g^ EVERGREENS. 



tied down over the valley and hung there a, few hundred feet 

 above us like a great dome. There were mountains on every 

 hand, and through the fringes of the great canopy we could see 

 forests and rocks— the green and the brown. The whole scene 

 was weird and awe Inspiring as if a mighty cathedral had been 

 extemporized for our worship. Now we go into the little vil- 

 lage; and here are our cottages. In the yard are glistening 

 Spruces which we brought years ago from the highest altitudes 

 and here is a grove of Ponderosa Pines, one of them nearly 

 eleven feet in circumference and Its wide drooping branches 

 and massive head make a fine carriage house and wood-shed for 

 one of our tenants. As we go into our cottage we see over 

 Mount Nebo ai train of clouds like a flock of sheep coming down 

 the mountain side. They come right into the yard and are 

 over and around us, giving kindly welcome and cheering us 

 with their unspoken sympathy. Did you ever "keep Batch?" 

 It is just as easy and natural as can be. Here is a gem pan; 

 stir up flour and oatmeal, half and half, put in water, a. little 

 butter and baking powder. Have your oven hot and in ten min- 

 utes you have a feast fit for a king. Fry your ham and po- 

 tatoes in the meantime. What biscuits you have left, butter 

 well and put into your dinner pail and you have ,something 

 that will wear. Why make such a fuss about housekeeping? 

 I have seen women putter and dawdle around three hours 

 getting breakfast and it would be no better than mine — all 

 on the table in just thirty minutes from the time of getting out 

 of bed. 



By six o'clock we are ready for our start; we have a task 

 on hand. Eighty-five thousand trees to gather for the United 

 States government besides thousands for other parties. We had 

 a man out prospecting and he has found a good place for us. 

 It is some miles away and the rough road rises up and up all 

 the way. It is slow work for the mules. Note the trees by the 

 wayside. Here are the hardy brown cedars which will endure 

 any amount of heat and drouth; scattered here and there are 

 the Scopulorum or Silver Cedars in their glistening robes as 

 if sprayed with the moonbeams. Here is the all prevailing 

 Ponderosa, rugged, brave, patient and persistent — growing every- 

 where; out of the clefts of the rocks, perched upon the cliffs 

 waving defiance from the front of the yawning precipice, grow- 

 ing stately and grand where it can, doing the best possible 

 everywhere, always full of courage in every condition. Here 

 are groves of Douglas Spruce, each group a foliage garden of 

 Itself, some are light green, others are almost blue, some are rigid 

 in form and others have a pendulous grace. On some the 

 needles are long, on others they are short. To heighten the ef- 

 fect, near them are the charming Abies Concolor with their 

 changing and shifting tints of light and dark green and sliver 

 shadings. Up a steep mountain we climh and come to a level 



