The Van Buren press., 1860-12-14

was either stolen from her or
lost by acciden., just as she and her lug
gage left the ship. Five dollars in Cali
fornia is but trihing pttance-scarce!y
more than sufficient to pay days board
bill-anl yet our heroine had a jougucy OF
one hundred and fifty miles before aar.
journey both tedious and expensive. and in
the very wors. part OF California winter
which must be braved le o:e she could reach
the home OF her lover-the goal OF her pill
grimag. OF love. Fortunately, the ar.lcss
statement of her loss met with creience
tor th.re was that nainele,s something ia
Saviila's face to which even the selfish AMI
woridiy-minde1 were compelled to yield
homage, . something that showed that
truth aud purity wore written Oh its very
tisIeAuscnt, and aums bonsvolent genlicinsn.
moved BY her distress. procured aer a pass
age by steamboat to Maysville. city at
the head of navigation in the upper portion
of the Sacramento Valley, aud somewhat
less thar forty miles distant from Nevada,
the road to which then lay. for the greater
part of the way. through slonghs and Diff
cult mountain passes.
On her arrival At Marysvilie. winter had
set In with unprecedented violence. On tho
plain upon which the city stands. the inccs-
SAINT rains had rendered the roads almo:t
impaSsible, and, in the mountain region, in
which Neva.la Ii situated, the passes aud
gorges are blocked up with masses Of snow.
She told her simple tale to the people of
| the hotel where she halted, and impiored to
be carried onward to Nevada. A gallant
young mulet,sr. who in his native state. on
| the eastern slope of the AlleSany was .
gentleman OF education anl high family
connections. but who had sought tho shores
of the Pacific to indulge love O. Wild
| adventure-undertook the toilsonc aud
dangerous task of conveying her to her
journeys cnd. l cannot waste time in de-
scribing the perils OF this winter journey.
1t is sufficient to say, that, after thrsc days
brimful of hardships and dangers, Savilla.
under the protection and guiJancs OF her
brave and undetermined cavalier. reached
in safety in health, the door of the princi-
cipal inn of the incipient city of Nevada.
1t was a day Of gloom and storm that
usheTed our heroine into the silent streets
of Nevada. AS her weary mule toiled
through the deep snowdrifts which encum-
be:ed the way, she gazed. wistfully. thro'
the fast descending tempest, upon the few
stragglers in the street. in the hope of rec
ognizing her Frederick. But in the un-
couth garbs and bewhiskered faces which
met her gaze. no image like that cnshrincd
upon her heart. coull she detect. Her gal
liant conductor, whose assiduitics in her
service we've characterized by all the delica-
cy and Difference of brother. after assist
!. ing her to alght, handed her into the grand
, reception room of the " Nevada Hotel, -
which comprised. in it's lis: Of duties. the
bar-room. ofic., gambling room. ladies'
and gentlemcn's parlor, and City Exchange
But. 1 have no time to waste upon the re-
ception room Of the Nevada Hotel. It was
not such as you usually meet in the " Old
States - but in Nevada. as things then
went, it was pleasant enough-much plea
santer than exposure to the "peltings Of
the pitiless blast" in tho storm and peril
ous go-ges OF the Sierra Nevada. Into this
reception room, Savila, worn cut with
anxiety, fatigue. and cold. was ushered.
, She needed not the motley inmates. Tho
, landlord, a shrewd. but jovial parsonage.
He appeared with his usual business smile,
and requested to be honored with her COM
| mands.
!, docs Frederick Marshall live here ?"
said Savilla. her whole soul absorbed in the
vast import o. the question.
Z" Frederick Marshall--Freieriek Mar
SHALL he replied. musins.y. 0. yes !
| remember \ poor. drunken loa.er
3 He was hali-kilied in a street-Gght, and
/ taken to the Sacramento Hospital. where
he died the next day after he was admitted.
0, yes l rememDer him well he owes me
over four hundred dollars for board and
:. drink -
The worthy publican was proceeding
| with bis voluble TRADE, when he was sud
denly checked LY the. to him, iaco'nprehea-
sible effect of his eloquence upon tho irag-
, lie form before him. Had thanderboIt
fallen upon the head Of the devoted Savil-
la, her slight form could not h.ye sought
the ground more suddenly. She fell as a
bird on the wing falls. when the doath-deal-
ing lead Of the sportsman eaters its breast.
/, She fell as though all the subtle powers
and springs of her existence had been struck
> by the wand of necromsncer. There she
lay, dead to all seeming, not pulse. not q
fibre of he, little body vibrating to the
. touch of lite her face as colorless as thc
face Of long coffinei corpse The land
q lord; frightened out Of his wit, cut short
= his auimad versions, and screamed for his
a wife. She appeared at his summons AM
4 at her instance, Savilla was, in a very few
= moments, conveyed to tho best room and
the best bed in the house. And here. il
r. you will excuse me in the critical part o.
i my story, for making brief depression
!, let mo pay tribute to the California char
Z actcr. While In no country in the world i,
! human life more recklessly exposed or sac
!, rifced. and in no country in the world Ia
4 greater Indifference shown in presence OF ths
dead-yct there is no county on the face o
\ the earth in which more active or l:ss cal
: culsting benevolcnce is manifested, whsr
!. The objects of that bcnevolence present ls
+ gitimats clsims to comparison. No one in
+ California is permitted to perish with cold
: o. hunger. where shelter aad food can b
: obtained. And yet no people exhibit lest
| grief in the death chamber. and no people
n slfect less mock-gravity at funeral,
n Savilla. as ] have said. was conveyed
|. the best chamber and tine bsst bod IN ,h'
|. house. A physician. tho best in town. wa.
!. called in. All the usual methods OF restor
4 ing suspended animation were called intc
; req uisition and. after long and arduou,
= CON bat with the last dread enemy, the doc
: tor. aided by the efficient services OF th.
= llapdlalv. triumphed Savilia opened he