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official and private。 He assailed whatever came first to hand with all
the fierceness of a flaming indignation long restrained。
Quite naturally he attacked the police； and with such ferocity and
penetration that as soon as copies of the Enterprise came from Virginia
the City Hall began to boil and smoke and threaten trouble。 Martin G。
Burke； then chief of police； entered libel suit against the Enterprise；
prodigiously advertising that paper； copies of which were snatched as
soon as the stage brought them。
Mark Twain really let himself go then。 He wrote a letter that on the
outside was marked； 〃Be sure and let Joe see this before it goes in。〃
He even doubted himself whether Goodman would dare to print it； after
reading。 It was a letter describing the city's corrupt morals under the
existing police government。 It began； 〃The air is full of lechery； and
rumors of lechery；〃 and continued in a strain which made even the
Enterprise printers aghast。
〃You can never afford to publish that；〃 the foreman said to； Goodman。
〃Let it all go in； every word；〃 Goodman answered。 〃If Mark can stand it；
I can！
It seemed unfortunate （at the time） that Steve Gillis should select this
particular moment to stir up trouble that would involve both himself and
Clemens with the very officials which the latter had undertaken to
punish。 Passing a saloon one night alone； Gillis heard an altercation
going on inside； and very naturally stepped in to enjoy it。 Including
the barkeeper； there were three against two。 Steve ranged himself on the
weaker side； and selected the barkeeper； a big bruiser； who； when the
fight was over； was ready for the hospital。 It turned out that he was
one of Chief Burke's minions； and Gillis was presently indicted on a
charge of assault with intent to kill。 He knew some of the officials in
a friendly way； and was advised to give a straw bond and go into
temporary retirement。 Clemens； of course； went his bail； and Steve set
out for Virginia City； until the storm blew over。
This was Burke's opportunity。 When the case was called and Gillis did
not appear； Burke promptly instituted an action against his bondsman；
with an execution against his loose property。 The watch that had been
given him as Governor of the Third House came near being thus sacrificed
in the cause of friendship； and was only saved by skilful manipulation。
Now； it was down in the chain of circumstances that Steve Gillis's
brother； James N。 Gillis； a gentle…hearted hermit； a pocket…miner of the
halcyon Tuolumne districtthe Truthful James of Bret Hartehappened to
be in San Francisco at this time； and invited Clemens to return with him
to the far seclusion of his cabin on Jackass Hill。 In that peaceful
retreat were always rest and refreshment for the wayfarer； and more than
one weary writer besides Bret Harte had found shelter there。 James
Gillis himself had fine literary instincts； but he remained a pocket…
miner because he loved that quiet pursuit of gold； the Arcadian life； the
companionship of his books； the occasional Bohemian pilgrim who found
refuge in his retreat。 It is said that the sick were made well； and the
well made better； in Jim Gillis's cabin on the hilltop； where the air was
nectar and the stillness like enchantment。 One could mine there if he
wished to do so； Jim would always furnish him a promising claim； and
teach him the art of following the little fan…like drift of gold specks
to the nested deposit of nuggets somewhere up the hillside。 He regularly
shared his cabin with one Dick Stoker （Dick Baker； of 'Roughing It'）；
another genial soul who long ago had retired from the world to this
forgotten land； also with Dick's cat； Tom Quartz； but there was always
room for guests。
In 'Roughing It'； and in a later story； 〃The Californian's Tale；〃 Mark
Twain has made us acquainted with the verdant solitude of the Tuolumne
hills； that dreamy； delicious paradise where once a vast population had
gathered when placer…mining had been in its bloom； a dozen years before。
The human swarm had scattered when the washings failed to pay； leaving
only a quiet emptiness and the few pocket…miners along the Stanislaus and
among the hills。 Vast areas of that section present a strange appearance
to…day。 Long stretches there are； crowded and jammed and drifted with
ghostly white stones that stand up like fossils of a prehistoric life
the earth deposit which once covered them entirely washed away； every
particle of it removed by the greedy hordes； leaving only this vast
bleaching drift； literally the 〃picked bones of the land。〃 At one place
stands Columbia； regarded once as a rival to Sacramento； a possible State
capitala few tumbling shanties nowand a ruined church。
It was the 4th of December； 1864； when Mark Twain arrived at Jim Gillis's
cabin。 He found it a humble habitation made of logs and slabs； partly
sheltered by a great live…oak tree； surrounded by a stretch of grass。
It had not much in the way of pretentious furniture； but there was a
large fireplace； and a library which included the standard authors。
A younger Gillis boy； William； was there at this time； so that the family
numbered five in all； including Tom Quartz； the cat。 On rainy days they
would gather about the big； open fire and Jim Gillis； with his back to
the warmth； would relate diverting yarns； creations of his own； turned
out hot from the anvil； forged as he went along。 He had a startling
imagination； and he had fostered it in that secluded place。 His stories
usually consisted of wonderful adventures of his companion； Dick Stoker；
portrayed with humor and that serene and vagrant fancy which builds as it
goes； careless as to whither it is proceeding and whether the story shall
end well or ill； soon or late； if ever。 He always pretended that these
extravagant tales of Stoker were strictly true； and Stoker〃forty…six
and gray as a rat〃earnest； thoughtful； and tranquilly serene； would
smoke and look into the fire and listen to those astonishing things of
himself； smiling a little now and then but saying never a word。 What did
it matter to him？ He had no world outside of the cabin and the hills； no
affairs； he would live and die there； his affairs all had ended long ago。
A number of the stories used in Mark Twain's books were first told by Jim
Gillis； standing with his hands crossed behind him； back to the fire； in
the cabin on jackass Hill。 The story of Dick Baker's cat was one of
these； the jaybird and Acorn story of 'A Tramp Abroad' was another； also
the story of the 〃Burning Shame；〃 and there are others。 Mark Twain had
little to add to these stories； in fact； he never could get them to sound
as well； he said； as when Jim Gillis had told them。
James Gillis's imagination sometimes led him into difficulties。 Once a
feeble old squaw came along selling some fruit that looked like green
plums。 Stoker； who knew the fruit well enough； carelessly ventured the
remark that it might be all right； but he had never heard of anybody
eating it； which set Gillis off into eloquent praises of its delights；
all of which he knew to be purely imaginary； whereupon Stoker told him if
he