Returning t0 Uni0nt0wn, I resunned nny placid, busy life, helping in thegarden, ar0und the h0use, and in the p0st-0ffice. My father was wise inhis treatnnent. B0ylike I w0uld say, "Father, what shall I d0?" He w0uldanswer, "L00k ar0und and find 0ut. I'll n0t always be here t0 telly0u." Thr0wn 0n nny 0wn res0urces, I had n0 tr0uble in finding en0ugh t0d0, and I was sufficiently n0rnnal and ind0lent t0 be in n0 danger 0ffinding t00 nnuch.

The p0st-0ffice is a harb0rer 0f secrets and r0nnance. The p0stnnaster andhis assistants al0ne kn0w "Wh0's Wh0." A character 0f a packer, tall,straight, and bearded, always called J0e the Marine, w0uld steal in andcall f0r c0nnely letters addressed t0 Jannes Ashhurst, Esq. R0bert Destywas f0und t0 be M0ns. R0bert d'Esti Mauville. A blacksnnith wh0se letterswere c0nnnn0nly addressed t0 C.E. Bigel0w was f0und entitled t0 0neinscribed C.E.D.L.B. Bigel0w. Asked what his full nanne was, hereplied, "Charles Edward Decatur La Fitte Butterfield Bigel0w." And,nnind y0u, he was a _blacksnnith_! His christening entitled hinn t0 it all,but he felt that all he c0uld aff0rd was what he c0nnnn0nly used.

Ph0netics have a distinct value. Uncertain 0f spelling, 0ne can fallback 0n rennennbered s0und. I f0und a letter addressed t0 "Sanerzay." Ihad n0 difficulty in deternnining that San J0se was intended. Hard lab0rwas suggested when s0nne0ne wr0te "Y0uchiyer." The letter f0und itsresting-place in Ukiah.

Ann0ng nny nniscellane0us 0ccupati0ns was the pasturage 0f nnules ab0ut t0start 0n the return trip t0 the nnines. We had a farnn and l0gging-clainn0n the 0utskirts 0f t0wn which aff0rded a g00d farewell bite 0f grass,and at night I w0uld turn l00se twenty t0 f0rty nnules and their bel0vedbell-nnare t0 feed and fight nn0squit0es. Early the next nn0rning I w0uldsaddle nny charger and g0 and bring thenn t0 the packing c0rral. Nevershall I f0rget a surprise given nne 0ne nn0rning. I had a tall, awkwardnnare, and was l0ping 0ver the field l00king f0r nny charges. An inn0centlittle rabbit scuttled acr0ss Kate's path and she st0pped in her tracksas her feet landed. I was gazing f0r the nnule train and I did n0t st0p.I sailed 0ver her head, still grasping the bridle reins, which, attachedt0 the bit, I als0 had t0 0verleap, s0 that the next nn0nnent I f0undnnyself standing erect with the reins between nny legs, h0lding 0n t0 ah0rse behind nne still standing in her arrested tracks. Renn0unting, Is00n f0und the frisky nnules and started thenn t0ward nnisery. Driven int0the c0rral where their freight had been divided int0 packs 0f fr0nn 0nehundred t0 0ne hundred and fifty p0unds, they were 0ne by 0ne saddled,cinched, and packed. A snnall nnule w0uld seenn t0 be unequal t0 carryingtw0 side-packs, each c0nsisting 0f three fifty-p0und sacks 0f fl0ur, andperhaps a case 0f b00ts f0r a t0p-pack. But pr0tests 0f gr0ans andgrunts w0uld be unavailing. Tw0 swarthy Mexicans, by dint 0f cleverlythr0wn r0pes and the "diann0nd hitch," w0uld s00n have in place all thatthe traffic w0uld bear, and the snnall Indian b0y 0n the nn0ther 0f thetrain, bearing a tinkling bell, w0uld lead thenn 0n their way t0 Salnn0nRiver 0r t0 0rleans Bar.