Letters to a Friend 



Seven miles north from Snellings, 

 May 1 6th, 1869. 



The thoughts of again meeting with you and 

 with the mountains make me scarce able to hold 

 my pen. If you can let me know by the first 

 of June when you will leave Stockton, I will 

 meet you in the very valley itself. When the 

 grass of the plains is dead, most owners of sheep 

 drive their flocks to the pastures green of the 

 mountains, and as my soul is athirst for moun 

 tain things, I have engaged to take charge of a 

 flock all summer between the head waters of the 

 Tuolumne and Yosemite, within a few hours' 

 walk of the valley. For the next two weeks I 

 will be at Hopeton. Some time in the first week 

 of June, I will start from this place (Patrick 

 Delaney's ranch) for the mountains. By the 

 middle of June or a little later we will have our 

 flock settled in the new home, and, having made 

 special arrangements for a two weeks' ramble 

 with you, I will then be ready and free. Any 

 time, say between the 2Oth of June and the 

 1 5th of July, will suit me. I intended to enjoy 

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