in height (!) they then "went in," and | into life, we were awake and just as we smoked our pipes and gazed with 'old sol' came creeping from his mounastonishment as the monument disap-tain bed, we were leaving camp. About peared. We carried our gold between the folds of our handkerchiefs-those of us who were fortunate enough to have one, those less fortunate, in strips of flour-bag,-secured around us, just above the waistband of our pants, and beneath our shirts-the little Frenchman discovered the location of it, and familiarly touched old Bluff's treasure, making at the same time some very happy remarks-neither the action or remarks were favorably received by Bluff, who putting his huge fist very near the little fellow's face, advised him to "take care! or I'll knock the top of your head off." The adjacent hills, the trees and everything was clothed with nightthe camp-fire had dwindled down until but here and there a spark flickered, and then, went out-myriads of stars were twinkling up above, and the last whiff from our pipes was winding and circling the air, 'ere we proposed to turn in. The Frenchman who had been sitting with the vaqueros, aside from us, now approached and invited us to sleep with him-he had selected such a lovely spot, beneath the extending branches of a huge old pine-the grass was so heavy there, and it would be so much more secure, as well as pleasant to sleep together-to all his entreaties we were deaf, and turned in between our own blankets, and upon the ground we had ourselves selected it was not 'til now, that a suspicion flashed across our minds, that we might be in bad company, and after comparing notes, we brought to mind several suspicious circumstances in connection with our French friendbut as we were well armed, and feeling strong in numbers, we apprehended but little danger and-went to sleep. Just as the gray of dawn came peeping o'er the hills-just at that time when the darkness wavers, 'ere it disappears-just as day came struggling noon we arrived in Grass Valley, and finding good grass and water about one mile from the settlement, the owner of the train concluded to camp there, and we, telling him that we wanted to settle with him in town, went on and established ourselves at the most fashionable hotel-which consisted of eight upright posts, covered with brown muslin, and furnished with a bar and table-the bar, comprised a board over a barrel, two tin cups and a black bottle-the table, a board over two barrels, and when 'set' presented an array of tin plates, and rusty knives. Kitchen was behind the house-out of doors. The culinary utensils included a fry-pan, camp-kettle, coffee-pot, andthat was all. The But we were comfortable, and "laid back" happy and contended, if only from the fun that we had at length found some one to cook for us. We had been at our hotel less than an hour when our interpreter made his appearance, and stated that if agreeable to us, he would receive our fares for the Spaniard-not dreaming of any deception, we paid him. A short time after, the old Spaniard came in, and through an interpreter, who he had found in the valley, informed us that his business was to collect our passage money. He was rather surprised to learn that the Frenchman had received it, and said that he was not authorized to do so, but he presumed it was all right. One hour later he returned in a state of great excitement, he could not find the Frenchman, and some one during his absence from camp, had been there and stolen all of his money-about $1200. It must have been the Frenchman-we readily and at once assisted to hunt for him, we aroused the camp--parties went out in every direction,—but our search was of no avail, he had gone. This was a severe blow to the Spaniard, and although years ago, I can well remember how he looked, and can see him now, as I saw him then,-standing there with clasped hands, his head uncovered, and those gray locks flutttering wildly on the evening breeze-every feature seemed impressed with anguish, and louder than words, told how heavily the blow had fallen. I afterwards learned that this was but one of a series of misfortunes which had befallen him, and they of late had come so fast and thick, that the poor old man was well nigh ruined. We felt sincerely sorry for him, but that of course did not help him any, his pride would not allow him to receive money from us and so we parted. Some eighteen months after I met with him in San Francisco, and learned from him, that fortune having at length smiled, he was 'en route' for his home in Mexico. Of the Frenchman I have nothing positive to relate, but as I was perambulating the streets of San Francisco about four years ago, I observed a party of men at work; as I drew nearer to them, I noticed that attached to their ankles, were some curious iron ornaments, and among the party, one who bore a very marked resemblance to our French interpreter. AN INDEPENDENCE LYRIC. That dealt death on the land and the seas; Yes, death to the tyrants who came as fierce foes, To fetter our fathers with chains, Whose pure fame all hallowed remains. W. H. D. HOW CAME IT THERE? Several feet below the surface, in the gravel, and among the roots of a noble pine tree, over four feet in diameter, and growing on Weaverville creek, Trinity County, near the town of Weaverville, a gentleman named Fouts, in the winter of 1850, while mining, found a small, neatly worked necklace, made of lignum-vitae wood, threaded on fine gold wire; and attached thereto was a beautifully chased and highly finished cross of gold. Now, will some one account for its existence there, -or answer- - How came it there? THE MORAL HEART OF CALIFORNIA. upon California, as truthfully she is, a golden Goddess, beautifully jeweled, and enshrined in outward magnificence; but with all her beauty marred and impaired, by the blemish upon her moral heart. It is thus we find her; rich and prosperous in everything that constitutes a superficial splendour, even to the throwing off of two millions of golden jewels semi-monthly; and yet, possessing a leprous moral heart. It may appear to many like a misnomer, to speak of the Moral heart of California; but it is not; there is no misnaming about it; for though in the great heart-throbbings of our people, the "almighty dollar," and the efforts for its procurement, seem to be the mainspring of our action, a principle impelling as with an electric speed and power, the minds of the masses, regardless of the wear upon the moral heart, still there is a recuperative prin- It is not our purpose to charge upon ciple, a power in goodness and morality, any class or party of men, political that in spite of every neglect, will or religious, as being peculiarly the sooner or later triumph over vice, er- cause of our present morally depressed ror, immorality, and their consequences. condition. It is enough, and bad With the first dawn of our exist- enough, that the fact exists; but our ence as a State of the Confederacy, object is, or would be were it possible, we were isolated and distant from all to bring Californians to think and bethe more hallowed and refined influ-lieve in the necessity of a more elevaences of an enlightened civilization. ted standard of morality. Nothing The great body of our people possessed in an eminent degree, the reckless daring, and spirit, of adventurers; and it was, as it always is-to say the least of it-coupled with a recklessness of the moral heart; a carelessness in keeping sentinel over passions and desires the most difficult of control when untrammeled and freed from the con ventional usages of a more elevated and refined society. As a consequence, violence was done to the moral heart, and however well it may have seemed to answer the ends and purposes of an unscrupulous ambition in fostering individual aggrandisement, the result has been a disease of the moral heart; and so deep and hideously apparent is the plague-spot, that the broad mantle of charity even, can no longer hide it; for the world knows it. And yet the world looks but a proper appreciation of this necessity is wanting to render California in many respects, the terrestrial paradise of the human race. To accomplish this the moral heart must first beat with a calm and regular pulsation. This can only be secured by the proper flow of pure and uncontaminated blood, performing the life-functions of our government. To secure this, such men only should be entrusted with the power, as possess a high moral principle, and an interest in the honor and prosperity of the country. Already is the Press of a portion of the State at least, eloquent in its appeals to the patriotism (?) of the people. A portion are devoted to the support of one man as an exponent of principles or of party; and another portion, to men of an opposite political faith, or opposing party; and both, | ery true-hearted patriot must feel that without the slightest allusion to the moral character of either. The fact is, it has become dangerous for political parties to make inquiry as to the moral antecedents of partisans, as candidates for office; and when such inquiry is made, and the odium of easy morality is incontrovertibly established, it seems too often but the prestige or sure stepping-stone to political success and preferment. the time for a nobler political existence for California has fully come, and we ask earnestly—that every true Californian should lend a strong hand and heart to usher in the glorious advent, by voting only for honest, moral, and capable men. MY CABIN HOME. BY G. F. NOURSE. Adieu! Adicu! my cabin home, Now this could not be, if the great Each knotty log, adieu! Have braved rude winter's blasts; Every other experiment has been resorted to, and signally failed. Now let us for once at least, at the approaching political campaign, try the experiment of acting from a higher and hohier impulse than party expediency, or the preferment of zealous partisans because they are such, regardless of their high moral worth, and intellectual ability. The untrammeled exercise of a high moral principle in our political action, and inculcating the doctrine that such an attainment is indispensable in those with whom we are to entrust our interests, can alone erase the one foul stain that now mars the otherwise brilliant history of our State's progress. Ev Thy dear old roof, a mother, With each and all I've oft communed, In concord with the breeze. And thou, my faithful guardian dear, Thy door-way round about, With silence 's speaking out. I'll summon all my will, I'll not forget the hours of bliss Passed 'neath thy friendly roof, I'd give thee burning proof- Our Social Chair. We have often thought and felt that an oversight occured at the commencement of this Magazine; that we did not set apart some jovial corner for sunny and social intercourse with our fun-loving readers; where in a chatty and familiar way all sorts of goodhumored things could be said or quoted in a good-humored way, for the amusement and improvement of us all. "Laugh and grow fat," is a very old, but very expressive aphorism, cannot. "Dearest, I stand corrected," was the prompt and affectionate rejoinder) but if the reader please, we will say instead, that we like fun, and all the good jokes and useful suggestions we can secure at all suitable times and seasons, and we hope that our readers will just make themselves at home, and say just what they please that may be provocative of mirth, to this “Our Social Chair," as it is here for that purpose. As all things must have a commencement, we propose to set the ball rolling by saying that before this Social Chair lie Magazines, Newspapers and so forth, from all parts of the world, and-California! The uppermost, and one of the most welcome of these is "The Old Mountaineer," from Plumas County. Having just arrived, and being dated May 7th, we are led to the conclusion that it must have had a hard time of it somewhere. At first we supposed it possible that old Winter had way-laid the Expressman, and covered him up with his hoary beard in some deep cañon, and the papers with him, but we immediately repudiated that idea as very fallacious and improbable, knowing that the genial warmth and good-humor of "The Old Mountaineer" would have thawed its way out through the snowy locks, or even the very heart of that stern and uncompromising old Annual. We therefore concluded that some one of Uncle Samuel's fast mail institutions had imprisoned it in some unprospected corner of a (facetiously named) "Mail Bag," and which we especially regret as that paper contains the tidings of the editor's having committed matrimony (!) At such a time of all others, we suggest that the gentle reader "Hear him for his cause.' With us he has the floor-no, we mean the "Social Chair." "MARRIED, in Quincy, Plumas County, on the evening of May 1st, by His Honor, Judge GOODWIN, Mr. JOHN K. LOVEJOY, Editor of the "Old Mountaineer," and Miss H. A. McGowen. Bring out the big guns made of brass, Bring out the flag of Bennington, For we've entered into the state of connubial felickity- and "gone under." Hurrah for our side! Aint we a happy fellow-got a wife of our own-sha'nt trouble our neighbors don't ask 'em any boot-will neither borrow nor lend no-how-W-hoops! and crinoline! Git up and shake yourselvesweep and howl! you buttonless, old bachelors, for your sins hang heavily on you; why you are of no earthly use, or as the sweet Psalma long way out, eh ?] (we've forgot the chapist fitly expresses it 'outen' the Psalmster and verse-wish we could forget about a few new dresses 'fore long, as easy,―hey !) "A bachelor's a hob-nail, And rusts for want of use, sir." got somebody to box our ears-comb our We've got the advantage of you every way blessed gray hairs, what were goin' down in sorrow-mend our ways, and unmentionables lighten our cares and bread-provided she instead of coming home at midnight and go can get flour-powerful scarce just now,-and sneaking into a room, the floor all covered over with stumps of cigars, old chews of tobacco, old dirty clothes, and getting into an old ragged bunk,-a flint rock compared with it would be cotton-we-that is us-"early to bed and late to rise"-you all know the adage-we come home-room nicely carpeted slippers ready-well, we are not going to half we know, for fear you might envy us, and that 'aint Christian-like. tell you We had several reasons for pursuing the course we have-wanted a "local item" for our next "issue"-the "sheets" must be filled up-"impressions" must be made, or our "typographical" brethren would raise a muss, |