A Summer in a Canyon: A California Story

ready, and tw

h in the other. He could have handled these implements to better purpose and with better grace had not his arms been firmly held by three laughing girls, who pulled not wisely

one of these seemed to be the object of dissension, but rather a redwo

p Frolic!' cried Bell Winship, with a p

olly Oliver. 'Pray, pray let us have

oted Margery Noble, coaxingly; 'take

hill from the brookside. 'What, what! still quarrelling, children?' she asked, laughingly. 'Let me b

itically, while the other girls clapped their hands with approval;

a tree and sauntering toward the scene of action. 'Suppose we have a referee, a w

led company, Hop Yet appeared at the door of the brush kitche

a sort of war-dance which was intended to express wild joy). 'Miss Pauline, she say Camp Ha-Ha, big laugh: sabe? Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!' (chorus joined in by all to fully illustrate the subject). 'Miss Madge, s

is answer promptly: 'Me say Camp Chap-lal heap good name; plenty chap-lal all lound; me hang um dish-cloth, tow'l, little boy's

e in confirmation and illustration of the fact. He then carefully deposited the paint-pot in a secret place, where it might be out of sight and touch of a certain searching eye and mischievous hand well known and feared of him; but before the setting sun had dropped below the line of purple mountain tops, a small b

, dear young folks, but this method of telling a story is very much the fashion

drag your readers twenty-five years into the regions of the past, and show them the first tooth of your oldest character; but that doesn't matter a bit,-the further the better. Then, when everybody has forgotten what came to pass in the first chapter, you a

andahs covered with passion-vine and a brilliant rose-garden in front. It is picturesque enough to attract the attention of any passer-by, and if yo

ious crochet needles and tatting shuttles. Three pairs of bright eyes were dancing with fun and gladness; and another pair, the softest and clearest of all, looked out from a broad white bed in the corner,-tire

e one of these things? Well, my Polly had them all, and, besides, a saucy freckled nose, a crown of fluffy, reddish-yellow hair, and a shower of coaxing little pitfalls called dimples round her pretty mouth. She made you think of a sunbe

side stroking Elsie Howard's thin white hand. Nevertheless, I am obliged to state that Margery Noble herself, earnest, demure, and given to reflection, was Polly's willing slave and victim. However, I've forgotten to tell you that Polly was as open and frank as the daylight, at once torrid and constant in her affections, brave, self-forgetting as

as chiefly celebrated for talking nonsense, and nobody ever paid much attention to her. But if you should crave a breath of fresh air, or want to believe that the spring has come, just call Bell Winship in, as she walks with her breezy step down the street. Her very hair seems instinct wi

nderest and most sympathetic little priestess in the universe; and every afternoon the piazza, with its lattice of green vines, served as a mimic throne-room, where she was wont to hold high court, surrounded by her devoted subjects. Here Geoffrey Strong used often to read to the assembled company David Copperfield, Alice in Wonderland, or snatches from the mag

n the piazza. The voices of the girls floated out from Elsie's bedroom, while the boys, too, seemed to be somewhere in th

sie, our cup of happiness w

ld positively stand in the slop,' said Polly. 'No, you needn't frown at me,

I know it will be the happiest time in the world, but I don't envy you a bit; in fact, I'm very gla

ters every few days, and send them by the team. Papa says Pancho will have to go over

s. You know they are such fly-aways that they'll only write me when they learn to swim, or shoot a wildcat, or get lost in the woods. I want to know al

tlesnakes Saturday; he will eat poison oak on Sunday, get lost in the ca?on Monday, be eaten by a bear Tuesday, and drowned in the pool Wednesday. These incidents will compl

er girls were in a breathless fit of laughter, tho

it is certainly the most beautiful place in California. The tents will be pitched at the mouth of the ca?on, wh

I won't pretend that I'm dying for fresh air, with the breath of the sea coming in at my south window,

s, with ulsters for the steamer and dusters for the long drive. Then we each have-let me see what we have: a short, tou

d two pairs of boots, and a riding-c

elled cloth that was left over from the new carriage cushions; it is very shiny and elegant; and the other, truly, is of soft tanned leather, and just as pretty as it

rtily at the description of Dicky's curious outfit. 'What time do you

es down the coast, we are to get off and take a three-seated thorough-brace wagon, and drive over to Las Flores Ca?on. Pancho has hired a funny little pa

days for the journey, sleeping at the Burtons' ranch on the way. The doctor says that if she can get strength

n by six willing s

corned beef and toma

hing to cook, and we'll feed her on broiled titbits of baby venison, goat's

week in order to get intimate with suffering and privation! Polly came to stay with me one night, and we slept on the floor, with only a blanket under us, an

ope the gophers won't make you nervous, gnawing and scratching in the straw; I got used to

ember you are to start from this gate; Aunt Truth h

ned the boys, who were busily at work clea

oming on?' que

esman, unless driven from the rostrum by some one possessed of a nimbl

y. 'Papa has cut us down to the very last notch, an

ff, cheerily; 'then you'll have

imitation, I suppo

ts Geoff has made for polishing his. He has actually stuck in six large volumes, any one of whic

respectful or not. I don't propose to expose myself to your

est word, and it simply means having many tit

me, and announce that I shall not take anything whateve

week,' said Bell, slyly, 'but

t know,' retorted Polly. 'That w

, Phil Noble dashed up to the front gate, flung his bridle ov

tment!' cried Geoffrey, with mock sa

it was! here's the list. Pancho will dump them on the ground and let us settle them when we get there. Such a load! You should have seen it! Hard

tory of the English People, cooking utensils, three hair pillows, box of ginger-snaps, four hammocks, coffee, cartridges, sugar, Macaulay's Essays, Pond's extract, sixt

that order?' q

he fleet Arabian yonder' (the animal alluded to seized this moment to stand on three legs, hang his head, and look dejected), 'and, giving him t

fresh vegetables?' asked M

ld her from the chill dews of the early morn, mount the pack mule exactly at cock-crow everyday, and

Does it seem entirely natural?'

sacks, blankets, furniture, etc., all went down on Monday's steamer, and I have a telegram from Larry's Landing saying that they arrived in good order, and that a Mexican gent

le on his gal

Strong on hi

, our most worshipful and benignant host and hostess; Master Dick Winship, the heir-apparent; three other young

riven by Se?or Don Manuel Felipe Hi

mall tan

top! it's too much!' cried t

hat into a tall eucalyptus-tree in h

her hand in imaginary farewell. 'Verily the noisy city sh

n you depart,' murmured Jack, with an

only come too!

n church, through which, with its snow-white towers and cold, clear-cut lines, it rose like a frozen fairy castle. Bell opened her sleepy eyes with t

oval window opening to the east was a pretty frame, with its outline marked by the dewy rose-vine covered with hundreds of pure, half-opened buds and swaying tendrils, and she stood there in it, a fair image of the morning in her innocent white gown. Her luminous ey

of the datura is heavy in the still air. The bending, willowy pepper-trees show myriad bunches of yellow blossoms, crimson seed-berries, and fresh green leaves, whose surface, not rain-washed for months, is as full of colour as ever. The palm-trees rise without a branch, tall, slender, and graceful, from the warmly generous earth, and spread at last, as if tired of their straightness, into beautiful crowns of fans, which sway toward each ot

sh se?orita, with her trailing dress, and black shawl loosely thrown over her head, from out the folds of which her two dark eyes burn like gleaming fires. A solitary Mexican gallops by, with gayly decorated saddle and heavily laden saddle-bags hanging from it; perhaps he is taking home provisions t

ow, the sun has climbed a little higher, and Bel

nybody can be wicked in such

ng up looking like a little drowned kitten. 'When you want to be hateful, you

n. 'Now I'll try the effect of the landscape on my temper by dressing

pocket full of apricots he was in perfect good-humour, not taking his confinement at all to heart, inasmuch as it commanded a full view of the scene of action. His amiability was further increased, moreover, by the possession of a bright new policeman's whistle, which was carefully tied to his button-hole by a neat little silk cord, and which his fond parents

nd Phil into town from the fruit ranch,

hings that are always found undone at the last moment. She had given her impetuous daughter a dozen fond embraces, smothering in e

trouble,' she said. 'She is so apt

has a very loving heart, and is easily led. How pretty the girls look, and how different they are! Polly is like a

ping-dresses with much care and taste, taking great pains to make them pi

e a bit of forest against a sunset. Her hair, which fell in a waving mass of burnished brightness to her wais

rows upon rows of silver braid and sparkling silver buttons; while her big gre

olling collar. Her hat swung in her hand, as usual, showing her boyish head of sunny auburn curls, and

I say a word; and as for my hair, they think I must be peppery, no matter if I were really as meek as Moses. Now there's Margery, the dear, darling mouse! People look at her two sleek braids, every hair doing just what it ought to do and lying

olumbus, what gorgeousness! The Flamingo, the Dove, and the Blue-jay! Good-morning,

not disclose these glories until we reach the cam

cowboys, firemen,-anything but modest young men; and as it was too warm for ulsters, we took refuge in civilised raiment for to-day. When we arrive,

tor skin, pouches, pistols, bowie-knives, and tan-coloured shoes

ncle, and aunt, and Dicky, and-good gracious! Is h

briefly. 'There are cases where it

indeed, than the others, who shed many a furtive tear at leaving her

possible. We'll take such good care of her,' teased Bell, wit

r. Paul, 'the steamer has blown her

cean looked in her white caps and blue ruffles! Even the combination steambo

y watched the long white furrow that stretched in her wake, the cloud of black smoke which floated like a dark shadow above the laughing crests of the waves, and the floc

'Bounding Billow,' and 'Rocked in the

I were

great l

ittle ti

le or

f the great blu

throw aside all the formal customs of a wicked wor

r saw you inside of a hous

in the house, and sleep there; but I don't approve of it, and it's

he reluctant almond, poisoning the voracious gopher, pruning grape-vin

year, or you'll have a low diet

pect to be the butt of rid

ill you?' said Polly, sympathisingly; 'especially in the pr

aking off the eye-glasses that made him look so wise and dignified.

smilingly; 'but I hardly think he'll have much time to lounge

looked di

Tam o' Shanter that I will cut down every tree in th

st is not so very far away. You'll ha

ed the group after a quick

ng the place. Do you see that bend in the shore, and

ore exactly like that one before we reach the landing. How many knots a

could ever remember how many knots made a mile, or

' cried Jack. 'Polly, why is

rawn themselves into a line, and, with a whispered 'One, two, thr

Aunt Truth, coming out of the

society for suppressing Jack's conundrums, and this is

audible,' she said. 'Yours is

rderously. 'But I suppose it's one of you girls, and I can't reven

ed Polly, 'or we might as well begin to