Etc. [pp. 324-328]

S1889.]
for unnecessary deaths at their hands. But in literal
fact, the majority comment of press and street does
not excuse the officer's action as an error of ju.dgment,
but defends it as a perfectly proper answer to the
indignity of the blow, v hich Judge Field's position
forbade him to himself resent in like manner. This
would doubtless hasve been eminently Judge Ter-ry's
own siew- of the matter; and it is for having more
than once acted on such a view that this same majo-ity comment is now condemning him.
A -o lIERt criticism condemns Judge Field for
accepting an armed escort for protection. Judclge
Field himself recognizes this sentiment whien he
declares his disinclination to accept the escort. It
is a condition of affairs greatly to be deplored that
a judge of any court should lbe under the necessity
of accepting a bodyguard to protect his person
against attacks by defeated litigants, but in this case
such a condition existed. It had to be faced; and certainly the prlotection of an officer of the law was the
best method of facing it. It would be a sad commentary on our judicial system if the judge himself were
compelled to meet violence with violence, and to sustain his judicial actions at the point of the pistol.
I he-e is a habit of mind in the community, surviving
firom the days of the inefficiency of the machinery of
gov-ei-nment to cope with acts of violence, that con(letns thie man who) invokes the protection of the law
in order to() avoid violence. Bravery is good; but so
long as it is leaned on instead of law, even for defense, law is by that much weakened. There is always a legal method of redress, and it is the duty of
all citizens to strengthen and sustain this method.
A Glimpse in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
I \\As recruiting for a few weeks in a delightful
tone boairding-house in the Santa Cruz IMoutntains,
and Ruth was also boarding there, and teaching in a
little c, l shanty schoolhoutse a few miles hack in the
country.
I am not going to give lRuth's svhole name, for I
(lare not, believing that some day it is going to be
rery familiar to the educational world, for she is a
grand schola-. Ruth is hier real name, though, as
far as it goes; no other name would suit her so well,plain, sweet, and simple, but with depths in het
nature that make her a delightful companion. So I
fell in lov e ws ith Rtuth at once, and as little old schoolhouses away back in the country and happy schoolchildren fwhom I have never seen lbefore, have always
had a special interest and charm for me, I resolved
that some morning I would accompany Ruth on her
horseback ride to her school. I procured a horse,
and improvising a habit, one lovely morning we
started ottt together.
Throtigh the village and out a mile or two we had
a pleasant trot and chat, with nothing specially inteiesting around us except the brightness of the sky
Etc.
325
and the sweet morning air. But where we began the
real ascent of the mountain, when the valleys we had
left behind lay in living pictures 1)blow us, I felt the
spell of the mountains upon me. As we slowly as cended the ever winding road, it had so grown upon
me that I told Ruth she might go on, and I would
linger and enjoy the views and( join her later at the
schoolhouse.
Tying my horse to the fence, I found a perch on
the steep hillside, where I looked between the madroino trees, and got glimpses of what I called my
Beulah land. The madronio tree is beautiful enough
to be the tree of life. It always looks as fresh as
though just created and washed by Eden showers.
Its trunk and branches are covered with smooth,
thin bark, of a rich red color. When it sheds i s
leaves I do not know. I looked around for dead or
dying ones, Ibut could find none, either on the trees
or the ground. All were perfect, green, thick, and
glossy. It does not bear twelve manner of fruits,
but it sheds its red bark every month, covering the
ground with crisp, clean, brittle shavings, and leaving the whole wood of the tree smooth and olive
colored.
The road here makes a direct turn, so that it lies
on two distinct terraces at my feet. The ground is
quite level on this side of the water, with a few trees
forming what seems to be an old orchard; a path
leads through it, and three little lambs are just emergintg from the shadows into the path.
Ju,st now I heai- a team comning. It is right here
behind the trees. The man has stopped to rest his
horses. I feel inclined to get up and run, but he is
hummning a tune as he vwaits, and calls his horses
"boys," so I conclude he is a good-natured sort of
man.
TIe spies me at last and calls out, " IIalloa, you
are giving yourself a sunning up there, are you?
" Yes."
"Got a pretty warm l)lace."
" Yes, lhut the view is lovely from here."
" Yes., it is very fine."
The air is full of the twitter of birds, and the water
is full of sun-spai-kles, for the water I have spoken of
is a large reservoir, a little mirror lake, directly in
front of me and p)erhaps a mile farther down. The
shore on three sides slopes down to the water. On
one of these sides is a smiling green vineyard. On
the east are broad fields. Great trees of white oak
spread their generois shad(lows, and I can just discern men at work. They may be rough men, biut
the distance lends enchantment, and the scene is one
of perfect peace. The othei shore is wild, a steep
bank with clumps of old redwoods in the background,
merging into the woods that clothe the niotintains.
A weather-beaten shanty stands close to the water's
edge.
There is a low, scriubby growth on the highest of
these mountains, which gives them the effect, ev en in