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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 reproaches； the
associates of his reckless life； who had used and abused him； had found
him no longer of service； or even amusement； and clearly there was
nothing left to do but to hand him over to the state； and we took him to the
nearest penitential asylum。 Conscious of the Samaritan deed； we went
back to our respective wives； and told his story。 It is only just to say that
these sympathetic creatures were more interested in the philanthropy of
their respective husbands than in its miserable object。 〃It was good and
kind in you； dear；〃 said loving Mrs。 Maston to her spouse； as returning
home that night he flung his coat on a chair with an air of fatigued
righteousness； 〃it was like your kind heart to care for that beast； but after
he left that good wife of histhat perfect saintto take up with that awful
woman； I think I'd have left him to die in the ditch。 Only to think of it；
dear； a woman that you wouldn't speak to！〃 Here Mr。 Maston coughed
slightly； colored a little； mumbled something about 〃women not
understanding some things；〃 〃that men were men；〃 etc。； and then went
comfortably to sleep； leaving the outcast； happily oblivious of all things；
and especially this criticism； locked up in Hangtown Jail。
For the next twelve hours he lay there； apathetic and half… conscious。
Recovering from this after a while； he became furious； vengeful； and
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unmanageable； filling the cell and corridor with maledictions of friend and
enemy； and again sullen； morose； and watchful。 Then he refused food；
and did not sleep； pacing his limits with the incessant； feverish tread of a
caged tiger。 Two physicians； diagnosing his case from the scant facts；
pronounced him insane； and he was accordingly transported to Sacramento。
But on the way thither he managed to elude the vigilance of his guards；
and escaped。 The alarm was given； a hue and cry followed him； the best
detectives of San Francisco were on his track； and finally recovered his
dead bodyemaciated and wasted by exhaustion and feverin the
Stanislaus Marshes； identified it； and； receiving the reward of 1；000
offered by his surviving relatives and family； assisted in legally
establishing the end we had predicted。
Unfortunately for the moral； the facts were somewhat inconsistent
with the theory。 A day or two after the remains were discovered and
identified； the real body of 〃Roger Catron； aged 52 years； slight； iron…gray
hair； and shabby in apparel；〃 as the advertisement read； dragged itself；
travel…worn； trembling； and disheveled； up the steep slope of Deadwood
Hill。 How he should do it； he had long since determined；ever since he
had hidden his Derringer； a mere baby pistol； from the vigilance of his
keepers。 Where he should do it； he had settled within his mind only within
the last few moments。 Deadwood Hill was seldom frequented； his body
might lie there for months before it was discovered。 He had once thought
of the river； but he remembered it had an ugly way of exposing its secrets
on sandbar and shallow； and that the body of Whisky Jim； bloated and
disfigured almost beyond recognition； had been once delivered to the eyes
of Sandy Bar； before breakfast； on the left bank