th advantage in such snow, so recourse was had to skis. But it was
difficult to manage these upon the steep trails of the canons, so that
people generally were content to hibernate like grizzlies. Many a miner,
glad to indulge his liking of conviviality, would take up his residence
in some mountain village for the winter, spending with a liberal hand
the precious yellow dust that he had worked so hard to get. Many, forced
to keep the wolf from the door, found work with lumbermen and ditch
companies.

In my opinion, Mat Bailey and Dr. Mason had a decided advantage over
both miners and villagers. Like the man-o-war's man of song they enjoyed
steady occupations summer and winter, and spent much of their time in
the open. The cold was never extreme, the thermometer very rarely
dropping below zero Fahrenheit. The dust of summer was buried deep under
the gleaming snow, and the air was crisp and exhilarating. Often the
doctor was one of Mat's passengers. Often he would leave the stage where
some trail wound down into a canon, and putting on his skis glide away
among the great pines, which, covered with snow and ornamented with
shining icicles, were scattered over the mountain slopes like great
wigwams of white canvas. A doctor anywhere is a welcome visitor and a
friend in need; in the wilderness, in the depth of winter he ranks but
little lower than the angels. Often, coming to a lonely cabin, fairly
buried in snow-drifts, he would climb in through the gable window of the
loft; and no doubt his descent to the patient lying below suggested the
arrival of a heavenly visitor.

One glorious winter day Mamie Slocum through Mat's persuasions
accompanied him from Nevada City to Graniteville. He wanted her to see
the magnificence of the Sierras in winter. Mamie needed little coaxing.
Indeed, her admiration for Mat was making her unmindful of very eligible
suitors. Besides, she enjoyed life in the open almost as much as he did.
But I suspect on that beautiful winter morning both enjoyed each other's
society even more than the scenery. As far as North Bloomfield, she was
the only passenger, so well had Mat and the weather bureau contrived
matters. He explained that he was really in need of her assistance, for
in the open places where the snow had drifted across the road, it was
often necessary to attack the drifts with a snow-shovel. He would then
pass the reins to Mamie, who, demurely perched aloft, rosy-cheeked and
most bewitching, w