Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Onceinsooftenhesubmittedhisroomtoavigorousinspection;settingittorights,removingeverythingbuttheessentials,thefewornamentswhich,inaway,werepartofhislife.

           Hiswritinghadbythistimeundergoneacompletechange.ThenotesforhisgreatSongoftheWest,theepicpoemheoncehadhopedtowritehehadflungaside,togetherwithalltheabortiveattemptsatitsbeginning.Alsohehadtornupagreatquantityof“fugitive”verses,preservingonlyacertainhalf-finishedpoem,thathecalled“TheToilers.”Thispoemwasacommentuponthesocialfabric,andhadbeeninspiredbythesightofapaintinghehadseeninCedarquist’sartgallery.Hehadwrittenallbutthelastverse.

           OnthedaythathehadoverheardtheconversationbetweenDykeandCaraher,inthelatter’ssaloon,whichhadacquaintedhimwiththemonstrousinjusticeoftheincreasedtariff,PresleyhadreturnedtoLosMuertos,whiteandtrembling,rousedtoapitchofexaltation,thelikeofwhichhehadneverknowninallhislife.HiswrathwaslittleshortofevenCaraher’s.Hetoo“sawred”;amightyspiritofrevoltheavedtumultuouswithinhim.Itdidnotseempossiblethatthisoutragecouldgoonmuchlonger.Theoppressionwasincredible;theplainstoryofitsetdownintruthfulstatementoffactwouldnotbebelievedbytheoutsideworld.

           Hewentuptohislittleroomandpacedthefloorwithclenchedfistsandburningface,tillatlast,therepressionofhiscontendingthoughtsallbutsuffocatedhim,andheflunghimselfbeforehistableandbegantowrite.