The Sierra citizen., 1854-03-11
From our Oak Talley Correspondence. !
CAMProNv1LLE, March 7th. 1854.

L
CAMProNv1LLE, March 7th. 1854.
Esteemed Citizen. Although some time
has elapsed since may last communication,
yet | would not have you to think for a
moment that / have 4dried up" The
state Of the weather and the company /
have kept since / last wrote you, would
most emphatically forbid it. Business is
on the increase and miners in this vicinity
are doing remarkably well.
On the twenty-second a ball was given
in this place which l attended in company
with my friend the F. E. of the Journal.
We left home about dusk crossed the cOun-
try and shortly after dark reached the
trail which leads to this place. About a
quarter of mile above town we first be-
came aware that we were reachi, G the
| neighborhood of a civilized community, by
| meeting vehicle which came emerging
| from the darkness in such q questionable
shape we called halt and hailed it. From
cavity within hoarse, halfmuff1ed
sound was heared, inquiring if we were
going to the ball. Forgetting the dark
ness, and the effects too of the rain on the
cherished stand-up collar, SO elaborately
got up for The occasion, we at first deemed
the question an insult to our appearance,
which was soon forgotten, however, when
we reached the cheerful bar-room of the
Garsey House, and (after taking little
warm water slightually tempered) gazed
into the mirror. Another question, how
ever, came from the vehicle which was
still more obscure-"Are there any wo-
men up the rad coming DOWN." As this
seemed to hint at a knowledge on our part
of knowing all the women up the road and
also their intentions, our hurt vanity was
somewhat healed, and we gave a very tenn
perate reply. Slowly the train moved on,
and as it disappeared in the darkness and
rain / could almost imagine it the spirit
of some old delapidated stage-coach, with
a revivifed driver. The conductor have
reason to know was spiritual one. We
turned from gazing after the dark shade
towards the twinklhg lights which, seen
through the branches of the trees, gave
us warning we were fast reaching the
scene of festivity; occasionally too, as we
descended the hill, we could hear the shout
of some votary of Bacchus, who had taken
drop in to repel the many drops with
out, and who like many others held the
theory that to go to ball properly, one
must needs make preparations, and had
prepared accordingly. Soon we reached
the town, and from the many windows Of
the United States shining with light, we
first became assured the ball was gong on.
So giving our weakened collars sangui-
nary twist and pull to get them in posi-
lion, and giving a colored gentleman fifty
| cents to clean our boots, (Which job
realized the said colorcd gent about two
bits per hour,) we made our way to tie
ballroom. Although the night was a
dismal one without. yet, within nothing
appeared to show its effect upon the party.
An were there Il would have said, young
and old, but here our ladies are all young, J
married and single, and the ballroom OF
CamptonviIle, filled with its own residents,
could challenge in appearance of its in
mates that of any place i'll the mountains.
Most eloquent music did the violin of
friend Buz discourse, and an occasional
performance upon the melodeon by jim
my 4. did not make any drawbacks upon
the merriment of the evening.
l have attended many balls in the
mountains, but none that l have ever
taken part in were gone through with in
better spirit or with more good feeling
than the 44ttrent y-second'' ball at Campton-
vilie About four O'Clock the party broke
up, and at an early hour in the morning
started for Downieville to kick up little
within your sanctum. BY thu advice of
disinterested friend, l concluded to go
| by Forest City as being the nearest and
| best route, and after severe ride Of some
thirty miles, in some places through
snow four feet in depth, at dark |
reached the house of my friend Read at
Forest City. l had made his acquain-
tance in Oak Valley, under peculiar
circumstances, Notwithstanding which, |
received a most hearty welcome among
friends there, one OF whom | had not seen
for years. OF Forest City | can say
but little with which you are not ac-
queinted; one thing however, could not
fail to note, and that was the difference in
| the application of the term mining, as used
in the mountains. At Forest City, Through
! the kindness of Mr.. Andrews and the
proprietors of the Empire Tunnel ut that
place, | was enabled to see what mining
really was, at distance of some two hum
dred and fifty or three hundred feet within
the tunnel In some side drifts we would
come upon hardy Cornishman with a
candle 10y his side working alone hum
dred feet or more beneath the ground, as
cheerfully as does the man who digs Iii
creeks (and calls it mining0 beneath the
clear blue sky. Determined to see it ali,
penetrated to the extremity OF the
present tunnel, and although vas not sor-
ry to see daylight once more yet | felt some
little pride in having been so far under
ground. This was my first and last view OF
mining in the true meaning of the term;
and as several of my friends had convinced
me of the impossibility of reaching Dow
melville from Forest City, concluded to
go home and wait for more propitious
season to visit you. On arriving 1 found
| the wood-cut which l had promised you,
and from the same hand | am also prom
ised an emblematic sketch intended as
memorial for Poadunk II is intended
| to ronr..cant al tho haSa LARGO bundles of