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humor。 She would visit the mining camps； and； grazing lazily and
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thoughtfully before the cabins； would； by various artifices and coquetries
known to the female heart； induce some credulous stranger to approach
her with the intention of taking a ride。 She would submit hesitatingly to
a halter； allow him to mount her back； and； with every expression of timid
and fearful reluctance； at last permit him to guide her in a laborious trot
out of sight of human habitation。 What happened then was never clearly
known。 In a few moments the camp would be aroused by shouts and
execrations； and the spectacle of Jinny tearing by at a frightful pace； with
the stranger clinging with his arms around her neck； afraid to slip off； from
terror of her circumvolving heels； and vainly imploring assistance。 Again
and again she would dash by the applauding groups； adding the
aggravation of her voice to the danger of her heels； until suddenly
wheeling； she would gallop to Carter's Pond； and deposit her luckless
freight in the muddy ditch。 This practical joke was repeated until one
Sunday she was approached by Juan Ramirez； a Mexican vaquero； booted
and spurred； and carrying a riata。 A crowd was assembled to see her
discomfiture。 But； to the intense disappointment of the camp； Jinny； after
quietly surveying the stranger； uttered a sardonic bray； and ambled away to
the little cemetery on the hill； whose tangled chapparal effectually
prevented all pursuit by her skilled antagonist。 From that day she
forsook the camp； and spent her Sabbaths in mortuary reflections among
the pine head…boards and cold 〃hic jacets〃 of the dead。
Happy would it have been if this circumstance； which resulted in the
one poetic episode of her life； had occurred earlier； for the cemetery was
the favorite resort of Miss Jessie Lawton； a gentle invalid from San
Francisco； who had sought the foot…hills for the balsam of pine and fir； and
in the faint hope that the freshness of the wild roses might call back her
own。 The extended views from the cemetery satisfied Miss Lawton's
artistic taste； and here frequently； with her sketch…book in hand； she
indulged that taste and a certain shy reserve which kept her from contact
with strangers。 On one of the leaves of that sketch…book appears a study
of a donkey's head； being none other than the grave features of Jinny； as
once projected timidly over the artist's shoulder。 The preliminaries of this
intimacy have never transpired； nor is it a settled fact if Jinny made the
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first advances。 The result was only known to the men of Sawyer's Bar by
a vision which remained fresh in their memories long after the gentle lady
and her four… footed friend had passed beyond their voices。 As two of the
tunnel…men were returning from work one evening； they chanced to look
up the little trail； kept sacred from secular intrusion； that led from the
cemetery to the settlement。 In the dim twilight； against a sunset sky； they
beheld a pale…faced girl riding slowly toward them。 With a delicate
instinct； new to those rough men； they drew closer in the shadow of the
bushes until she passed。 There was no mistaking the familiar
grotesqueness of Jinny； there was no mistaking the languid grace of Miss
Lawton。 But a wreath of wild roses was around Jinny's neck； from her
long ears floated Miss Jessie's hat ribbons； and a mischievous； girlish
smile was upon Miss Jessie's face； as fresh as the azaleas in her hair。 By
the next day the story of this gentle apparition was known to a dozen
miners in camp； and all were sworn to secrecy。 But the next evening； and
the next； from the safe shadows of the woods they watched and drank in
the beauty of that fanciful and all unconscious procession。 They kept
their secret； and never a whisper or footfall from these rough men broke its
charm or betrayed their presence。 The man who could have shocked the
sensitive reserve of the young girl would have paid for it with his life。
And then one day the character of the procession changed； and this
little incident having been told； it was permitted that Jinny should follow
her friend； caparisoned even as before； but this time by the rougher but no
less loving hands of men。 When the cortege reached the ferry where the
gentle girl was to begin her silent journey to the sea； Jinny broke from
those who held her； and after a frantic effort to mount the barge fell into
the swiftly rushing Stanislaus。 A dozen stout arms were stretched to save
her； and a rope skilfully thrown was caught around her feet。 For an
instant she was passive； and； as it seemed； saved。 But the next moment
her dominant instinct returned； and with one stroke of her powerful heel
she snapped the rope in twain and so drifted with her mistress to the sea。
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ROGER CATRON'S FRIEND
I think that； from the beginning； we all knew how it would end。 He
had always been so quiet and conventional； although by nature an
impulsive man； always so temperate and abstemious； although a man with
a quick appreciation of pleasure； always so cautious and practical；
although an imaginative man； that when； at last； one by one he loosed
these bands； and gave himself up to a life； perhaps not worse than other
lives which the world has accepted as the natural expression of their
various owners； we at once decided that the case was a hopeless one。
And when one night we picked him up out of the Union Ditch； a begrimed
and weather…worn drunkard； a hopeless debtor； a self…confessed spendthrift；
and a half… conscious； maudlin imbecile； we knew that the end had come。
The wife he had abandoned had in turn deserted him； the woman he had
misled had already realized her folly； and left him with her reproa