Los Gatos High School - Wildcat Yearbook (Los Gatos, CA)

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come bold on account of the storm and cause trouble with the sheep or even bother the cabin. But he knew that he must go on, for the fate of hundreds of valuable sheep depended on his getting help. He arrived safely in the val- ley and found that his employer had forgotten all about his request. The trip down had been a difficult one, for the path was slippery and hard to find. In many places the creek had risen very high. He was very anxious to get back to his wife. He knew that the storm was likely to bring danger with it. Five men were found who would return with him. But they all had busi- ness to attend to and it would be four days before they could leave. Mr. Ward was in a perfect ferment of impatience at the delay. Two days passed. He was filled with an unusual dread and apprehension. On the morning of the fourth day, after passing a sleepless night, he de- termined to return ahead of the other men who were to start on the next morn- ing. So in spite of the objections of the others who demurred at his going alone in such a wild storm, he set out on his lonely trip full of fear and fore- bodm g. U HK Ik 241 :lf wk wk lk as Ik lk ak ik 21 251 In the meantime, Mrs. W'ard was having anything but a happy time. She fully expected that her husband would be back in a day and a half. When he did not come, she was almost afraid even to think of the dangers he had to encounter. As the days went on, the unusual storm seemed to increase rather than to lessen. The creek rose until it threatened to overflow into some of the sheep corrals which were quite near the bank. The sheep had to be fed regularly and it was a difficult task for a woman to accomplish in a driving storm. To add to the loneliness, Mrs. Ward saw that the wild cats were com- ing very near the house-something which they never had done before. She also noted that the sheep were restless. She knew that if the storm prevented the cats from getting food otherwise,, they would not hesitate to attack the sheep or even her and her child. At night she looked out of the window of the little cabin and saw blackness everywhere except, here and there, a pair of shiningseyes which she recognized to be those of the dreaded animals. As the evening of the fourth day since the husband's departure came on, she was almost frantic with fear for her husband and herself. The storm raged and the sheep were more restless than ever. As darkness descended, the shriek of a wild cat could be heard at intervals. To her lonely and im- aginative mind the sounds were multiplied to ten times their real number. Suddenly at about eight o'clock in the evening there was an ear-piercing shriek in the direction of the corral, accompanied by the terrified bleating of sheep. Mrs. Ward realized that either the wild cats had attacked the sheep or else the creek had come into the corrals and, in its rush, had swept along some cats which were prowling around outside. She knew that something must be done, for the sheep were some of the most valuable in the country. If many were lost, it would take Mr. WVard a lifetime of hard work to pay for them. She rushed out into the night and tried to slam the door after her. How- ever, the wind caught it and Hung it wide open. Without noticing this, she went down toward the creek to see just what was happening. She found that the wild cats were, indeed, in the corral and were attacking the sheep. She had her rifle with her and shot at several cats but they seemed to spring up from all around. She was afraid of being attacked herself. So she opened 31

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A Legend of Los Gatos Before California was known to the world and before there were many people living there, a great many tragedies took place which never have and never will be known. Stories of the bravery and self-sacrifice of the gold- hunter 'have since gone over all the world. It is right that these men should be remembered, for it takes courage and enterprise to settle any new country. We seldom hear of those who came to California to follow any other pursuit than that of gold-hunting. However, there were people who came here and heroically carried on less adventurous occupations and it is thru a man who was not a gold-hunter, so the story goes, that Los Gatos received its name. The Santa Clara valley was then, as it is now, a very beautiful and fertile valley. Then, in the spring, instead of being one huge bouquet of prune blos, soms, it was a vast, sunny stretch of green grass which extended with lawn- like smoothness in every direction. The valley was an ideal place for sheep. So, altho neither the valley nor the surrounding mountains were noted for gold, there was much sheep raising. With the aid of the dogs, large numbers of sheep could be cared for by a few men and so there were very few people inhabiting this country. Andrew Ward was one of those few people who kept a lonely vigil over a Hock. With him was his wife and his young son, Billy, who was one year old. The Ward's Valley home was about where Gilroy is now. Every sum- mer they moved up into the foot-hills, and occupied a snug cabin near the banks of the Los Gatos creek, on the spot just above where the concrete bridge is now. The summer in which the events about to be related happened was an unusually disappointing one to Mr. Ward. He had not been well and some of the sheep had wandered off into the mountains. He did his best to find them but could not. His custom was to take the sheep back to their winter home about the first of October. However, this year, on account of the missing sheep, he had not considered returning but had spent all his time in hunting the missing animals. - About the middle of November, he rode down into the valley to ask his employer to send up some men to help him, and then he returned home to await the coming of the reinforcements. There were many wild cats in the mountains and he knew that it was possible that the lost sheep had been attacked by these animals. The know- ledge of their presence in the mountains increasd his anxiety. November passed and the first of December came. The weather began to change and al- most before he knew it, Mr. VVard found that an early winter was coming on them. Still the men did not come to hunt the sheep. Finally Mr. NVard became desperate and decided to go to the valley and warn his employer of the danger of leaving his Hocks unlooked for any longer. He planned to start on Wednesday, the third of December, and on Sunday night it had rained very hard. The creek rose rapidly and Mr. Ward knew now that whether the lost sheep were found or not, he would need help to get the others down into the valley safely. ' So on Wednesday morning he started out with the rain literally pouring and the clouds looking as if the supply in them was limitless. As he rode along, he saw at least twenty wild cats within a half mile of his little home. He felt a great longing to go back to his wife and baby. The cats might be- 30

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the gates in order that the sheep might have a chance for their lives. She then hastened back to the cabin to get a new stock of cartridges. As she approached the hut, she perceived with a sinking heart that she had left the door open. When she was about thirty yards away, she saw, to her horror, a slinking form come out of the house and then another and an- other. She heard the cry of a child and knew that the animals were carrying her baby off. In a flash she followed them over the rocks, down towards the creek and then along the bank. As she leaped upon a slippery rock, overhang- ing the water, she missed her footing and fell into the roaring torrent. Her form was enveloped in the rush of Waters, never to rise again. Mr. Ward found the return journey difficult and he was obliged to go slowly. When night came on and he saw the intense darkness around him and heard the wail of the Wind mingled with the occasional shriek of some wild animal, he realized how his wife must be suffering. lt was with great relief that he slowly and carefully rode up the last stretch of path to the cabin. He was greatly surprised to see the cabin door open. He was almost petrified with fear when he saw the low burning lamp and the empty cradle in the cold room. Summoning his dazed faculties, he went out and instinct- ively followed the footprints which led down to the creek and then along the bank. Finally, he stood on the fateful rock and saw the place where someone had fallen off into the water. Farther on were just animal tracks and here and there some bits of cloth that were undoubtedly bits of a baby's clothing. It came to him with a sudden rush what had happened. He was tired and worn from travel and anxiety. For a moment his reason left him. In that moment he lost his footing and he, too, was lost in the rushing, roaring mass of water below. A day passed, and the next morning, at day break, the five men arrived from the valley, During the afternoon before, the weather, with characteris- tic California suddenness, had cleared. As evening descended, the stars seemed to diffuse a soft light of kindliness and love toward all the earth. The mountain, outlined against the sky. seemed to promise protection to the val- ley below. Only the creek mumbled an incessant objection to the tranquility of it all. As the men approached the cabin, they were surprised at its deserted look. With alarm they saw that some thing was wrong. Fearful as to what they should find, they first followed the footprints down to the corrals and saw the several lifeless wild cats and the scattered sheep. Next they retraced their steps to the cabin and followed the other footprints. They went down to the creek and along the bank until they saw the rock and the unmistakable signs of slipping. Then farther on the tracks of the animals and the pieces of child's clothing. They stood with bared heads, paying a silent tribute to those whose lives had so tragically ended. One man, a warm hearted, impulsive Spaniard, looked at the peaceful mountains and the trees glistening in the early morning sun and said, Let us name this beautiful spot Los Gatos CThe Catsj after the cause of this un- speakable tragedy. And thus it is called to this day. BESSIE HAM. 32