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sat close in the little parlour； quietly talking or listening
to the wind among the trees。 Sleep dwelt in the Toll House；
like a fixture： summer sleep； shallow； soft； and dreamless。
A cuckoo…clock； a great rarity in such a place； hooted at
intervals about the echoing house； and Mr。 Jenning would open
his eyes for a moment in the bar； and turn the leaf of a
newspaper； and the resting school…ma'ams in the parlour would
be recalled to the consciousness of their inaction。 Busy
Mrs。 Corwin and her busy Chinaman might be heard indeed； in
the penetralia； pounding dough or rattling dishes； or perhaps
Rufe had called up some of the sleepers for a game of
croquet； and the hollow strokes of the mallet sounded far
away among the woods： but with these exceptions； it was
sleep and sunshine and dust； and the wind in the pine trees；
all day long。
A little before stage time； that castle of indolence awoke。
The ostler threw his straw away and set to his preparations。
Mr。 Jennings rubbed his eyes； happy Mr。 Jennings； the
something he had been waiting for all day about to happen at
last！ The boarders gathered in the verandah； silently giving
ear； and gazing down the road with shaded eyes。 And as yet
there was no sign for the senses； not a sound； not a tremor
of the mountain road。 The birds； to whom the secret of the
hooting cuckoo is unknown； must have set down to instinct
this premonitory bustle。
And then the first of the two stages swooped upon the Toll
House with a roar and in a cloud of dust； and the shock had
not yet time to subside； before the second was abreast of it。
Huge concerns they were； well…horsed and loaded； the men in
their shirt…sleeves； the women swathed in veils； the long
whip cracking like a pistol； and as they charged upon that
slumbering hostelry； each shepherding a dust storm； the dead
place blossomed into life and talk and clatter。 This the
Toll House？ … with its city throng； its jostling shoulders；
its infinity of instant business in the bar？ The mind would
not receive it！ The heartfelt bustle of that hour is hardly
credible； the thrill of the great shower of letters from the
post…bag； the childish hope and interest with which one gazed
in all these strangers' eyes。 They paused there but to pass：
the blue…clad China…boy； the San Francisco magnate； the
mystery in the dust coat； the secret memoirs in tweed； the
ogling； well…shod lady with her troop of girls； they did but
flash and go； they were hull…down for us behind life's ocean；
and we but hailed their topsails on the line。 Yet； out of
our great solitude of four and twenty mountain hours； we
thrilled to their momentary presence gauged and divined them；
loved and hated； and stood light…headed in that storm of
human electricity。 Yes； like Piccadilly circus； this is also
one of life's crossing…places。 Here I beheld one man；
already famous or infamous； a centre of pistol…shots： and
another who； if not yet known to rumour； will fill a column
of the Sunday paper when he comes to hang … a burly； thick…
set； powerful Chinese desperado； six long bristles upon
either lip； redolent of whiskey； playing cards； and pistols；
swaggering in the bar with the lowest assumption of the
lowest European manners； rapping out blackguard English oaths
in his canorous oriental voice； and combining in one person
the depravities of two races and two civilizations。 For all
his lust and vigour； he seemed to look cold upon me from the
valley of the shadow of the gallows。 He imagined a vain
thing； and while he drained his cock…tail； Holbein's death
was at his elbow。 Once； too； I fell in talk with another of
these flitting strangers … like the rest； in his shirt…
sleeves and all begrimed with dust … and the next minute we
were discussing Paris and London； theatres and wines。 To
him； journeying from one human place to another； this was a
trifle； but to me！ No； Mr。 Lillie； I have not forgotten it。
And presently the city…tide was at its flood and began to
ebb。 Life runs in Piccadilly Circus； say； from nine to one；
and then； there also； ebbs into the small hours of the
echoing policeman and the lamps and stars。 But the Toll
House is far up stream； and near its rural springs； the
bubble of the tide but touches it。 Before you had yet
grasped your pleasure； the horses were put to； the loud whips
volleyed； and the tide was gone。 North and south had the two
stages vanished； the towering dust subsided in the woods； but
there was still an interval before the flush had fallen on
your cheeks； before the ear became once more contented with
the silence； or the seven sleepers of the Toll House dozed
back to their accustomed corners。 Yet a little； and the
ostler would swing round the great barrier across the road；
and in the golden evening； that dreamy inn begin to trim its
lamps and spread the board for supper。
As I recall the place … the green dell below； the spires of
pine； the sun…warm； scented air； that gray； gabled inn； with
its faint stirrings of life amid the slumber of the mountains
… I slowly awake to a sense of admiration； gratitude； and
almost love。 A fine place； after all； for a wasted life to
doze away in … the cuckoo clock hooting of its far home
country； the croquet mallets； eloquent of English lawns； the
stages daily bringing news of … the turbulent world away
below there； and perhaps once in the summer； a salt fog
pouring overhead with its tale of the Pacific。
A STARRY DRIVE
IN our rule at Silverado； there was a melancholy interregnum。
The queen and the crown prince with one accord fell sick；
and； as I was sick to begin with； our lone position on Mount
Saint Helena was no longer tenable； and we had to hurry back
to Calistoga and a cottage on the green。 By that time we had
begun to realize the difficulties of our position。 We had
found what an amount of labour it cost to support life in our
red canyon； and it was the dearest desire of our hearts to
get a China…boy to go along with us when we returned。 We
could have given him a whole house to himself； self…
contained； as they say in the advertisements； and on the
money question we were prepared to go far。 Kong Sam Kee； the
Calistoga washerman； was entrusted with the affair； and from
day to day it languished on； with protestations on our part
and mellifluous excuses on the part of Kong Sam Kee。
At length； about half…past eight of our last evening； with
the waggon ready harnessed to convey us up the grade； the
washerman； with a somewhat sneering air； produced the boy。
He was a handsome； gentlemanly lad； attired in rich dark
blue； and shod with snowy white； but； alas！ he had heard
rumours of Silverado。 He know it for a lone place on the
mountain…side； with no friendly wash…house near by； where he
might smoke a pipe of opium o' nights