“THE HILLS

How pleasant it is to climb among the hills.  One hill will be covered with a thick forest; and among the foliage of the trees are beautiful birds building their nests and singing merrily as they work.  Beautiful insects are sen and heard on every side.  Then every little way we find a rock covered with different kinds of pretty mosses.  On another hill we find thick grass all filled with pretty wild flowers.  There are the buttercups; the daisies; and among them are seen the delicate and beautiful butterflies, their wings so bright and pretty.  We leave this hill and go to another which is much higher than the others we have just visited.  We find it covered with quite a thick forest; we climb to the top of this hill; all along our path we find bright stones and minerals.  On reaching that summit we look straight before us and there see other hills or what we call mountains.  We look below and there is a large river before us and a valley.  The water of the river is rushing along to find its way to the ocean.  We look behind us; and there is a pleasant village.  We turn once more towards the river, and go slowly down towards it; stopping now and then to gather a delicate mountain flower, or to watch a tender mother bird feeding her young.  Walking on a little farther we come upon a spring and the clear sparkling water is gushing out from the rocks and forming a little brook.  As we follow this little stream we come to a place where the rocks rise out from the side of the mountain and as the water comes rushing along it falls over these rocks forming a tiny waterfall.  It then goes on until it reaches the blue water of the river below.  How beautiful and quiet it is among the hills and mountain, with only the singing of birds; the ripple of water and the rustling of the foliage of trees in the gentle breeze.

JOSIE M. WARE”

Reference Data:

Annual Report of the Catholic Male Institute for the Deaf and Dumb of California, by the Institute, 1873, page 32