WATER BORDERS 



It hugs the ground, grows roots from stem 

 joints where no roots should be, grows a 

 slender leaf or two and twice as many erect 

 full catkins that rarely, even in that short 

 growing season, fail of fruit. Dipping over 

 banks in the inlets of the creeks, the fortu- 

 nate find the rosy apples of the miniature 

 manzanita, barely, but always quite suffi- 

 ciently, borne above the spongy sod. It 

 does not do to be anything but humble in 

 the alpine regions, but not fearful. I have 

 pawed about for hours in the chill sward 

 of meadows where one might properly ex- 

 pect to get one's death, and got no harm 

 from it, except it might be Oliver Twist's 

 complaint. One comes soon after this to 

 shrubby willows, and where willows are 

 trout may be confidently looked for in 

 most Sierra streams. There is no account- 

 ing for their distribution ; though provident 

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