Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-12-26
M y - II = H Ys
Or, Experiences Of Life in Cali
fornia by . Female Pioneer Of
1850.
~ CYNTHIA ANN.

The ladies alighted at the porch,
quite weary, and glad to be saluted
with some degree of warmth by the
old lady and her daughter, who made
their appearance as the strangers en-.
tered. Hetty observed the old gen.
tleman, who arose from the ham,
mock with considerable earnestness
but perceiving he was hardly more
than negro in complexion and old
enough to be grandfather, she con-
cluded he would not be very danger
ous, so far as the heart of her protege
was concerned, and moreover, very
likely, was not avillain, as he seemed
too feeble not to have outlived all
villainous propensity. His English
was good as he addressed them, and
with heart quite at ease in regar /
to her protcge, she learned tue only
men about the establishment, beside,
the old Californian, were few do
mesticated Indians, running wild ap-
parently, in their efforts to keep up
the menage of the establishment, AS
we'll as to attend the agricultural and
horticultural portions of the estate.
To do all she could t. reconcile Mrs.
Marston to the strange position of
things was her first effort. Mrs. NJ.
WAS homesick already. To live
among Indians, and eat tortllas and
the jerked beef which, strung upon
strings, festooned the piazzas, would
not have appalled, Hetty. She could
have done it; would have systemized
things in the household, and intro
dnced modern improvements where
wealth was plenty, but a primitive
state of simplicity the only advan-
ts2e. Blu, Mrs. Mnrston was more
helpless; she required to be taken
care of. and these people gave her
III lie encouragement, in appearance,
IN that way. The mother of the
children she was to teach was a
widow. Besides her father and
mother, there was no one else in the
household, and the adobe house, with
its earthen floor and deep-set win
dows, looked anything but inviting.
To live out of doors in the fine
weather was evidently the habit of
the family. Castilian rare trees grew
in great profusion about the place,
and vines and fruit trees to unlim-
tied extent gave promise of some
thing better in due season; but poor
Mrs. Marston was in dispair. al can
never stay here Without you," she
said, and Hetty was very sorry she
had not let her come by herself when
she found her persistent in her wish
to return to the city. To this Hetty
would not listen, and after night Of
rest Mrs. Marston entered upon her
duties, and Hetty returned by the
boat which ran to Alviso, the same
carriage taking her to the landing
that had brought her first from the
city.
1t was quite an undertaking for
the C-'s to domesticate Mrs.
Marston in their own peculiar fash
ion; but Hetty was sure if anything
could be done to strengthen her pro-
tege's health and character gener-
ally, it would be in a place where
self-reliance would be the sole sup
port and genial out-of-door atmos-
phere tempt to exercise. The chill
dren were interesting, the mother
more so, and she felt if Mrs. Mar
ston could be safe from designing
men anywhere in California, it would
be in this isolation; so with con-
tented heart, she turned towards
home.
There was no alteration for the
better or worse in Hetty's prospects
Tor some months. She took in
washing, did mending and made
considerable money. The Judge
called upon her frequently, COM
mended her patience aud wished
MS own could be equal to the
strain now put upon it.
Parton did well in his business.
ana now he no longer longed for
detty, but concluded when the
divorce was complete. he would
marry a good strong Irish servant
girl, who was getting good wages,
and seemed to have taken fancy
to him.
The Legislature was to meet in
San Jose the following December,
and till the divorce bill was passed
nobody could be made happy.
But noted citizen of San Fran
cisco was taking the leaa in the
movement, being anxious himself
TO marry q young woman with the
Qnfurtnnata annandara of a hna