean. Lumber schooners of half a million tonnage 
 ply in and out since the work of the new jetty. If one 
 enjoys angling, 'tis good sport to go on the lake in a 
 canoe. When the insects are dancing about over the 
 water and ofttimes at a considerable height above it, 
 the observer may be quite satisfied that these are the 
 male species waiting for the female to appear and 
 shortly after the female may be seen flitting over the 
 water dipping to the surface and rising again in the 
 act of depositing her eggs, finally coming to rest only 
 to be swept away to her depth. Then the sportsman 
 may enjoy fishing on the lake. If you prefer to fish in 
 swift water, just paddle down the lake to the outlet 
 and then down stream to the falls. Here the water 
 goes mad, rushing over the rocks with a roar, always 
 in a hurry, finally falling over the abrupt falls to the 
 rocks below to be churned white with foam. About 
 June the fish will be found in the broad deep water 
 below the falls. Here one can go out on a fallen tree 
 or overhanging rock in the shade and enjoy the sport. 
 
 Around the lake among the shady trees is an ideal 
 place for camping in summer. We skirt the lake and 
 
 45 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE MIRROR LAKE 
 
 then go in the timber again to come out in sight of a 
 smaller lake covering about twenty acres. This is 
 called Little Lake. We follow up a clear swift stream 
 until we come to a little valley apart from the larger 
 valley. Here we come to a spot most beautiful to 
 behold. I just catch a glimpse of a white house 
 through the orchard. A pet deer is nibbling in the 
 garden. The dog barks and the owner, Jesse Most, 
 an old friend comes out and welcomes us. 
 
 A true mountaineer is he. Stout and sturdy. He 
 has been here for twenty-two years. When he took his 
 claim it was a forest. Now he has the bottom land all 
 cleared. He raises all kinds of grain, fruit, berries 
 and garden truck. He has his barn full of hay and 
 milks six good cows and ships his cream. There is a 
 cream wagon which makes a trip once a week through 
 the valley. He weighs his milk and knows what each 
 cow is doing. This is a model little home. The water 
 is piped from the spring on the mountain to the 
 kitchen sink. We put the ponies in the barn and go in 
 to dinner, when a beautiful sight greets the eye. There 
 is a row of deer horns clear around the dining room. 
 There are twenty-seven sets from the small spikes to 
 the broad antlers of some monarch of the forest. The 
 floor is adorned with bearskin rugs. Our host is known 
 far and near as a good shot and many a proud beauty 
 has fallen to his true aim. 
 
 Jesse proposes a hunt on the morrow, so we are up 
 bright and early. How delightful to inhale the pure 
 
 47 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 fir-scented forest air. We go up the mountain and 
 then separate. Jesse goes north into the forest; 
 Dave up the ridge to the east; and I to the west. I 
 travel over logs and through brush. There is a carpet 
 of moss under my feet. Here the salal berries and the 
 huckleberries grow in abundance. The stillness of the 
 forest comes over me. I sit down on a fallen tree and 
 listen. The big firs are soughing and whispering to 
 each other. 
 
 My thoughts wander. The stillness and the pure 
 mountain air clears my brain. I see the past as if it 
 were a book laying before me. I see the good and the 
 bad deeds I have done and strange it may seem that 
 the bad stand out before the good. I go back to my 
 early school days; see all the boys and girls as they 
 were then. I see myself and my seat mate, Bill Moore, 
 kept in after school hours for running away to the 
 creek and going in swimming. Later I take up the 
 work on the farm, as my older brother leaves to work 
 for himself. A few years later I turn the plow over to a 
 younger brother and go to a new country and take up 
 government land. Finally the call to the city comes 
 to me. I sell out, move to the city and go into business. 
 I am swallowed up by the mad rushing business world, 
 always striving for more money, with no rest, no pure 
 air. I lock up, pack my suit case and start for the 
 country. Crack! a limb breaks at my feet. I come 
 to reality and jump to my feet. A deer? No, just a 
 squirrel running up the trunk of a tree. I walk on into 
 
 43 
 
A Six Prong Buck 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE MIRROR LAKE 
 
 the forest and come face to face with a five-pronged 
 buck. He is about fifty yards away and standing as 
 still as a statue. The most beautiful creature I ever 
 saw, sleek and glossy with big round eyes. I stand and 
 look him in the eyes when it comes to me suddenly that 
 I am hunting deer and have a gun under my arm. My 
 hand begins to shake (the buck fever) ; I raise the gun 
 to my shoulder when lo! the buck bounds in the air 
 like a bird and into the forest he goes. My gun goes 
 off and cuts the twigs from the top of a tree. Now 
 this will never do to tell the boys, so I will tell them 
 I crippled a buck and he got away. I hear a shot to 
 the north, so I go that way until I come into a clearing. 
 Jesse is bending over a four pronged buck. He 
 brought him down with the first shot. He uses a 30-30 
 with telescope sights. He showed me where he stood 
 across the ravine. It was two hundred yards away. 
 
 Dave comes in from the east ridge and Jesse says, 
 "By the way, Bun, I heard you shoot. What did you 
 kill?" 
 
 "Me? I shot a buck and crippled him, but he got 
 away." 
 
 "How do you know you crippled him," asks Dave. 
 
 "Oh, I saw the blood along the trail. See where I 
 got it on my hand." And I showed them where I had 
 got huckleberry stains on it. 
 
 The boys looked at each other and I believe they 
 doubted me, but they said nothing. 
 
 We carried the buck down to the house and dressed 
 
 50 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE MIRROR LAKE 
 
 him, then we feasted on venison. Surely our hostess 
 knows how to cook venison, for I can close my eyes 
 and almost taste it yet. I will always remember the 
 little mountain home. 
 
 We bade our friends good-bye and followed the road 
 down to tidewater. After camping here a few days, 
 we packed up and started for home. One is always 
 sorry to turn his back on such a delightful scene. This 
 country has a future. It has made vast improvements. 
 It was first settled by a few bachelor trappers about 
 forty years ago and by families about twenty-five 
 years ago. Some of the younger ones have married 
 and raised families and some have never seen the 
 outside world. The present population is about two 
 hundred and seventy-five. There is being milked at 
 present, about three hundred dairy cows. These 
 people have certain laws of their own by custom. They 
 are contented and happy. A courageous people in a 
 little world of their own. Some day the falls will be 
 harnessed by electricity. Cars will run to the outside 
 world and a new life will be born to this little valley. 
 Then it will pulse in union with the outside world. 
 
 51 
 
UNCLE BILLY'S KID 
 
 If an old time prospector should chance to read this, 
 he may remember the Raven Gulch mine in southern 
 Oregon in the Siskiyou Mountains. 
 
 It was a warm day and Uncle Billy's Kid was playing 
 in the sand by the creek. Uncle Billy came down from 
 his mine and walked down the creek towards his cabin. 
 He is tall and broad of shoulder. His sleeves are 
 rolled up and his breast is bare. His face and arms 
 are streaked with dirt and sweat. His beard is gray 
 and his hair is long. He is thinking of something 
 perplexing and his brows are drawn together. He 
 comes to where the Kid is playing. Then his face 
 lights up and he stoops to swing the Kid to his shoulder. 
 As they pass the other miners' doors, each has a smile 
 or word for the Kid. 
 
 The Kid, as you might suppose is not a boy, but a 
 blue-eyed girl with sunny hair. She is about six years 
 old. The Kid is the only name she ever knew at the 
 camp. The miners did not even know Uncle Billy's 
 name. When he came to the camp two years before, 
 with the little girl, he told them his name was Bill, so 
 they fell into the habit of calling them Uncle Billy and 
 the Kid. The Kid was the idol of the camp. The 
 miners would bring her flowers and build her play- 
 houses. 
 
 When she got older she learned to do Uncle Billy's 
 
 53 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 cooking and kept the cabin bright and clean. In the 
 evenings Uncle Billy would teach her to read and write. 
 
 One evening there was a newcomer in camp. He 
 told the miners he is from California and that his name 
 was Petro. He was a Spaniard. The next day after 
 he came he located on a claim just above Uncle Billy's 
 and started working it. The miners did not like him 
 very well, but as they had nothing against him, they 
 treated him civil. 
 
 The Kid was about seventeen then and very attract- 
 ive. She was slim and as supple as a young deer. 
 Petro soon was in love with her, but she gave him no 
 encouragement. 
 
 Uncle Billy was getting old and lame and could not 
 work much in the mine. 
 
 One evening the miners were sitting in front of the 
 stone house smoking when one of the boys from the 
 north end of the gulch came down and said he had been 
 robbed of his dust. Petro was loud in proclaiming 
 what they ought to do to the thief. 
 
 On the morrow the miners all went down the 
 gulch to help Jensen the Dane, with some frame work 
 in his mine. The Kid was sitting in front of her door 
 sewing when she heard a roar and rumbling. Then 
 she saw a cloud of dust down where the miners are at 
 work. She feared something had happened at the 
 mines. She went down the gulch like the wind. Her 
 worst fears were realized for there had been a slide and 
 the mouth of the mine was completely closed. They 
 
 54 
 
UNCLE BILLY'S KID 
 
 were all in the dark earth. All that were dear to her. 
 She clawed at the rocks until her hands bled. 0, 
 something must be done. She realized that she was 
 helpless to move the mass of rock and dirt. She would 
 go to the next camp over the mountain for help. 
 
 She ran up the gulch like mad with her hair stream- 
 ing over her shoulders. Now she was climbing the 
 mountain trail She took the shorter cut. It was 
 rough and slow traveling, but much shorter. At times 
 she was nearly exhausted and sank down on a rock 
 and fanned herself. Then rushed madly on again. 
 Will she be too late? 
 
 t t t 
 
 A young man jumped from a Broadway car in New 
 York city, crossed the street and entered the elevator 
 saying, "Fifth floor." He had just finished a course in 
 college as mining expert. He walked to the door 
 marked : "127. Fred E. Wilson, Lawyer." and entered. 
 Here was a middle aged man bending over his desk. 
 
 The young man said, "Well, father, am I late?" 
 
 The older gentleman jumped to his feet and shook 
 him by the hand, saying, "No, son Alan, you are on 
 time. I have the contracts all ready to sign. When 
 do you start? Tomorrow?" 
 
 "Father, I am waiting with growing impatience for 
 my active duties to begin." 
 
 "Well, my son, here are the papers. May the Lord 
 protect you, for you are going into a rough country. 
 And remember these gentlemen are putting confidence 
 
 55 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 in you to trust you with -this business. Try and make 
 good." 
 
 "I will do the best I can, father. Good-bye." 
 Young Wilson took the 3.30 train for the West. He 
 was being sent by capitalists to buy mining claims in 
 the west. He arrived in San Francisco and learned 
 he could go part of the way north by train. When he 
 could go no farther by train he bought him a saddle 
 horse and a pack horse. He came to many mining 
 camps, but did not make a deal that he thought would 
 suit his company, so he pushed on farther north. He 
 had been on the trail two weeks and his beard had 
 grown until he began to look like a prospector. He 
 had just left one camp and took the wrong trail which 
 leads him over the mountain. His horse was picking 
 his way with head down when he snorted and wheeled 
 about nearly throwing Alan to the ground. He 
 thought of Indians, so drew his revolver and wheeled 
 his horse. 
 
 A vision greeted his eyes. A young girl was running 
 down the trail towards him, her arms bare and her hair 
 streaming in the wind. He saw she was in distress and 
 jumped from his horse and ran to her. She was 
 breathing hard and it was sometime before she could 
 explain to him. Then the mental picture of the girl 
 taking her life in her hands and braving the mountain 
 trail thrilled him. He loosened the pack and put her 
 on the horse; then rode back to the camp for help. 
 A dozen men volunteered to go to Raven Gulch. They 
 
 56 
 
UNCLE BILLY'S KID 
 
 worked most of the night before hope came. Then 
 one of the miners heard voices within the rocks. The 
 news was received with rejoicing. Now they soon 
 made an opening and crawled in. They found all 
 alive but some nearly exhausted. They came out one 
 at a time. When Uncle Billy came out the Kid threw 
 her arms about his neck and wept. 
 
 When the miners learned the part Alan had played 
 in their rescue they greeted him with a hearty hand- 
 shake. There was one who came from the dark mine 
 who did not welcome Alan. It was Petro. With a 
 jealous eye he saw in Alan a rival for the Kid's hand. 
 
 On the morrow Alan makes his business known and 
 secures an option on three claims, including Uncle 
 Billy's. 'Tis necessary for him to go to 'Frisco to have 
 some papers signed, so he sets off on his journey. 
 
 Petro thought to improve the time while Alan was 
 away, so one evening he asked the Kid to marry him. 
 
 She said, "No, never." 
 
 Then Petro said, "You will never marry that eastern 
 dude. I am going away, but will come back. Then 
 you will marry me." 
 
 The next morning Petro was gone. So was the dust 
 from several cabins. The miners tried to track him, 
 but were unsuccessful. 
 
 Uncle Billy was poorly since being shut in the mine, 
 so he took to his bed. The Kid nursed him with tender 
 care. He told her one night he thought he was getting 
 near his journey's end, and gave her a key telling her 
 
 57 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 when he was gone to open the little black box. One 
 evening Uncle Billy seemed better, so she left him in 
 care of one of the miners and went up the gulch to pick 
 some flowers. 
 
 She heard a noise and looked around. A blanket 
 was thrown over her head and she was carried off. 
 It was Petro and he took her to where he had two 
 horses and tied her onto one of them. 
 
 Then he said, "Now, my proud beauty, we will see if 
 you won't marry me." 
 
 Then he started over on the Rogue River. 
 
 One-half of the world does not know what the other 
 half is doing. There were two horsemen heading up 
 the trail for Deadman's Pass. One from the south and 
 one from the north. The one from the south stops his 
 horse. He is leading a pack horse. 'Twas a grand 
 scene before him. He looked down on the Rogue 
 River as it twisted through the mountain like a huge 
 snake. Now it whirled and rushed over the rocks, 
 but always rushed madly on. He takes off his hat and 
 cools his brow. He is in no hurry and is a lover of 
 Nature's work. 
 
 Over on the north slope the horseman too has a pack 
 horse; or is it a pack. It looks more like a human 
 being tied to the saddle. This rider is in a hurry. He 
 is nervous and keeps looking back. Now they are 
 both nearing the summit. They round a huge rock 
 and come face to face. 'Tis Petro and young Wilson. 
 
 Petro drew his gun and fired. His horse jumped and 
 
 58 
 
UNCLE BILLY'S KID 
 
 his aim was not true. Then a cry rang out over the 
 rocks and echoed back, "Alan, Alan, save me." 
 
 Alan drew his gun and fired twice. Petro's horse 
 reared and fell over the cliffs to the rocks below. 
 
 Alan cut the ropes that bound the Kid and took her 
 in his arms. 
 
 When they look over the cliffs Petro and his horse 
 were seen mangled on the rocks below. They rode 
 back to the gulch. The miners were looking every- 
 where for the Kid. Uncle Billy had died while the 
 Kid was away. The miners made a grave down by 
 the creek and they buried Uncle Billy. 
 
 One day the Kid told Alan about the key and the 
 little black box. He told her to open it. She did so 
 and found a paper marked, "To My Niece." She 
 opened it and read. 
 
 "I, William Farrar, of New York City, leave all 
 I possess to my niece, Irene Vivian Farrar, includ- 
 ing my claims, stocks and bonds in New York. 
 Take this to my old friend and lawyer, Fred E. 
 Wilson, at .... Broadway, New York and prove 
 your claims. Now a word as to why I have 
 kept you in this out of the way place so long. 
 Read through, and I hope you will forgive me. 
 "At about four years of age you were given 
 into my care by a dying widowed mother. I had 
 just been disappointed, as I hope you never will 
 be. I loved and adored a society girl, but she 
 proved to be false and fickle,. so I made a vow 
 
 59 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 that I would take you away from society until 
 
 you were old enough to seek a love that was true 
 
 and pure." 
 
 After reading this, young Wilson said: "Fred E. 
 Wilson is my father. Can you accept a love that I 
 vow is pure and true? And we will go together to my 
 father's house." 
 
 Her answer was, "I forgive Uncle for his wish has 
 been fulfilled." 
 
 They journeyed to New York City. When they 
 arrived in the city Alan left Vivian just outside his 
 father's office door and walked in. "Well, father, I am 
 back. I bought three mines and in one I found a jewel 
 more precious to me than gold. May I show you the 
 jewel?" "Certainly, my son, where is it?" 
 
 Alan opened the door and led Vivian in. "Here is 
 the jewel, father. She has promised to be my wife." 
 
 The old man said, "I welcome you as a daughter. 
 Alan, if your judgment is as good in selecting mines as 
 it is jewels, 'tis needless to say the company has made a 
 good investment." 
 
 Further surprise awaited Lawyer Wilson. When 
 Miss Farrar produced the papers her Uncle gave her, 
 he read them and said: "Thrice welcome. You are 
 the niece of my old friend and schoolmate." On the 
 glad Christmas day Alan and Vivian were married. 
 
 Now Vivian shines as one of society's beauties, but 
 to the miner's of Raven Gulch she is just the Kid, 
 their queen who reigned with gentle hand. 
 
 60 
 
FROM THE LIFE OF MAY, 
 WE PASS TO DECEMBER'S GRAY 
 
 Where one person sees sights of Nature that are 
 pleasant studies, others may pass by without a thought. 
 If a true student of Nature was to look on a little scene 
 of country life that happened long ago it might be 
 interesting. 
 
 A long, broad lane, bordered on each side by a 
 dilapidated rail fence, overgrown with briers. Scattered 
 along the fence are a few white oak trees. Just under 
 the hill stands a little blue school house. 'Tis a long 
 dusty road with nothing much to please the eye, you 
 might say; but look again. Surely there is something 
 interesting. 
 
 A barefooted boy with patched clothes and freckled 
 face, and a barefooted girl in a pink frock with two 
 brown braids hanging below her sunbonnet. Both are 
 carrying the same dinner basket home from school. 
 Are they brother and sister? We only see their backs, 
 but they hardly act like brother and sister. Now 
 they stop at the big hazelnut bush at the crossroads. 
 The girl takes off her bonnet, showing a bright smiling 
 face with a dimple in either cheek. Her nose turns 
 up the least bit and her eyes are brown. Surely they 
 must be sweethearts. 
 
 The boy says, "Katie, hold your basket while I climb 
 up and throw the nuts down." 
 
 61 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 She is laughing, "Look out, Tom, you will fall/* 
 
 "Would you care, Katie, if I did?" 
 
 "No, not unless you got hurt real bad. Tom, the 
 basket is full. Do come down." 
 
 "You can have them all, Katie." 
 
 "No, no, you take half of them." She fills his dinner 
 bucket and then runs down the crossroad. His home 
 is the other way and he stands and watches her until 
 she is lost in the trees, then he hurries home for he has 
 cows to bring home and garden to hoe. 
 
 The next morning he waits at the crossroads until 
 she comes. She passes by pretending not to see him. 
 Then he slips up behind her and pulls off her bonnet. 
 She chases him down the road and thus we see them in 
 their early schooldays. 
 
 t t t 
 
 Katie Lee and Tom Garden are now older. They 
 wear shoes and are more bashful when together. One 
 night Katie walked home with Don King from across 
 the creek. The next day Tom would not look at her. 
 
 When Tom is about seventeen and Katie sixteen, 
 Tom's parents move to the east. 
 
 Before leaving, Tom calls on Katie one evening and 
 they walk in the garden. He gives her a locket with a 
 picture of himself and a ring. There is no affected 
 coyness in her demeanor. She is a child of Nature 
 yielding to the sweet impulse of a first love and pro- 
 claiming her passion of an innocent and confiding 
 spirit, she gives him an old fashioned tintype of herself. 
 
 62 
 
FROM THE LIFE OF MAY 
 
 They part with promises of frequent communication 
 by letter and most affectionate remembrance. Tom 
 promises that when he gets rich he will come after her. 
 
 Tom gets a position in one of the cities of the east 
 and works hard to win fame. In the stillness of the 
 evening when he is left alone he writes to his Katie 
 telling her how he is prospering. 
 
 Don King makes a visit to relatives in the city and 
 calls on his old schoolmate, Tom Gordon. They talk 
 over bygone days until late. When Don leaves Tom 
 gives him a letter to mail addressed to Katie. He 
 had written telling her he would soon come after her. 
 
 But now the happiness of these lovers is sadly crossed. 
 Don is jealous of Tom and he takes this chance to win 
 Katie away from him, so he destroys the letter and 
 tells Katie when he gets home that Tom is engaged to 
 a girl in the city. 
 
 Tom waits in vain for the answer that never comes. 
 He is too proud to write again, so he busies himself 
 in his works and after years has acquired wealth. 
 
 Dear reader, is a woman's love less lasting than a 
 man's? Don and Katie are married. 
 
 Now a great longing comes to Tom to see his old 
 home and Katie, so he goes to the west. When he gets 
 to his old home he finds changes. He passes where 
 the little blue schoolhouse stood. It has been torn 
 down and a brick stands in its place. As he looks at 
 the familiar scenes, sweet memories come to him; 
 then the uncertain glory of an April day which now 
 
 63 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 shows all the beauty of the sun; and by and by a cloud 
 takes all away. 
 
 He goes to the crossroads. The old hazelnut bush is 
 still there. He sits in its shade. A stranger rides by 
 and Tom asks him if he knows the Lees that used to 
 live close by. 
 
 The stranger answers, "Yes, I used to go to school 
 with the daughter, Katie." 
 
 With surprise Tom jumps to his feet saying, "Say, 
 are you Lem Brown?" 
 
 "I am, sir, but I do not remember you." 
 
 "What, don't you remember your old seatmate, 
 Tom Gordon?" 
 
 "So you are Tom. Shake, old boy. How you have 
 changed. You were asking about the Lee family. 
 They have all moved away except Katie. She is 
 married to Don King. She has two children. They 
 live down on the creek road." 
 
 This is a blow to Tom. He exclaims: "Oh! I 
 trusted a friend and he deceived me. While striving 
 for wealth, the love, the light of my life, I neglected. 
 I have gained wealth and fame. And now I wish that 
 I could forget her name. I wish she were in heaven. 
 If 'she could but entreat some power there to change 
 the cruel law that binds her to a false friend. May it 
 please her memory to remember me a dream of the 
 past. She is a wife and mother now. To make 
 myself known would not bring happiness but sorrow. 
 
 64 
 
FROM THE LIFE OF MAY 
 
 My dear friend, may it never be known that I was here 
 in the flesh." 
 
 Lem assures him: "Dear Tom, your secret shall be 
 sealed in my heart and remember as we used to stand 
 by each other in our school days, so shall we in old age." 
 
 Tom thanks Lem warmly for his kindness and goes 
 in haste to the east again. 
 
 As Father Time sways his scythe there are many 
 changes. Let us now take a look into two different 
 houses; one in the east and one in the west. 
 
 In the west we see a brown-eyed mother getting two 
 children ready for school. One, a grey-eyed boy of 
 twelve she calls Thomas and the other a brown-eyed 
 girl about fifteen. When they are gone down the road 
 side by side, both carrying the dinner basket, she goes 
 into the house and takes from a drawer a locket and 
 looks at it a long time. 
 
 In the east we go to the business part of the city and 
 read over the door, "Thomas Gordon." We peep into 
 a richly furnished room and see a gray haired man 
 sitting at a desk. He is holding an old tintype of a 
 brown-eyed girl Hark! what is he saying. "You 
 swore to me when I gave you the ring that you would 
 keep it until the hour of death and now you have put it 
 aside and taken another." As he looks he sees more. 
 He sees a little blue school house, a barefoot boy and a 
 barefoot girl coming down the lane carrying the same 
 dinner basket. He sees the life of May from his life of 
 December's gray. 
 
 65 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 A memorable event was about to happen in a little 
 village in one of the eastern states. The whole popu- 
 lation was out en masse to witness the event. Two 
 trains were about to leave for the far west. It was 
 something very unusual in the little village. These 
 were wagon trains pulled by oxen. They were headed 
 for the Pacific Coast to make homes in the new west. 
 
 Going in one train was a family by the name of 
 Wright; father, mother and two children; Mable, 
 about fifteen years old and Stanley who was nineteen 
 years old. Good-byes had been said ; the ox teams had 
 started; Stanley lingered. He was bidding good-bye 
 to his sweetheart, Bern ice Doile. 
 
 "Dear Stanley," said she, "I would that I could go 
 with you, but mother is so poorly, my duty is with her." 
 
 "Good-bye, Bernice. When I have made a home I 
 will come and claim your hand and take you and your 
 mother to the far west." 
 
 She stood on the hillside and looked back; the earth 
 lay at her feet and the sky fell about her fair head. 
 He sees her standing, a lonely figure in a lost world. 
 She raised her head and said, "Good-bye, and God 
 bless you." 
 
 When he gets to the bend in the road he looks back, 
 and seeing Bernice waving her handkerchief he takes 
 off his hat and waves back. 
 
 66 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 Stanley's father was appointed captain. There were 
 hostile Indians along the trail. Stanley and some of 
 the other boys often go ahead as scouts to see that the 
 way is clear. They spend many weary months crossing 
 the plains. Winding their way slowly along the trail 
 through Idaho a bunch of Indians came like a whirlwind 
 around a bluff and ride straight towards them. They 
 stop within a hundred yards of the train. Captain 
 Wright lays down his gun and goes barehanded to meet 
 them. It is evident enough from their expressions 
 that this is a degree of boldness to which they were 
 unaccustomed. It is evident also that they are 
 unprepared to meet such actions. Captain Wright 
 remained silent with his usual placidity. 
 
 Finally the chief patted his stomach and said, 
 "Hungry; eat." 
 
 Said Captain Wright, "I give you food. Will you go? 
 Stanley, bring some bacon and tobacco." 
 
 When it is brought, the chief said, "How." Then 
 they mount their ponies and ride away. 
 
 "Boys," said Captain Wright, "we will have to keep 
 a good watch tonight." 
 
 They were not molested that night, although the 
 scouts reported Indians. They were being followed by 
 the redskins. 
 
 Near Walla Walls they are surrounded by Indians 
 and all massacred except two. Stanley saved himself 
 by a trick. He took the blanket from a dead Indian. 
 
 67 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Wrapping himself in it he goes towards the river and 
 hides behind a rock. 
 
 Captain Wright sees his wife and daughter butchered 
 by the redskins. Himself wounded in the arm, he 
 staggers towards the river. The air cools his brain, 
 so he stands in the late night and thinks. His great 
 chest heaves with his breathing, so that his gray beard 
 rises and falls. His big hands are clenched as if to 
 strike down some lurking redskin and his eyes stare 
 wide into the darkness. Like a rushing dream full of 
 wheeling and flashing lights the strange and awful 
 incidents sweep into his brain. He thinks he sees an 
 Indian hiding behind a rock. He picks up a rock and 
 raises his arm to crush his skull when up rises his son, 
 Stanley, letting the blanket fall to the ground. 
 
 "My boy! Thank God I have one left." 
 
 "Come, father, to the river and I will dress your 
 arm." 
 
 "Son, I had almost given up when I found you." 
 
 "We had better get as far from here as we can by 
 morning." 
 
 "You are right, Stanley. Let us go down the river. 
 What have you with you. I have my Colt revolver and 
 this old silver watch." 
 
 "I have a small water can, a hunting knife, three dry 
 biscuits and the Indian blanket." 
 
 After traveling several hours it began to get daylight, 
 so they look for a place to stop through the day. 
 
 "Father, see the natural cave under yonder wall. 
 
 68 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 We have found just the place where we can rest safely 
 today." 
 
 They spread the blanket, covering themselves with 
 their coats and are soon fast asleep. Towards evening 
 Stanley awoke and went out to the river. He soon 
 came running back saying, "I saw a fish jumping the 
 riffles. I have heard that the Indians catch them as 
 they go up. I will make a net of my overshirt and 
 try for one. You go out and get a willow pole with a 
 fork on one end and a small willow to make the hoop 
 while I make a net." 
 
 He tore his shirt into strings and wove it into a small 
 net. This he lashed to the hoop and tied the hoop to 
 the forked end of the pole and went where the water 
 was narrow and swift. He dipped the net several times. 
 
 It was jerked nearly from his hands. He had dipped 
 one too big for the net. It flopped out but soon he 
 caught another and landed him. It was a nice salmon 
 weighing about six pounds. He ran to the cave and 
 said, "Build a fire while I dress the fish." 
 
 When it was dressed he wrapped it in some green 
 leaves and baked it in the coals. They feasted on 
 baked salmon without salt and one hard dry biscuit. 
 
 "Come, Stanley," Mr. Wright said finally, "it is 
 getting dark and we will have to travel again." 
 
 "I will take the net along as we will want more fish." 
 
 On the next day towards evening they come to the 
 mouth of the John Day River. Here they see a man 
 in a canoe. 
 
 69 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Captain Wright calls, "Are you friend or foe?" 
 
 "I am Duree, the French trapper. I am friend to 
 the whites and called friend by the Indians/' 
 
 Captain Wright traded his old silver watch to Duree 
 for him to take them to Fort Dalles. When near the 
 fort, Duree takes them to his hut for the night. Here 
 they meet Duree's daughter, Jeanne, the beautiful half- 
 breed. They spend the night on some furs by the fire 
 and in the morning go to Fort Dalles. 
 
 While there the Indians make an attack on the fort, 
 but are driven away. 
 
 After a few days, not seeing any Indians about, the 
 Wrights start down the river in an old canoe. When 
 near the Cascades they are attacked by Indians. 
 Stanley is wounded in the arm, but jumps into the 
 water and swims to a rock in the middle of the river. 
 His father floated down to the rapids where the canoe 
 is turned over and he is drowned. 
 
 It was getting dark and Stanley was chilled through 
 and nearly exhausted. There were other eyes keener 
 than the Indians' that had been watching him. As 
 it grew darker, a little canoe slipped noiselessly down 
 stream and landed against the rock. Stanley raised 
 his head when a soft voice whispered, "Sh!" It was 
 Jeanne. She helped him into the canoe and paddled 
 up stream. It was a long weary pull. She finally 
 landed near the hut and helped Stanley up the bank 
 and into the hut. 
 
 The next morning Stanley has a fever and he lays 
 
 70 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 for weeks and is nursed by the faithful Jeanne. While 
 delirious he would take her hand and calling her his 
 Bernice would tell her he would ever be true to her. 
 Jeanne does not understand English very well, so she 
 takes all in earnest. When he is convalescing he reads 
 love in her eyes. They go down on the rocks by the 
 river and he teaches her to speak English and she 
 teaches him French in return. Thus they pass many 
 happy days together. 
 
 One day Duree's partner, Soto, came up from Astoria. 
 He is a large, dark, heavy-browed man. While Duree 
 and Jeanne are out he comes in. Stanley pretends to be 
 sleeping. Soto comes across the room and bends over 
 him, then slips across the room and pulls a rock from 
 the wall and takes out a bag. He slips this in his shirt, 
 replaces the rock and goes out. 
 
 Stanley is getting strong, so he moves over to the fort. 
 There he secures a job with the Hudson Bay Company 
 at Astoria. He often wondered what kind of an image 
 rises in most people's minds at the words Hudson Bay 
 Company. Likely it is of an Indian clad in beads and 
 furs setting traps by a lonely lake or stream or driving 
 a team of wolf dogs across miles of snow; or of a 
 Scotchman inside a log fort holding a flint lock upright 
 on the ground while the feathered tribe trade for it by 
 piling beaver skins up to its muzzle. Such a sketch is 
 nearly true. About 1670, wool shirts replaced rawhide, 
 felt hats took the place of feathered headgear and the 
 price of guns and ammunition dropped for the Company 
 
 71 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 has always been master of the northwest country. 
 It was the Company's power over the Indians that 
 made them riches. For instance, the text and key- 
 stone of the Company's supremacy for centuries has 
 been, hold the Indians in debt by advances of traps 
 and just the rations at the proper price to keep him 
 always hungry; so he must hunt for them. 
 
 As Stanley goes down the river in his canoe he sees 
 two men in a canoe ahead. It is Duree and his 
 partner. Duree is rowing with his back to Soto. 
 So to raises something and strikes Duree on the head. 
 He falls forward and Stanley gives chase in his canoe. 
 Soto throws Duree into the water and starts rowing. 
 Stanley fired twice and at the second shot Soto's right 
 oar falls. He had broken his arm. Stanley then 
 turns and looks for Duree and pulls him in the canoe 
 and works over him until he comes to life again. He 
 looks for Soto and sees him drifting over the rapids. 
 His oars gone, one arm broke, no man could pass 
 through alive in that condition. Stanley takes Duree 
 home and tells him about Soto taking the bag from the 
 wall. The Frenchman looks behind the rock and said, 
 "I have been robbed by that scoundrel." Then he 
 takes Stanley by the hand, saying: "You have saved 
 my life this day. Duree will never forget. Name 
 your reward." 
 
 Stanley looks at Jeanne and their eyes meet. He 
 turns to Duree. A vision comes before his eyes. It 
 is a blue-eyed girl waving goodbye to him. He stam- 
 
 72 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 mers to Duree, "I I would prefer my father's old silver 
 watch to anything else." 
 
 "'Tis yours, my boy, and welcome." 
 
 He bids Jeanne and her father good-bye and starts 
 again down the river. It is a long lonesome trip by 
 canoe. He packs around the cascades and then goes 
 on down the grand old Columbia with nothing but 
 the dense forest on either side. It takes him weeks 
 to make the trip. 
 
 He worked four years for the Hudson Bay Company 
 and then quit and took up a claim near Portland. He 
 built a house on the bank of the Willamette River and 
 cleared a garden patch. 
 
 Spring had come, and beneath the rare perfume of 
 spring in the forest the night air lay soft and the gentle 
 breeze of evening stirred the topmost leaves of the 
 towering trees. He sits in his cabin door thinking. 
 On the morrow he will go to Fort Dalles on business 
 and then go east to claim his bride. 
 
 So it was that he met Jeanne again. His heart is 
 with her, but his word of honor is given to Bernice. 
 He walks with Jeanne out to the rock overlooking the 
 Columbia. There he tells her he is going east to marry 
 the girl he has promised to wed. She gives him one 
 long look. Said she, "I wed you in death." Then 
 she turns with her dark hair streaming over her 
 shoulders and plunges into the Columbia. How clear 
 she makes it to him. Her words open a vivid scene. 
 He sees the day, the darkness. He hears the roar of 
 
 74 
 
TRUE TO HIS PROMISE 
 
 the waves. His Jeanne is no more. Trappers find her 
 body some days later on the rocks below the rapids. 
 
 Stanley goes east and marries Bernice and brings 
 her and her mother to his new home. She never knew 
 how near he came to breaking his promise. 
 
 75 
 
NELL 
 
 IT WERE BETTER SO 
 
 Firefly felt gay this cool autumn morning. He 
 pranced over the turf with pride. His rider too felt 
 gay. He was humming a cowboy song as he rode 
 towards Tub Springs. He rounded the bluff near the 
 spring and Firefly wheeled with a snort and a buck, 
 nearly unseating his rider. The song was cut short. 
 
 "Confound you, Firefly. The devil is in you this 
 morning." 
 
 Bob Deering wheeled his horse to see the cause of 
 fright. Then he laughed and slapped his horse on the 
 neck. 
 
 "Old boy, you are in mettle to scare at a toad this 
 morning." 
 
 The toad (a little girl about six years old; was coming 
 towards them from the spring. Up near the bluff was 
 a covered wagon. Tied to the wheel was a mule and 
 an old gray horse. As Bob came up near the little girl 
 said: "I am so hungry and papa won't get up." 
 
 Bob got down and led her by the hand to the wagon. 
 A man lay on some quilts moaning. Bob needed but 
 a glance to see he was a very sick man. He hunted 
 around for something for the little girl to eat, but 
 could find nothing fit, so he took her on his horse and 
 rode back to the ranch and told his housekeeper to 
 
 77 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 give her food. He then sent one of the boys after a 
 doctor. 
 
 When the little girl was done eating, he takes her 
 back to the wagon. Soon the docter came and they 
 did all they could for the sick man, but he was past all 
 earthly help and passed to the beyond. They looked 
 for papers to identify the dead, but could find nothing. 
 If it could be that he was trying to hide his identity, 
 he had done his work well. 
 
 Bob asked the little girl her name and she said, 
 "Nell." 
 
 "What is your papa's name?" 
 
 "Jim." 
 
 "But, what else? He has another name, hasn't he?" 
 
 "No, just Jim." Then she began to cry. 
 
 The doctor said, "Deering, you had better look after 
 the child," and then rode away. 
 
 Bob took Nell on his horse and started back to the 
 ranch. His thoughts were running something like 
 this: "I am in a dickens of a fix. What will I do with 
 this little toad. Well, someone will have to look after 
 her, sure. I will leave her with the housekeeper until 
 something turns up." He spurred up Firefly and was 
 soon at the ranch. 
 
 He called, "Halloa." 
 
 Mrs. Hull, a middle-aged woman came to the door 
 and he said, "Here take care of this little toad. Her 
 dad has passed in his checks." 
 
 The next day the cowboys buried the dead man and 
 
 78 
 
NELL 
 
 pat up a board with these words on it: "Jim. He died 
 Nov. 15th, 1882. History unknown." 
 
 Bob advertised, but got no word concerning Nell. 
 
 When Bob came home in the evening little Nell came 
 to meet him with a clean dress on and her hands and 
 face washed, with a mass of curls about her head in 
 little rings of nut-brown color. Her eyes, the most 
 beautiful part of her but for the life of him Bob 
 could not describe the color and no two would hardly 
 agree. Bob wondered that he had not noticed before 
 that she was a beautiful child. 
 
 Five years passed and little Nell is yet a feature on 
 the big cattle ranch owned by Bob Deering; Dandy 
 Bob, the boys call him, because he kept his saddle and 
 outfit so neat and always rode a horse with such snap 
 and vim. Nell called him Uncle Bob. He had taught 
 her to ride and she had a gentle pony she always rode 
 to the office at Cold Camp every evening for the mail. 
 
 One evening Nell was waiting for the mail train at 
 the station. She was sitting on a box near the track 
 swinging her whip when the train stopped. There 
 was a couple looking out of the window. The woman 
 looked straight at Nell and then turned to her male 
 companion as the train pulled out. 
 
 The next day on the morning train back a man and 
 a woman got off at Cold Camp. They went to the 
 hotel and said they were looking for a stock ranch. 
 Just before evening they hired a team from the stable 
 and drove out towards Tub Springs. 
 
 79 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Bob came in from the barn, washed and called for his 
 mail. 
 
 Mrs. Hull told him, "Nell has not come home yet. 
 I guess the train must be late again." 
 
 One of the boys came in and told them that as he was 
 driving a bunch of white faces from the south range he 
 found Nell's pony without a rider. This created 
 excitement at the ranch. Bob rode to the office and 
 was told that Nell had not called for the mail. The 
 cowboys rode all night, but could find no trace of Nell. 
 In the morning the livery team was still missing and 
 the couple had not come back to the hotel. This 
 threw suspicions on the man and woman. 
 
 Bob Deering did everything in his power to locate 
 Nell, but to no avail. 
 
 t t t 
 
 The express was behind and was running to make up 
 lost time to San Francisco. Still it did not go fast 
 enough to suit the couple in one coach. They had 
 their heads together talking low. 
 
 "Tom," the woman was saying, "I knew her as soon 
 as I put eyes on her at the little station, but when I 
 saw the scar on her wrist I was sure. Sh! she was 
 waking." 
 
 A girl about twelve years old sat up and looked 
 around with a hunted look. Twas Nell. She had 
 been told that the woman, Mrs. Reed, was her aunt 
 and that she would take her to her home in San Fran- 
 cisco. At the station they took a cab to a lonely house 
 
 80 
 
NELL 
 
 in a deserted part of the city. Here the girl is kept 
 under watch. Mrs. Reed has learned from Nell 
 where she had been staying at the Deering Ranch. 
 She has also learned that there is a little mahogany 
 chest at the ranch belonging to the late Mr. Warefield. 
 When Reed came home she told him of the dis- 
 covery and said: "Tom, there are certain papers we 
 must possess before we can claim the girl's fortune. 
 Without a doubt they are in the chest. Go to the 
 ranch and work until you get a chance to get the 
 chest." 
 
 Thus Tom Reed is hired on the Deering Ranch to 
 help with the alfalfa hay. A few nights later Bob is 
 wakened by a noise on the back porch. He grabs his 
 revolver and opens the door. Someone was crawling 
 from the window of Nell's room to the porch. Bob 
 fires twice. The thief falls forward and drops the 
 chest on the floor. The boys came running with lights. 
 There lay the new hand dead. One bullet had splin- 
 tered the lid of the chest and Bob saw a paper sticking 
 from the crack. He got a hammer and broke the lid 
 and found a bundle of papers in a secret drawer. The 
 papers are addressed to Nellie May Warefield. 
 
 "My daughter Nellie: I write these lines so if 
 anything happens to me you will know your 
 history. I am taking you away from scenes 
 distasteful to me. Your mother left you when 
 you needed a mother's care. It may be better so. 
 She was not a fit companion to care for you. 
 
 81 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 Deceitful and adventuresome, she left you and ran 
 off with a man of shady character. Beware of her 
 always. She may try to get possession of the 
 fortune that will be yours. Your late aunt left 
 in my care her fortune to be yours when you are 
 of age. In this bundle you will find papers to 
 prove your claim. 
 
 "(Signed) James A. Warefield." 
 Now the mystery of little Nell was solved. On the 
 dead man they found his address in San Francisco, so 
 Bob made a vow to hunt Nell and bring her back. 
 
 He went to the city and secured a wig and beard and 
 clothes to duplicate Reed's. He then went to the 
 address found on Reed and knocked at the door. It 
 was opened by a woman. When she saw him she 
 exclaimed. "Tom, what luck did you have?" 
 "I got the papers all right." 
 "Good, now we can claim the fortune." 
 Bob removed his disguise and said, "Excuse me, 
 madam, but I hardly accept a partnership in your 
 dealings. 
 
 She clutched her throat and then drew a knife from 
 her belt and rushed at Bob. He caught her wrist and 
 said: "Your game is up. You had better produce the 
 girl, Nellie Warefield." 
 
 She composed herself and said, "Pardon me, you 
 wished to see my niece. I will call her." 
 
 She left the room and Bob soon heard a scream and 
 rushed into the next room to see Mrs. Warefield, alias 
 
 82 
 
NELL 
 
 Mrs. Reed, lying on the floor in her death agony. The 
 knife was buried in her breast. 
 
 He rushed from room to room, calling, "Nell, Nell." 
 He heard someone pound on a door and he pushed it, 
 but found it locked, so he broke it with his shoulder. 
 Nell rushed to him and exclaimed, "Uncle Bob! I 
 knew you would come. Take me back to the ranch." 
 
 "I will, Nell, but there is some bad news. The lady 
 you were staying with fell on her knife and I fear she 
 is dead." 
 
 Out of respect for Nell he had the woman buried in a 
 decent way. Then he took Nell back to the ranch. 
 
 A few days later he gave her the papers from her 
 father's chest. She read them and said, "This is 
 strange. I wonder if I would know this odd mother 
 if I should meet her." 
 
 Bob told her he thought she ought to go away to 
 school for a few years as she would be a rich lady some 
 day and would need to be prepared to go into society. 
 
 "No, no, Uncle Bob. I want to stay with you 
 always." 
 
 Bob finally persuaded her to go to school and she 
 stayed there until she was eighteen. Then she wrote 
 she was coming to the ranch. 
 
 When Bob met her at the station he was surprised 
 at her beauty. If he thought years ago that she was a 
 beautiful child, what did he think now of the lady 
 before him? When they got to the ranch Bob told her: 
 
 83 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 "Miss Warefield, you can go to the city and claim your 
 fortune now." 
 
 "Don't call me Miss Warefield. I want to be just 
 plain Nell. And I think it is real mean of you to send 
 me away again." 
 
 "Nell, if it is your wish you may stay with me 
 always, but you must call me plain Bob." 
 
 If one was to ask Bob Deering the color of his wife's 
 eyes he could come no nearer telling than he did of 
 little Nell's years ago, and Nell never knew she had 
 met her unnatural mother. It were better so. 
 
 84 
 
IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 It was in June, 1882, that a friend, Jack Stanley, 
 invited me to make a trip in the Coast Range Moun- 
 tains of Oregon. It was to be a pleasure and business 
 trip combined. Jack was starting up a new saw mill 
 and had bargained for three yoke of oxen with a Mr. 
 Carver, who lived on the west slope of the mountains 
 on Little Elk Creek. They have Little Elk and Big 
 Elk Creek, both on the west slope. 
 
 Take your map of Oregon and put your finger on 
 Yaquinia Bay; cross the bay and follow up Yaquinia 
 River to Big Elk Creek and then on up to Little Elk 
 Creek. This leads you to the very foot of old Mary's 
 Peak. Here you have an ice-cold, clear stream, well 
 fillled with mountain trout. This is where Mr. Carver 
 lives. 
 
 We crossed from the east side by a trail that led 
 across the foot of Mary's Peak, a grand old mountain 
 and a landmark. From parts of the Willamette 
 Valley it looms up most beautiful. It is covered with a 
 growth of big firs except at the very top, where there 
 are some two or three hundred acres which is covered 
 with snow until in May. Then a thick growth of grass 
 shoots up. This is pastured with cattle until late in the 
 fall. As you ascend the mountain the big valley is at 
 your back and as you go higher the farms look like 
 playthings. When on top you see several towns up and 
 
 86 
 
IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 down the Willamette Valley. You turn and looking 
 far over the smaller mountains catch a glimpse of the 
 Pacific Ocean. 
 
 When we got well down the west side we came out of 
 the big fir timber. Here years before fires had burnt 
 over everything. Standing straight and bare like 
 sentinels were the charred bodies of the giant firs, with 
 a growth of underbrush and smaller trees. On some 
 of the ridges there was no brush but there was fern 
 which grew as high as my head. There were lots of 
 wild blackberries and thimbleberries along the trciil. 
 
 I furnished the ponies for the trip. They were small 
 and wirey. Quite often we had to jump logs with 
 them when there was no way around. 
 
 We rode into a little clearing and saw a log house with 
 a garden nearby. Farther down was a log barn and 
 corrals. Mr. Carver came out and welcomed us, 
 telling us the oxen were out somewheres and that he 
 would look them up in the morning. 
 
 The next morning the oxen could not be located, so 
 we all hunted for them, each going a different direction. 
 I followed a dim trail toward the Peak and was picking 
 my way carefully as I had jumped some deer that 
 morning. Soon I heard the baying of hounds across 
 the ravine and thought perhaps they were after a 
 deer. Presently I heard them on my side of the ravine 
 and nearer. I heard something running through the 
 fern. I peeked out of the trail and out rushed some- 
 thing and knocked me onto my back. My gun went 
 
 87 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 off in the air. I shook the dirt from my eyes and saw a 
 big, black bear running down the trail and the hounds 
 were scurrying all around me. I will admit I was 
 surprised. 
 
 The owner of the hounds came running down the 
 trail and asked me if I had seen a bear. I replied that 
 I had seen and felt one. We followed the hounds 
 down the ridge. Then they turned toward the creek 
 and we could hear them baying loud. My friend 
 said, "Treed!" 
 
 When we came nearer the hounds we saw they were 
 jumping around a big stump and the bear was on top 
 looking down. We shot several times, before he 
 tumbled off and ran into the brush. It was some time 
 before the hounds were still, but when they finally 
 quieted we took a look and found the bear was dead. 
 
 When I got back to camp at noon the other boys had 
 two nice young bucks dressed. It was four days before 
 we found the oxen. We walked miles each day. My! 
 what an appetite I had when we came to the table. 
 The chairs were benches; the table was made of slabs; 
 but did a king ever sit to such a feast green peas, new 
 potatoes, butter milk and honey with venison and 
 mountain trout every day. I hated to leave that little 
 mountain home. 
 
 The next morning after we found the oxen we bade 
 good-bye to the Carvers and started across the trail. 
 We had a yoke for each span of pxen and as we had to 
 drive single file over the mountain we took each yoke 
 
IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 and tied it on an ox's back with one end tied between 
 the horns. 
 
 The first evening we reached the settlement and the 
 next day about sundown we came to Jack's mill 
 
 Some day I expect to visit the little mountain home 
 again. 
 
 89 
 
Christmas in the North. 
 
CHRISTMAS IN THE FROZEN 
 NORTH OR SUNNY SOUTH 
 
 A chill has come over the northland. The lake 
 glares with a shining coat of ice. The trees are draped 
 with silver beads, the earth is covered with light fluffy 
 snow, soft and downy, as a lady's cheek. A wolf 
 skirts the lake in search of food. His tracks make 
 two rows of dots in the snow. Now a bear comes out 
 of the timber and shuffles through the snow to the edge 
 of the lake. He looks through the ice until he sees a 
 fish, then he hits the ice and stuns the fish until he can 
 break the ice and get it out. Now an owl is heard 
 across the lake. "Hoo toot tohoo." The bear looks up, 
 then resumes his fishing. Crack! a noise rings out 
 over the lake like a rifle shot. 'Tis only the ice settling. 
 The bear takes fright and goes plowing through the 
 snow in an awkward lope towards the timber. Now 
 the sun's rays are breaking over the mountain peaks, 
 falling on the ice-covered lake, throwing a shining glare 
 on all things. The trees glisten and quiver in the 
 sun's rays. Now the birds are seen hopping about in 
 search of food. A hunter comes out of the timber 
 across the lake. He is walking on snow shoes. The 
 limbs he touches in passing are freed of their load and 
 go bounding hi the air, a contrast of green against the 
 white. Now the hunter crosses the lake and looks to 
 the right and left of him. His eye falls on the bear's 
 
 91 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 tracks in the snow. He shifts his gun to his arm and 
 follows his trail into the forest. The trail leads 
 through bushes and over logs, but always deeper into 
 the forest. Now it leads the hunter in a rocky ravine. 
 The perpendicular rocks are bare of snow and under 
 this ledge the trail leads into a dark hole in the rocks. 
 There is a strong odor from the hole in the rocks. 
 The hunter stops and gathers some dry twigs and limbs 
 and piles them in the hole. These he sets afire and 
 covers over with wet moss. He then takes his station 
 on the rocks above the hole with his gun ready for 
 action. Soon there is a sneeze and snort. Out rushes 
 bruin, knocking the burning brands every way. Crack, 
 goes the rifle. Bruin stumbles. Crack! Crack! in 
 quick succession. Bruin rolls over in the snow and 
 kicks and claws the bushes. The hunter approaches 
 near; with one well-directed shot despatches bruin. 
 Behold a sight for a painter's brush. Everywhere the 
 soft white snow. Here and there the green boughs are 
 freed of the snow. The bear with his dark coat is 
 laying on the snow streaked with crimson stains. 'Tis 
 evident the hunter is not of an artistic nature, for he 
 draws a slim-bladed knife from his belt and proceeds 
 to rip open bruin's pelt. When his task is ended, he 
 seats himself on a log and takes from his inner pocket a 
 photo of a laughing blue-eyed girl. He is saying as he 
 looks, "I wonder how she is spending this Christmas 
 day." 
 
 92 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 The sun is smiling over the southland. The orange 
 trees are abundantly and fragrantly in bloom. The 
 flowers are all out and the meadows are green and 
 sweet scented. Away upon yonder mountain peak is 
 just a touch of snow. In a tree top a mocking bird is 
 singing. He stops as a girl comes down the path past 
 the flower beds and out in the orange grove. She has 
 sunny hair and blue eyes. Her dress is low at the neck 
 and has short sleeves. She seats herself under an 
 orange tree and takes from her handbag a photo of a 
 pleasant looking boy with dark curly hair. She is 
 saying, "I wonder how he is spending this Christmas 
 day." 
 
 94 
 
FOREST AND STREAM 
 
 OR 
 
 A DREAM 
 
 One drowsy afternoon I was sitting in my room 
 reading, when a longing to be in the forest came over 
 me. Then it must be that I lay my book aside and 
 went into the forest, for now I am hi the woods. 
 
 Sometime I liken the trees to people I have known. 
 See that pine standing on yonder knoll, a sentinel on 
 duty, towering over the other trees, facing his foes, the 
 wind and the rain. 
 
 Now I go down to the brook. A fisherman I see 
 standing on the banks near the riffles. This patient 
 fisherman (a willow with one long slim limb out over the 
 water with the end bending down) touches the swiftly 
 moving water. This sets the limb aquiver. Ever 
 anon the limb bobs clear of the stream like a fisherman 
 jerking his rod. I pass with silent tread lest I frighten 
 the fish away. 
 
 Now I come to where the hillside slopes away from 
 the brook. Do my eyes deceive me? No, these surely 
 are school children out for a recess. The girls, a 
 cluster of small cedars and the boys are a clump of 
 pines. When the wind | whips down the ravine they 
 romp and play in joy. Near the brook, but in sight of 
 her flock, the poplar schoolma'am. I would vouch for 
 it that she is Popular, for I have been told that she has 
 
 95 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 been poplar all her life. And so slim and supple. A 
 book she must be reading for I can see the leaves 
 turning. 
 
 Now I go to the foot of a bald mountain and look up 
 to its rocky summit. Tis a hard climb, but I feel 
 ventursome. So up I go. Near the top I stop to take 
 breath. Ah me, I see a ragged juniper rooted among 
 the rocks. This must be the hermit of the bald 
 mountain. Far away from all trees and shrubs he 
 spends his days and nights in solitude. I will not 
 intrude farther. 
 
 So I pick my way down to the forest again and sit 
 under a lone pine. A charred stub stands near by. 
 The pine is soughing and moaning in mournful notes. 
 Can it be this tree is haunted. Now I remember. 
 The book I was reading was about the lady and the 
 pine. The book says the Indians captured the lady 
 and her husband and tied her to one tree and her 
 husband to the other, and then set fire to the tree her 
 husband was tied to. The wife watched the tree 
 burn and her husband was charred into ashes; then it 
 was said the lady's spirit turned into the pine, so she 
 could be near her husband. Now she is ever looking 
 down on the stub and sighing. I am not of a nature 
 to court ghosts, so I leave the haunted pine to her 
 solitude. 
 
 A little farther and I behold the laurel, the tree with- 
 out shame. Just on the slope of yonder ridge it stands 
 apart from other trees. Its limbs and body are bare 
 
 96 
 
FOREST AND STREAM 
 
 and nude and the modest trees nearby stand with 
 drooping heads. 
 
 Unlike human beings I do not always see the gnarled 
 and bent in the aged. Here stands a pine of many 
 years, straight and thrifty. It has wintered through 
 many a storm. 
 
 At one side I see a clump of trees. One is crowded 
 and overshadowed by the others; it is puny and thin. 
 
 As I go deep into the forest 'tis all shade and shadows. 
 I see rare ferns and vines that are never in the sun- 
 shine. They are soft and tender. Nature had made 
 it so. All life that in the shadows grow is weak. In 
 the sunshine we see life that is robust and strong. 
 
 Now I am walking on a carpet of many colors, made 
 and woven in Nature's loom. Tis cool and soft under 
 my foot. I sit down on a log covered over with a moss 
 padded cushion. 
 
 'Tis a delight to go from tree to tree of different 
 kinds and inhale the perfumes. Here the salal bush 
 grows over the ground in profusion, loaded with purple 
 berries. Here stands a dead cedar twisted around its 
 body an ivy. My eyes followed it up the stub. A red- 
 headed woodpecker pops out of a hole and with a 
 quick jerk of his head nods me a good morning. As I 
 go on my path is blocked by the gigantic roots of a 
 fallen monarch of the forest. There had been a mighty 
 battle fought. Here is a deep and ragged hole in the 
 ground. The roots had clung with power before being 
 torn loose, but the wind was more powerful and laid 
 
 97 
 
FOREST AND STREAM 
 
 the giant fir low in its natural death. Like a corpse, 
 its long, straight body lay stretched along the earth. 
 It had filled its purpose in this world. The fruitful 
 cones from its towering limbs had fallen to the soft 
 earth. Little trees are sprouting on all sides. It is 
 to be ever so. The fruitful pass on and others fill the 
 vacancy. 
 
 Now I come to a stream running through the forest. 
 I set me down on a rock and listen to the brook mur- 
 muring as it rushes over the pebbles. The forest is a 
 mighty theater and the trees are listening to the brook 
 singing. The wind sways the limbs to and fro as if 
 the trees are clapping their hands in joy. On and on 
 the brook sings. How clear and sweet the music and 
 such an appreciative audience. I pluck a bouquet of 
 wild flowers and throw them at the brook's feet. I go 
 on, loth to leave such a delightful scene behind. 
 Sing on sweet stream. May your music never be less. 
 
 Now I come into a cleared space and take off my hat 
 in reverence. For I am in Nature's court. The judge, 
 a mighty oak, stands upon a knoll. Just beneath are 
 the lawyers, a few smaller oaks, and to one side is the 
 prisoner, a stooping ash. At his side, the guard, an 
 alder, stands straight and erect. At the left is the 
 jury, a clump of sumachs; and that weeping willow 
 down by the brook must be the prisoner's wife. I 
 back out with bowed and uncovered head, for I am on 
 forbidden ground. 
 
 99 
 
ADVENTURES AND DAY DREAMS 
 
 I follow up the brook through the cedar groves with 
 their sweet scented foliage. Now I am surrounded by 
 trees of all kinds. Surely there is a storm coming on, 
 for the trees are all swaying and groaning now. Do 
 my eyes deceive me. The trees are all forming in a 
 circle around me. Now one giant pine is talking to me. 
 "We have caught you at last," it was saying. "You 
 are a murderer. You come into our forest and cut 
 we trees down and mutilate our bodies. We now have 
 you in our power and will crush you to death." 
 
 I started to run, when a limb struck me and I fell to 
 the earth. 
 
 Then I woke up, for I had been asleep and had fallen 
 from my chair to the floor. There on the floor lay my 
 book, "The Lady and the Pine." 
 
 100 
 

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