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coin toward the bar…keeper； and says with a sigh：
〃Gimme a cigar！〃
Naturally； another gentleman present told about another drunken man。 He
said he reeled toward home late at night； made a mistake and entered the
wrong gate； thought he saw a dog on the stoop； and it wasan iron one。
He stopped and considered； wondered if it was a dangerous dog； ventured
to say 〃Be （hic） begone！〃 No effect。 Then he approached warily； and
adopted conciliation； pursed up his lips and tried to whistle； but
failed； still approached； saying； 〃Poor dog！doggy； doggy； doggy！poor
doggy…dog！〃 Got up on the stoop； still petting with fond names； till
master of the advantages； then exclaimed； 〃Leave； you thief！〃planted a
vindictive kick in his ribs； and went head…over…heels overboard； of
course。 A pause； a sigh or two of pain； and then a remark in a
reflective voice：
〃Awful solid dog。 What could he ben eating？ （'ic！） Rocks； p'raps。
Such animals is dangerous。' At's what I saythey're dangerous。 If a
man（'ic！）if a man wants to feed a dog on rocks； let him feed him on
rocks； 'at's all right； but let him keep him at homenot have him layin'
round promiscuous； where （'ic！） where people's liable to stumble over him
when they ain't noticin'！〃
It was not without regret that I took a last look at the tiny flag （it
was thirty…five feet long and ten feet wide） fluttering like a lady's
handkerchief from the topmost peak of Mount Davidson； two thousand feet
above Virginia's roofs； and felt that doubtless I was bidding a permanent
farewell to a city which had afforded me the most vigorous enjoyment of
life I had ever experienced。 And this reminds me of an incident which
the dullest memory Virginia could boast at the time it happened must
vividly recall； at times； till its possessor dies。 Late one summer
afternoon we had a rain shower。
That was astonishing enough； in itself； to set the whole town buzzing；
for it only rains （during a week or two weeks） in the winter in Nevada；
and even then not enough at a time to make it worth while for any
merchant to keep umbrellas for sale。 But the rain was not the chief
wonder。 It only lasted five or ten minutes； while the people were still
talking about it all the heavens gathered to themselves a dense blackness
as of midnight。 All the vast eastern front of Mount Davidson； over…
looking the city； put on such a funereal gloom that only the nearness and
solidity of the mountain made its outlines even faintly distinguishable
from the dead blackness of the heavens they rested against。 This
unaccustomed sight turned all eyes toward the mountain； and as they
looked； a little tongue of rich golden flame was seen waving and
quivering in the heart of the midnight； away up on the extreme summit！
In a few minutes the streets were packed with people； gazing with hardly
an uttered word； at the one brilliant mote in the brooding world of
darkness。 It flicked like a candle…flame； and looked no larger； but with
such a background it was wonderfully bright； small as it was。 It was the
flag！though no one suspected it at first； it seemed so like a
supernatural visitor of some kinda mysterious messenger of good
tidings； some were fain to believe。 It was the nation's emblem
transfigured by the departing rays of a sun that was entirely palled from
view； and on no other object did the glory fall； in all the broad
panorama of mountain ranges and deserts。 Not even upon the staff of the
flagfor that； a needle in the distance at any time； was now untouched
by the light and undistinguishable in the gloom。 For a whole hour the
weird visitor winked and burned in its lofty solitude； and still the
thousands of uplifted eyes watched it with fascinated interest。 How the
people were wrought up！ The superstition grew apace that this was a
mystic courier come with great news from the warthe poetry of the idea
excusing and commending itand on it spread； from heart to heart； from
lip to lip and from street to street； till there was a general impulse to
have out the military and welcome the bright waif with a salvo of
artillery！
And all that time one sorely tried man； the telegraph operator sworn to
official secrecy； had to lock his lips and chain his tongue with a
silence that was like to rend them； for he； and he only； of all the
speculating multitude； knew the great things this sinking sun had seen
that day in the eastVicksburg fallen； and the Union arms victorious at
Gettysburg！
But for the journalistic monopoly that forbade the slightest revealment
of eastern news till a day after its publication in the California
papers； the glorified flag on Mount Davidson would have been saluted and
re…saluted； that memorable evening； as long as there was a charge of
powder to thunder with； the city would have been illuminated； and every
man that had any respect for himself would have got drunk；as was the
custom of the country on all occasions of public moment。 Even at this
distant day I cannot think of this needlessly marred supreme opportunity
without regret。 What a time we might have had！
CHAPTER LVI。
We rumbled over the plains and valleys； climbed the Sierras to the
clouds； and looked down upon summer…clad California。 And I will remark
here； in passing； that all scenery in California requires distance to
give it its highest charm。 The mountains are imposing in their sublimity
and their majesty of form and altitude； from any point of viewbut one
must have distance to soften their ruggedness and enrich their tintings；
a Californian forest is best at a little distance； for there is a sad
poverty of variety in species； the trees being chiefly of one monotonous
familyredwood； pine； spruce； firand so； at a near view there is a
wearisome sameness of attitude in their rigid arms； stretched down ward
and outward in one continued and reiterated appeal to all men to 〃Sh！
don't say a word！you might disturb somebody！〃 Close at hand； too；
there is a reliefless and relentless smell of pitch and turpentine； there
is a ceaseless melancholy in their sighing and complaining foliage； one
walks over a soundless carpet of beaten yellow bark and dead spines of
the foliage till he feels like a wandering spirit bereft of a footfall；
he tires of the endless tufts of needles and yearns for substantial；
shapely leaves； he looks for moss and grass to loll upon； and finds none；
for where there is no bark there is naked clay and dirt； enemies to
pensive musing and clean apparel。 Often a grassy plain in California； is
what it should be； but often； too； it is best contemplated at a distance；
because although its grass blades are tall； they stand up vindictively
straight and self…sufficient； and are unsociably wide apart； with
uncomely spots of barren sand between。
One of the queerest things I know of； is to hear tourists from 〃the
States〃 go into ecstasies over the loveliness of 〃ever…blooming
California。〃 And they always do go into that sort of ecstasies。 But
perhaps they would modify them if they knew how old Californians； with
the memory full upon them of the dust…covered and questionable summer
greens of Californian 〃verdure；〃 stand astonished； and filled with
worshipping admiration； in the presence of the lavish richness； the
brilliant green； the infinite freshness； the spend…thrift variety of form
and species and foliage that make an Eastern landscape a vision of
Paradise itself。 The idea of a man falling into raptures over grave and
sombre California； when that man has seen New England's meadow…expanses
and her maples； oaks and cathedral…windowed elms decked in summer attire；
or the opaline splendors of autumn descending upon her forests； comes
very near being funnywould be； in fact； but that it is so pathetic。
No land with an unvarying climate can be very beautiful。 The tropics are
not； for all the sentiment that is wasted on them。 They seem beautiful
at first； but sameness impairs the charm by and by。 Change is the
handmaiden Nature requires to do her miracles with。 The land that has
four well…defined seasons； cannot lack beauty； or pall with monotony。
Each season brings a world of enjoyment and interest in the watching of
its unfol