roughing it-第57章

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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　unfolding；　its　gradual；　harmonious　development；　its　culminating
gracesand　just　as　one　begins　to　tire　of　it；　it　passes　away　and　a
radical　change　comes；　with　new　witcheries　and　new　glories　in　its　train。
And　I　think　that　to　one　in　sympathy　with　nature；　each　season；　in　its
turn；　seems　the　loveliest。

San　Francisco；　a　truly　fascinating　city　to　live　in；　is　stately　and
handsome　at　a　fair　distance；　but　close　at　hand　one　notes　that　the
architecture　is　mostly　old…fashioned；　many　streets　are　made　up　of
decaying；　smoke…grimed；　wooden　houses；　and　the　barren　sand…hills　toward
the　outskirts　obtrude　themselves　too　prominently。　　Even　the　kindly
climate　is　sometimes　pleasanter　when　read　about　than　personally
experienced；　for　a　lovely；　cloudless　sky　wears　out　its　welcome　by　and　by；
and　then　when　the　longed　for　rain　does　come　it　stays。　　Even　the　playful
earthquake　is　better　contemplated　at　a　dis

However　there　are　varying　opinions　about　that。

The　climate　of　San　Francisco　is　mild　and　singularly　equable。　　The
thermometer　stands　at　about　seventy　degrees　the　year　round。　　It　hardly
changes　at　all。　　You　sleep　under　one　or　two　light　blankets　Summer　and
Winter；　and　never　use　a　mosquito　bar。　　Nobody　ever　wears　Summer　clothing。
You　wear　black　broadclothif　you　have　itin　August　and　January；　just
the　same。　　It　is　no　colder；　and　no　warmer；　in　the　one　month　than　the
other。　　You　do　not　use　overcoats　and　you　do　not　use　fans。　　It　is　as
pleasant　a　climate　as　could　well　be　contrived；　take　it　all　around；　and　is
doubtless　the　most　unvarying　in　the　whole　world。　　The　wind　blows　there　a
good　deal　in　the　summer　months；　but　then　you　can　go　over　to　Oakland；　if
you　choosethree　or　four　miles　awayit　does　not　blow　there。　　It　has
only　snowed　twice　in　San　Francisco　in　nineteen　years；　and　then　it　only
remained　on　the　ground　long　enough　to　astonish　the　children；　and　set　them
to　wondering　what　the　feathery　stuff　was。

During　eight　months　of　the　year；　straight　along；　the　skies　are　bright　and
cloudless；　and　never　a　drop　of　rain　falls。　　But　when　the　other　four
months　come　along；　you　will　need　to　go　and　steal　an　umbrella。　　Because
you　will　require　it。　　Not　just　one　day；　but　one　hundred　and　twenty　days
in　hardly　varying　succession。　　When　you　want　to　go　visiting；　or　attend
church；　or　the　theatre；　you　never　look　up　at　the　clouds　to　see　whether　it
is　likely　to　rain　or　notyou　look　at　the　almanac。　　If　it　is　Winter；　it
will　rainand　if　it　is　Summer；　it　won't　rain；　and　you　cannot　help　it。
You　never　need　a　lightning…rod；　because　it　never　thunders　and　it　never
lightens。　　And　after　you　have　listened　for　six　or　eight　weeks；　every
night；　to　the　dismal　monotony　of　those　quiet　rains；　you　will　wish　in　your
heart　the　thunder　would　leap　and　crash　and　roar　along　those　drowsy　skies
once；　and　make　everything　aliveyou　will　wish　the　prisoned　lightnings
would　cleave　the　dull　firmament　asunder　and　light　it　with　a　blinding
glare　for　one　little　instant。　　You　would　give　anything　to　hear　the　old
familiar　thunder　again　and　see　the　lightning　strike　somebody。　　And　a