登陆注册
5380500000031

第31章

"and Sharon waves, in solemn praise, Her silent groves of palm."and today the royal Raven listens in a dreamy stupor to the songs of the thrush and the nightingale and the canary--and shudders when the gaudy--plumaged birds of the distant South sweep by him to the orange groves of Carson.Tell him he wouldn't recognize the d--d country.He should bring his family by all means.

I intended to write home, but I haven't done it.

Yr.Bro.

SAM.

In this letter we realize that he had gone into the wilderness to reflect--to get a perspective on the situation.He was a great walker in those days, and sometimes with Higbie, sometimes alone, made long excursions.One such is recorded in Roughing It, the trip to Mono Lake.We have no means of knowing where his seventy-mile tour led him now, but it is clear that he still had not reached a decision on his return.Indeed, we gather that he is inclined to keep up the battle among the barren Esmeralda hills.

Last mining letter; written to Mrs.Moffett, in St.Louis:

ESMERALDA, CAL., Aug.15, 1862.

MY DEAR SISTER,-I mailed a letter to you and Ma this morning, but since then I have received yours to Orion and me.Therefore, I must answer right away, else I may leave town without doing it at all.What in thunder are pilot's wages to me? which question, I beg humbly to observe, is of a general nature, and not discharged particularly at you.But it is singular, isn't it, that such a matter should interest Orion, when it is of no earthly consequence to me? I never have once thought of returning home to go on the river again, and I never expect to do any more piloting at any price.My livelihood must be made in this country--and if I have to wait longer than I expected, let it be so--I have no fear of failure.You know I have extravagant hopes, for Orion tells you everything which he ought to keep to himself--but it's his nature to do that sort of thing, and I let him alone.I did think for awhile of going home this fall--but when I found that that was and had been the cherished intention and the darling aspiration every year, of these old care-worn Californians for twelve weary years--I felt a little uncomfortable, but I stole a march on Disappointment and said I would not go home this fall.

I will spend the winter in San Francisco, if possible.Do not tell any one that I had any idea of piloting again at present--for it is all a mistake.This country suits me, and--it shall suit me, whether or no....

Dan Twing and I and Dan's dog, "cabin" together--and will continue to do so for awhile--until I leave for--The mansion is 10x12, with a "domestic" roof.Yesterday it rained--the first shower for five months."Domestic," it appears to me, is not water-proof.We went outside to keep from getting wet.Dan makes the bed when it is his turn to do it--and when it is my turn, I don't, you know.The dog is not a good hunter, and he isn't worth shucks to watch--but he scratches up the dirt floor of the cabin, and catches flies, and makes himself generally useful in the way of washing dishes.Dan gets up first in the morning and makes a fire--and I get up last and sit by it, while he cooks breakfast.We have a cold lunch at noon, and I cook supper--very much against my will.However, one must have one good meal a day, and if I were to live on Dan's abominable cookery, I should lose my appetite, you know.Dan attended Dr.Chorpenning's funeral yesterday, and he felt as though he ought to wear a white shirt--and we had a jolly good time finding such an article.We turned over all our traps, and he found one at last--but I shall always think it was suffering from yellow fever.He also found an old black coat, greasy, and wrinkled to that degree that it appeared to have been quilted at some time or other.In this gorgeous costume he attended the funeral.And when he returned, his own dog drove him away from the cabin, not recognizing him.This is true.

You would not like to live in a country where flour was $40 a barrel?

Very well; then, I suppose you would not like to live here, where flour was $100 a barrel when I first came here.And shortly afterwards, it couldn't be had at any price--and for one month the people lived on barley, beans and beef--and nothing beside.Oh, no--we didn't luxuriate then! Perhaps not.But we said wise and severe things about the vanity and wickedness of high living.We preached our doctrine and practised it.Which course I respectfully recommend to the clergymen of St.Louis.

Where is Beack Jolly?--[a pilot]--and Bixby?

Your Brother SAM.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 爱听老舍Ⅲ:散文精选集

    爱听老舍Ⅲ:散文精选集

    《爱听老舍Ⅲ:散文精选集》收录了老舍在各个时期所写的38篇优美散文,篇幅有长有短,其中包括名篇《抬头见喜》、《济南的冬天》、《四位先生》等。本书内容饱含强烈而纯挚的感情,幽默俏皮,充满智慧,耐人寻味。随便挑一篇,读起来就会让你大笑不止。加上段纯的生动演绎,语言艺术大师和幽默大师老舍独特的京味语言和风格,一定会您回味良久。
  • 苍蓝传说

    苍蓝传说

    这是一个关于妖怪的故事,
  • 这不是我认识的爱情公寓

    这不是我认识的爱情公寓

    熬夜猝死,乱入爱情公寓。但,这是什么鬼,智能机器,丧尸,异生物。还有,你确定这是美人鱼。
  • 古庭禅师语录辑略

    古庭禅师语录辑略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 日子的味道

    日子的味道

    村子宁静极了,月色染在塬畔上,远近的树木、花草以及稼禾,显得清亮又柔美,透着原始朴素的风韵,散发出淡淡的清香。院中的几棵果树,经日头一昼的照晒,此时,也纹丝不动地入眠了;只有草丛间的虫呓,伴着柳婶和山菊的低泣,颤漾在夜色中。
  • 蜜在心轩

    蜜在心轩

    吵吵吵,吵什么吵?吵得老娘连觉都睡不好!这么想着,姚蜜儿一脚踢开盖在身上的被子,但是抬腿的一瞬间后悔了,因为动作太大牵扯到了伤口,全身上下都是疼的。姚蜜儿赶紧睁开眼睛看向身体,嚓来?这是我的身体?怎么这么小?而且满身伤痕,被家暴了?突然感觉怎么冷瘦瘦的?姚蜜儿看向来源……啊――阿飘啊!(本文虽然有阿飘,但是属于穿越类,不会很恐怖,介意勿喷勿进)
  • 崔东洲集

    崔东洲集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明道编

    明道编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 盛世独宠:逆天娘亲腹黑宝

    盛世独宠:逆天娘亲腹黑宝

    风晴雪,前世她是21世纪的冷酷杀手。一朝被害陨落,灵魂穿越到风云大陆,西林国相府废物大小姐身上。成为风云大陆让人嗤之以鼻的废物大小姐!帝夜莫,风云大陆冷酷帝王,却唯独对她宠爱有加。萌宝逆天出世,且看一家三口如何在风云大陆,搅动风云,盛世风华!坑品保证,求收藏,求打赏!
  • 仙本为魔

    仙本为魔

    他拥有修仙界万中无一的龙阳之体,但却没有修仙者必有的灵根,他身为陈家猎头之子,却身体孱弱,招人耻笑。遇到了灵界大魔天尊,拜其为师,修出灵根,少年踏上腥风血雨的霸途,震慑天地的大魔之道。吞虚寿,获灵根,被称魔,却做仙。仙本为魔,傲然天地!!情节虚构,请勿模仿