a summer in a canyon-第8节

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Turkey…red　cotton；　there　were　no　less　than　three　rustic　lounges　and
two　arm…chairs　made　from　manzanita　branches；　and　a　Queen　Anne
bedstead　was　being　slowly　constructed；　day　by　day；　by　the　ambitious
boys　for　their　beloved　Elsie。

One　corner　of　each　tent　was　curtained　off　for　a　bath…room；　another
for　a　clothes…press；　and　there　were　a　dozen　devices　for　comfort；　as
Dr。　Winship　was　opposed　to　any　more　inconvenience　than　was　strictly
necessary。　　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Winship　and　little　Dicky　occupied　one　tent；
the　boys　another；　and　the　girls　a　third。

When　Bell；　Polly；　and　Margery　emerged　from　their　tent　on　the　second
morning；　they　were　disagreeably　surprised　to　see　a　large　placard　over
the　front　entrance；　bearing　the　insolent　inscription；　'Tent　Chatter。'
They　said　nothing；　but　on　the　night　after；　a　committee　of　two　stole
out　and　glued　a　companion　placard；　'Tent　Clatter；'　over　the　door　of
their　masculine　neighbours。　　And　to　tell　the　truth；　one　was　as　well
deserved　as　the　other；　for　if　there　was　generally　a　subdued　hum　of
conversation　in　the　one；　there　never　failed　to　be　a　perfect　din　and
uproar　in　the　other。

Under　a　great　sycamore…tree　stood　the　dining…table；　which　consisted
of　two　long；　wide　boards　placed　together　upon　a　couple　of　barrels；
and　not　far　away　was　the　brush　kitchen；　which　should　have　been　a　work
of　art；　for　it　represented　the　combined　genius　of　American；　Mexican；
and　Chinese　carpenters；　Dr。　Winship；　Pancho；　and　Hop　Yet　having
laboured　in　its　erection。　　It　really　answered　the　purpose　admirably；
and　looked　quite　like　a　conventional　California　kitchen；　that　is；　it
was　ten　feet　square；　and　contained　a　table；　a　stove；　and　a　Chinaman。

The　young　people；　by　the　way；　had　fought　bitterly　against　the　stove；
protesting　with　all　their　might　against　taking　it。　　Polly　and　Jack
declared　that　they　would　starve　sooner　than　eat　anything　that　hadn't
been　cooked　over　a　camp…fire。　　Bell　and　Philip　said　that　they　should
stand　in　front　of　it　all　the　time；　for　fear　somebody　would　ride
through　the　canyon　and　catch　them　camping　out　with　a　stove。　　Imagine
such　a　situation；　it　made　them　blush。　　Margery　said　she　wished　people
weren't　quite　so　practical；　and　wouldn't　ruin　nature　by　introducing
such　ugly　and　unnecessary　things。　　She　intended　to　point　the　moral　by
drawing　a　picture　of　Adam　and　Eve　in　the　garden　of　Eden；Eve　bending
over　a　cook…stove　and　Adam　peeling　apples　with　a　machine。　　Geoffrey
scoffed　at　Margery's　sentimentalism；　put　on　his　most　trying　air；　and
declared　that　if　he　had　his　pork　and　onions　served　up　'hot　and
reg'lar；'　he　didn't　care　how　she　had　her　victuals　cooked。

They　were　all　somewhat　appeased；　however；　when　they　found　that　Dr。
Winship　was　as　anxious　as　they　for　an　evening　camp…fire；　and　merely
insisted　upon　the　stove　because　it　simplified　the　cookery。
Furthermore；　being　an　eminently　just　man；　he　yielded　so　far　as　to
give　them　permission　to　prepare　their　own　meals　on　a　private　camp…
fire　whenever　they　desired；　and　this　effectually　stopped　the
argument；　for　no　one　was　willing　to　pay　so　heavy　a　price　for　effect。

The　hammocks；　made　of　gaily…coloured　cords；　were　slung　in　various
directions　a　short　distance　from　the　square　tent；　which；　being　the
family　sitting…room；　was　the　centre　of　attraction。　　It　was　arranged
with　a　gay　canopy；　twenty　feet　square。　　Three　sides　were　made　by
hanging　full　curtains　of　awning　cloth　from　redwood　rods　by　means　of
huge　brass　rings。　　These　curtains　were　looped　back　during　the　day　and
dropped　after　dark；　making　a　cosy　and　warm　interior　from　which　to
watch　the　camp…fire　on　cool　evenings。

As　for　the　Canyon　de　Las　Flores　itself；　this　little　valley　of　the
flowers；　it　was　beautiful　enough　in　every　part　to　inspire　an　artist's
pencil　or　a　poet's　pen；　so　quiet　and　romantic　it　was；　too；　it　might
almost　have　been　under　a　spell；the　home　of　some　sleepy；　enchanted
princess　waiting　the　magic　kiss　of　a　princely　lover。　　It　reached　from
the　ocean　to　the　mountains；　and　held　a　thousand　different　pictures　on
which　to　feast　the　eye；　for　Dame　Nature　deals　out　beauty　with　a
lavish　hand　in　this　land　of　perpetual　summer；　song；　and　sunshine。
There　were　many　noble　oak…trees；　some　hung　profusely　with　mistletoe；
and　others　with　the　long；　Spanish　greybeard　moss；　that　droops　from
the　branches　in　silvery　lines；　like　water　spray。　　Sometimes；　in　the
moonlight；　it　winds　about　the　oak　like　a　shroud；　and　then　again　like
a　filmy　bridal　veil；　or　drippings　of　mist　from　a　frozen　tree。

Here　and　there　were　open　tracts　of　ground　between　the　clumps　of
trees；　like　that　in　which　the　tents　were　pitched；sunny　places；
where　the　earth　was　warm　and　dry；　and　the　lizards　blinked　sleepily
under　the　stones。

Farther　up　the　canyon　were　superb　bay…trees；　with　their　glossy　leaves
and　aromatic　odour；　and　the　madrono；　which；　with　its　blood…red　skin；
is　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　California　trees；　having　an　open
growth；　like　a　maple；　bright　green　lustrous　leaves；　and　a　brilliant
red　bark；　which　peels　off　at　regular　seasons；　giving　place　to　a　new
one　of　delicate　pea…green。

There　were　no　birches　with　pure　white　skin；　or　graceful　elms；　or
fluffy　pussy　willows；　but　so　many　beautiful　foreign　things　that　it
would　seem　ungrateful　to　mourn　those　left　behind　in　the　dear　New
England　woods；　and　as　for　flowers；　there　are　no　yellow　and　purple
violets；　fragile　anemones；　or　blushing　Mayflowers；　but　in　March　the
hillsides　are　covered　with　red；　in　April　flushed　with　pink　and　blue；
in　May　brilliant　with　yellow　blossoms；　and　in　the　canyons；　where　the
earth　is　moist；　there　are　flowers　all　the　year。

And　then　the　girls　would　never　forgive　me　if　I　should　forget　the
superb　yucca；　or　Spanish　bayonet；　which　is　as　beautiful　as　a　tropical
queen。　　Its　tall；　slender　stalk　has　no　twigs　or　branches；　but　its
leaves　hang　down　from　the　top　like　bayonet…blades；　and　oh；　there
rises　from　the　centre　of　them　such　a　stately　princess　of　a　flower；
like　a　tree　in　itself；　laden　with　cream…white；　velvety；　fragrant
blossoms。

The　boys　often　climbed　the　hillsides　and　brought　home　these　splendid
treasures；　which　were　placed　in　pails　of　water　at　the　tent　doors；　to
shed　their　luxuriant　beauty　and　sweetness　in　the　air　for　days
together。　　They　brought　home　quantities　of　Spanish　moss；　and　wild
clematis；　and　manzanita　berries　too；　with　which　to　decorate　the
beloved　camp；　and　even　Dicky　trotted　back　with　his　arms　full　of
gorgeous　blossoms　and　grasses；　which　he　arranged　with　great　taste　and
skill　in　mugs；　bottles；　and　cans　on　the　dining…table。

Can't　you　see　what　a　charming　place　it　was？　　And　I　have　not　begun　to
tell　you　the　half　yet；　for　there　was　always　a　soft　wind　stirring　the
leaves　in　dreamy　music；　and　above　and　through　this　whispered　sound
you　heard　the　brook　splashing　over　its　pebbly　bed；splashing　and
splashing　and　laughing　all　it　possibly　could；　knowing　it　would
speedily　be　dried　up　by　the　thirsty　August　sun。　　Every　few　yards　part
of　the　stream　settled　down　contentedly　into　a　placid　little　pool；
while　the　most　inquisitive　and　restless　little　drops　flowed　noisily
down　to　see　what　was　going　on　below。　　The　banks　were　fringed　with
graceful　alders　and　poison…oak　bushes；　vivid　in　crimson　and　yellow
leaves；　while　delicate　maiden…hair　ferns　grew　in　miniature　forests
between　the　crevices　of　the　rocks；　yet；　with　the　practicality　of
Chinese　human　nature；　Hop　Yet　used　all　this　beauty　for　a　dish…pan　and
refrigerator！

Now；　confess　that；　after　having　seen　exactly　how　it　looks；　you　would
like　to　rub　a　magic　lamp；　like　Aladdin；　and　wish　yourself　there　with
our　merry　young　sextette。　　For　California　is　a　lovely　land　and　a
strange　one；　even　at　this　late　day；　when　her　character　has　been
nearly　ruined　by　dreadful　stories；　or　made　ridiculous　by　foolish
ones。

When　you　were　all　babies　in　long　clothes；　some　people　used　to　believe
that　there　were　nuggets　of　gold　to　be　picked　up　in　the　streets；　and
that　in　the　flowery　valleys；　flowing　with　milk　and　honey；　there　grew
groves　of　beet…trees；　and　forests　of　cabbages；　and　shady　bowers　of
squash…vines；　and　they　thought　that　through　these　fertile　valleys
strode　men　of　curious　mien；　wild　bandits　and　highway　robbers；　with
red　flannel　shirts　and　many　pockets　filled　with　playing…cards　and
revolvers　and　bowie…knives；　and　that　when　you　met　these　frightful
persons　and　courteously　asked　the　time　of　day；　they　were　apt　to　turn
and　stab　you　to　the　heart　by　way　of　response。

Now；　some　of　these　things　were　true；　and　some　were　not；　and　some　will
never　happen　again；　for　the　towns　and　cities　no　longer　conduct
themselves　like　headstrong　young　tomboys　out　on　a　lark；　but　have
grown　into　ancient　and　decorous　settlements　some　twenty…five　or
thirty　years　old。

Perhaps　California　isn't　really　so　interesting　since　she　began　to
learn　manners；　but　she　is　a　land　of　wonders　still；　with　her　sublime
mountains　and　valleys；　her　precious　metals；　her　vineyards　and
orchards　of　lemons　and　oranges；　figs；　limes；　and　nuts；　her　mammoth
vegetables；　each　big　enough　for　a　newspaper　story；　her　celebrated
trees；　on　the　stumps　of　which　dancing…parties　are　given；　her
vultures；　her　grizzly　bears；　and　her　people；　drawn　from　every　nook
and　corner　of　the　mappink；　yellow；　blue；　red；　and　green　countries。