Letters to a Friend 



to the mountain baptisms that there is danger 

 of having others on my hands when you come, 

 which must not be. I will mark off one or two 

 or three months of bare, dutiless time for our 

 blessed selves or the few good and loyal ones 

 that you may choose. Therefore, at the ex 

 pense even of breaking a dozen of civilization's 

 laws and fences, I want you to come. For the 

 high Sierra the months of July, August, and 

 September are best. 



As for your Asiatic sayings, I would gladly 

 creep into the Vale of Cashmere or any other 

 grove upon our blessed star. I feel my poverty 

 in general knowledge and will travel some day. 

 You need not think that I feel Yosemite to be 

 all in all, but more of this when you come. 



I am going to send you with this a few 

 facts and thoughts that I gathered concerning 

 Twenty Hill Hollow, which I want to publish, 

 if you think you can mend them and make 

 them into a lawful article fit for outsiders. Plant 

 gold is fading from California faster than did 

 her placer gold, and I wanted to save the 

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