FIELD-DAYS IN CALIFORNIA 



ing my small field-glass upon a flock of sparrows 

 feeding there on the ground. I might go some- 

 where else with my telescope, he said, when I 

 tried to explain what I was doing. He was n't 

 going to stand it. His dog, meanwhile, was set- 

 ting him a Christian example ; for in response to 

 a coaxing gesture he had ventured up, and was 

 licking my hand. Possibly I made matters worse 

 by remarking, "Your do^ seems very friendly" 

 though I did not go so far as to quote the saying 

 of the French cynic — if he was French — that 

 the more he saw of men, the better he thought 

 of dogs. 



But that was months ago, on the outskirts of 

 San Diego, and might never have been brought 

 again to mind but for the praise of foreigners 

 into which I have unwittingly fallen. 



Nearly or quite all the residents of this Santa 

 Cruz mountain region (for the little distance that 

 I have gone, that is to say) seem to be men from 

 the old countries. The last one with whom I 

 spoke to-day was a Frenchman. He had been 

 here more than forty years, he said. 



The interview began by his appearing at the 

 door and calling out cheerily, " Well, won't you 

 have some more apples ? " 



" No, I thank you," I answered. 



But he persisted, "Oh, come in, and have some." 

 158 



