((AI{SWERED"

To properly explain the motives prompting the following.-poem.by Miss_Frey, it is-necessary-to_rcprint two piccis 6t c6py that appeared in thc March l5th, and April lst issues. The letter from Frank Trower, ,.Hislory Repeali Itself,'-'-appeared Marg-h l5th, wrth an- error, as noted at the bottom of th_e_-copy-. -A few days aftir this issue wls mailed, Miss Brey e-n!e_1ed lrotest, as per the letter headcd "\l9ow;" the cjaculaiion being purely editorial, and not a part of Miss Brey's letter.

Now this young lady comes back agair.. at us, with _the poem, "Answ_ered." The 1yme. arrived in a olain envelope. posi-nrar[ed Porterville, ind vas signed "Anonymous." However, at the risk of a libel 'suit, credit ii heleuy gven to Miss Brey.

All down through the ages there has been much talk about "the last word," in a controversy with one of the fair sex.

Answered

1. A tnan, a maid, eight pounds of cheese, A letter, (she should have knorvn better), But like all "busy bees," She wanted to get one on the Editor !

History Repeats Itself

San Francisco, March 4, 1924

MR. T. E. MARTIN.

"The'California Lumber Merchant"

San Francisco, Cal.

Dear Sir:

It is said that "History repeats itself." So the present slump in lumber prices is but an echo of "the days of old, the days of Gold and the days ol '49."

In Merwin's Life of Bret Harte I recently came across this paragraph about prices in San Francisco:

"I; July 1849, tumber sold at the enormous rate of five hrindied dollars a thousand feet,-fifty times the New England price; but in the following Spring immense sFipmenls having arrived, it brought scarcely enough it pay the freight bills."

How mirch that sounds like the accounts of todays random unsold shipments which have broken the back of the market. One lvonders whether after all Brother Bryan is wrong in his opposition to. the theory of evolution, at leait as regards progress in the lumber trade. And note hor,v familiar this paragraph se€ms:

"At San Francisco, in September 1850, bricklayers receiving twelve dollars a day struck for fourteen dollars and received the increase. The lvages of carpenters varied from ttvelve to trventy dollars a dly!'

Bttt of course, values are relative' as we tealize rvhen we note that about that time California lvas dependent on the East for supplies, and the menu of a br'eakfast for tlvo at Sacramento was as follows:

2. But the Editor rvinked a wicked eye, And said "I know what rvill make her crv." And grinned with glee, As he slapped his knee.

So in the last issue of the C. L. M. He published rvhat she had written then, And cried, "'Revenge is sweet' And I dare you to repeat !"

Then, R,emorse ! O Remorse ! the maiden knew, But she said "I know what I will do. The next time I think of anything unkind to say, I'll Bury it under the hay, brother, I'll Bury it under the hay !

March 17, 1924

Mr. Phil B. Hart, The California Lumber Merchant, Los Angeles, California.

Dear Mr. Hart:

Far be it from us to criticize any publication of thr: "Cllifornia Lumber Merchant" or any of the force of the same magazine,-but we suggest that irere-in-after the proof reader should be more careful. It surely lc.roks a,; i[ most of ti,is magazine had been "Proof read" the urortring after one of those concats! probably held in tLat farnous .Southern City some times known as San Diego, tha.. lvc rcad abcrut irr thc last issue of this aforesaid magaziue.

For proof we refer you tJ I'.ree 5l , I\.Iarch l.Sth. article "History Repeats Itself,"If y'our eytl ll'ili foliorv drrwn to the itemized account of "Brcakfasr for Trvo' vou rvill notit'e two ite;irs:-

4 pounds of cheese

.$13.00

4 pounds of cheese .. ,$3.00 while this scems alotof cheese for two people for one breakfast-it may be all right, but if you will add the figures you will see that the Total is $30.00 and not $43.00.

Whether this is the way figures were added in 1849 or not is hard to say, not being present I don't know, but it does seem as if the "California Lurnber Merchant," which is supposed to publish nothing but the truth over looked its hand this time, by publishing such figures.

How about it, Mr. Hart, are we wrong or are you?

Sincerely,

*The second item of cheese was an error. This should have read: 2 bottles of ale, $16.00, and the column would total $43.00.

Alberta Ruth Brey, Porterville.