Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-03
MIR. WINTER.
A Man With Five Marriageable
Daughters.
A Narrative of the Early Days
of California.

In the spring of 1851 L was a miner in
a famous thrifty village located almost at
the apex of wild and snowy mountain
of the Yuba.
For two long, dreary years
"Our garden was a wild,
And man, the Hermit sighed
But, alas! not a woman smiled. o.
devOtees of femininity, can you conceive
the condition of avery young man, whose
eyes had not Toasted for two long years
upon a single female form, except now
and then painted squaw belonging to
some of the various nOmadic tribes of the
Sierra Nevada
The total absence of this so called ''best
gift to man, " was the only valil Objec-
ton that could be urged against our free
and happy mountain life. 1t is hoped,
however, that the reader may discover
from this really truthful sketch the man
ner in which this seeming insurmountable
objection was overcome, and how this
great evil was speedily Temedied.
On Saturday our mess determined to
devote the day to rest, and it was ''also
resolved that we should have Irregular
out-and-out-jam-u dinner" Several of
our neighbors were invited to join US in
this great festivity of the day.
Slap jacks, fried bacon, dough nuts,
salmon, molasses, beans and coffee, q re-
member it weld was the generous repast.
The table itself consisted of five clap
boards bound together and swung from
the ridge-pole of our palatial cabin.
1t was indeed spread worthy of the
time and place; memory, in its long retro
spection, loves to linger on the delights of
that splendid clay out"
''Plunge in, gents,n said the chief of
our mess, addressing himself to our in
vited guests, Sand don't stand on no sort
of SurriBlO1y with us. Eat your fill
these here dainties cost a sight of money,
but the bill is all paid.
No further solicitation was deemed es-
sential The dough-nuts, salmon, molas-
ses and other edibles disappeared in rapid
and mysterious succession, and it was only
when the table no longer grOaned from its
weight of luXuries that there was any
manifest disposition to talk. twas then,
however, that the poet of our mess rose
with great dignity and said he desired to
propose toast. Charge your tin cups,
gentlemen, while / drink to the girls we
left behind US.
This toast seemed to elicit the views and
experience of all persons present upon
the subject of love. Every young gentle
man narrated how, at some time or other
during his eventful life, he had come the
''Ue1i, Uidi, Uici" game, over some true
and trusting damsel. One young gentle
man was in the act of describing the
wretched and hopeless condition of a girl
who had been in love with him for two
years, when a gentle rap was heard at the
door. ''Trot in, - said voice from our
party, and the door opened. A pOrtly
person Of about slyty-five made his unex-
pected appearance.
''Gentlemen," said the new individual,
81 trust that you will pardon the liberty l
take in thus Obtruding myself upon you;
my excessive fat que is my only excuse.
l am constrained, gents, to ask at your
hands rest-and- and-sOmelit little refresh
ments."
''Dive in old chap, you are welcome to
the little that's left, - said q member of
our mess well known as Mr.. Rosey Bill.
81 seldom drink, said the stranger,
after he had been seated about five min
utes, 'but just at this particular time l
think can justify myself in violating a
rule, and will on this occasion imbibe
few drops of your red eye.
'May | take the liberty" said our poet,
''of asking you, sir, the definition OF that
word. -
'Let me answer that air question, " said
R0sev Bill "Red-eye is the vulgar for
whisky, different folks call it by differ
cnt names. / generally speaks of it as
the Bloom youth. "
81 am man of few words, said the
stranger, as he half filed his cup from
the contents Of our demijohn. 81 seldom
OF never indulge, but when a man is leg
weary, and exhausted generally, as | am
to day, a moderate amount of stimulation
find is not q bad thing; but l am viO-
lently hostile to frequent libatiOns."
We all concurred with the stranger, eX-
cept Mr.. Rosey Bill, who did not hesitate
' to express his unutterable conviction that
"a genuine ticker was a good thing all
the time. - and concluded his remarks by
stating 'that no old rum sucker could
crowd dirt in his eyes, he could
always twIg whisky on any chaps nose. VI
"DOes the young man mean to reflect
on nv nose Z If he does, l have simply
TO say that my name is Winter, and that
he NAV hear from me at some future day ;
and by the way, gentlemen, to change
the topic, have a little story to relate
connected with my name. You see that
| was travelling from Sacramento to Ma
rysville, a few days ago, in company
with my family, consisting OF five mar
riageabe daughters, take another dough
nut said our poet, thank you-but as
was remarking, a fellow insulted my ED
est daughter. / informed him instantly
that was a man of few words, and the-
proceeded to give him quite a gentee
dressing down, at the termination O
which, the fellow had the cOnsummatt
impudence to get off a stale joke ON my
name. Said he to me, 'Sir, as my frien(
may possibly call on you, please stat
how | shall address youg | Informed
him that my name was Winter. win
ter-Winter,' said the scoundrel; well
sir. your name may be Winter, but you
actions are what / should call id sum
mary But, gentlemen said our guest
tthis is not business; you will all sOol
discover that ! am a man of few words
l came amongst you to establish plac
of resort for miners; have large fam
ily, consisting, as before stated, of fiv
marriageable daughters. | propose I
start what shall call the Miners Hn2'
"A place you know that would aifor
such comforts and cheerfulness as to II
mind you of the happiness of YOU. p'
rental firesidcs Do you think an inst
tuition Of this character would be su
tanned in this village"
''Do you propose to- mean, M
Winter, do you contemplate-that is, {
you design 10 bring your daughters vii
you,n said our poet, in very confuse
manner.
sBy all means, sir, and hope and b
Ueve that the presence of these estimab
Urls win not only exercise a refining
influence, but will also reconcile you
your lonely lives. And now, gents, ha