OCCASIONAL SKETCHES. -- 1881. -- PREFACE. I subinit a preface, more to conforln to custonl than for any thing else. In it, hovevel-, I will take occasion to state that the naines of persons and places and situations in Hill Beecheys Dream, An Episode of Echo Caiion, A Midnight Adventure in Nevada, Three Extinct Citizens, The Wickenburg Massacre, and A Sensation in the Orange Groves, are all real and true in each particular respect. In the sketch entitled Divorced on the Desert, the main facts have been preserved, with the real names of the characters changed to fictitious ones, for reasons not necessary to present. An Hour with an Antediluvian is an enlargement of a scene that actually did occur. The other sketches are presented for the general information and entertainment of all who peruse the book. B. C. T. SKETCH I. 11. -6 111. IV. c V. 6 VI. 4 VII. VIII. 6 6 6 6 6 4 IX. X. XI. XII. CONTENTS. DIVORCED ON THE DESERT, N AX EPISODE OF ECHO CANON, AN HOUR WITH AN ANTEDILUVIAN, - A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE IN NEVADA, - A SUMMER IN ALASKA, - THREE EXTINCT CITIZENS, - A RAMBLE WITH FLORA, - THE WICKENBURG .MASSACRE, A MATCHLESS ACHIEVEMENT, A SENSATION IhT THE ORANUE GROVES, THE RENAISSANCE OF MOhTTEREY, - PAGE. 11 - 39 53 - 66 9 1 - 103 122 - 131 147 - 160 181 - 204 . HILL BEECHEYS DREAM. IN the Spring of 1863 a Califoi-nian pioneer named Hill Beechey lived at a place called Lewiston, Idaho Territory, where he kept a hotel and owned a stage line. Lewiston was at that time the capital of Idaho it is beautifully situated upon the junction of Clearwater and Snake Rivers, upon the reserva- tion of the Nez Perce Indians, a little inore than 500 miles from Portland, Oregon. The reservation is surrounded by lofty mountains, and is one of the most charming and picturesque places in that Ter- ritory. Early in the month of August, 1.863, one morn- ing, while at his breakfast, Hill Beechey said to his wife Magruder leaves us to-day, and I dreamed about him a good deal last night. He has solme splendid men with him, though and if they keep together he may get through all right. What, with the In- dians and highwaymen, a man carries his life in his hands in these parts. Really, California, at its. worst, was never half so bad as Idaho is to-day. By the way, the vigilantes stretched up eleven des- peradoes at Bannock City last month-but tliere are lots of them left. I dare say, replied Mrs. Beechey, and there are several candidates for the gallows about here, if I am not greatly mistaken I can see three men, now, she added, who are destined for no good end. Mrs. Beechey qlanced out of the window toward a pile of lumber, just across the street from the tav- ern, upon which were sitting three desperate and indolent roughs, named Howard, Romaine, and Lowry. Jim Romaine, I must say, was a very likely-ap- pearing young man until he got in with Howard and Lowry they do say that Chris. Lowry and Doc. Howard have both served terms in eastern penitentiaries you have heard that before, havnt you Why whats the matter, Hill said Mrs. Beechey, you dont look well. Oh, nothing in particular, replied the landlord, except that I was thinking about Magruder. He figured in all my dreams last night, my dear, and it troubles me more than a little 111 tell you I dreamed that Magruder was killed, and that How- ard and Lowry did the killing I saw them de- spatch him with an axe a teriffic snow storm prevailed at the time I never saw anything real that seemed more life-like...