246 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



valley soon reached the range of hills dividing the valle3^s of 

 Sonoma and Napa. Just after leaving the town of Sonoma I 

 came to the " Pike County House," named so as a compliment 

 to the many "Pikes" in California. In a lonely spot near 

 here I met two men, a sample of what you were then contin- 

 ually meeting in California. They were "dead broke" 

 tramps, and a vicious looking lot. They told me they w^anted 

 some money of me, and I gave them a dollar, which they 

 took as if it were due them. Saying "Good-bye, Charley," 

 they went on, and I expect got royally drunk at the " Pike " 

 on my money. I thought it better to give them one dollar 

 than to have them "borrow" sixty dollars of me. The last 

 fate I looked for; but it would have gone tough with me to 

 have given up my hard earnings on the ranch. But, perhaps, 

 I wrongly suspected these men. They may have only asked 

 of me w^hat they had often given others, for the Californian is 

 noted for his liberality wdien flush, and his "cheek" for ask- 

 ing of others when luck had turned. Still, in my case it was 

 a forced loan, and I handed over my dollar with a very un- 

 favorable opinion of the transaction. 



I crossed the divide and at last reached the sw^ampy plains 

 bordering the Napa River. Leaving Napa with its unpleas- 

 ant recollections to the left, I crossed the river further down, 

 at Suscol. Here was a hotel where I staid all night, faring 

 very differently from when last here in this neighborhood, 

 when my comrade and I slept supperless in a straw-shed. The 

 next morning I started early and soon struck the trail where 

 we traveled in such tribulation a few months before. Then 

 down-hearted, ragged and penniless, foot-sore and limping, I 

 trudged along, zigzagging from ranch to ranch hunting for 

 work; often the recipient of snubs and grudgingly offered 

 meals, and thankful if I could find a comfortable stable to 

 sleep in. Now I walked cheerfully along, taking in the scen- 

 ery, with money in plenty, and when tired, "took mine ease 



