Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-05-04
Omuille Dailq Nutte RerprN.
From The Golden Era.
ELMIRA
Or the MasOn's Daughter.
BY JOHN II. FITZGERALD.


on with silent footsteps, never becom-
ing weary on his journey Of endless cy-
cle-with hair and beard white as frost
and hour-glass and scytne, the sands of
which never run out, and the keen
edge of whose steel nev9r corrodes
covering the palace and hovel alike
with mouldering decay. and planting
the ivy over the door porch, as if to
set its seal of destruction upon the spot
where once trod proud dame and war;
rior bold, exulting over their cOnqnests
the howell becoming a shapeIess
mass, and the castle from
"Turret to foundation stone,"
like their former masters, a pile of
dust-thcir banner a motheaten rag,
and their roof poor shelter for the
bat and screech-owl. Thus all acts of
the past become covered with the dust
that falls from off Tines wings, leav-
ing to the antiquarian the task of ex-
huming the records of the days long
past and revealing their simplicity,
or telling of arts and sciences unknown
to us. So with the foundation and land
marks of empires and cities for how
often have we heard Of Romulus and
his plow-mark. which set the bounds to
the eternal city and who has not
heard of the Rubicon, a small stream
which marked the boundary OF an En-
pire? 50 it will be for ages to come.
But to our story-'San Francisco and
its Pioneers
InlS49 the old ship Edward buffet
ed the waves Of the Atlantic, weather.
ed Cape Horn, and after tedloust voy-
are of ten months from the port of
New York. dropped anchor in the Bay
of San Francisco, having on board IA
general assortment of merchandise aud
some thirty passengers. Among the
passengers was an emaeiated old man,
accompanied by his daughter, Il girl Of
about eighteen years, who lavished up
on her tathaL every attention. The
passengers had avoided the old man all
the passage, for he was nervous aad
excitable to a degree that made all un-
happy who encountered him. AT times
he was morose and sullen, then violent
and inyective, using the most harsh
epilhets, and vowing vengeance upon
some imaginary offender, if there was
no reality to contend with. His daugh-
ter was quite the reverse-klnd, gentle
and attentive, ever using the most en-
dearing words in reply to her fathers
harsh commands. The passengers all
paid her those little attentions which
Law in the power Of thoso at sea who
are exempted from sea sickness, and
her company was sought for; and as
the kind words of the passengers would
fall upon her ears, the erbs OF her
large, blue eyes would light nd her
face with a radiance tnat gave an an
gelic expression to her lovely features;
and then, as some new thought would
fit across her mind, smile Of nelan
cholv meaning would replace it, as
though some hidden sorrow ranked at
her heart.
When the ship was within days
sail of this port, the weather was ex-
tremely fine, and al the passengers
were on deck, viewing the outline of
the coast through their spy glasses, or
lstle>sly willing away their time in
muslng anticipation OF what they would
find IN this n W FL Dorado. The old
man was sitting apart from the other
passengers, while at his feet sat his
daughter, whose face, but for the shade
of sorrow hich clouded 1t, would have
looked joyous and happy.
'Elmra,' said the old man, 4 can
lust discern the outline Of California's
coast, and there, in that new and dis
tant land, | shall be buried, and | sup
pose you will be glad when am dead;
then sou will be rid OF "A cross Old man,
and have young husband in my
place
Oh, no, dear father she replied j
do not think you cross you are much
better now, and | hope you will soon
be well again.
4 get we'll again No danger of
that he dogged!, replied, and then,