Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-01-16
NV g II q II Ys
or Experiences OF Life In Cali.
fornia by . Female Pioneer OF
1850.
BY CYNTHIA ANN.

The Judge was no longer sanguin-
ary in regard to his marriage with
Het,y, lie saw he had been be-
trayed by her, and felt even If the
divorce could now be brought about,
she would not marry him. Still, his
wife was likely to be in the way in
California, and he felt if he could
only induce her to return to New
England, he should be much better
content. Already had he felt the
freedom of life in California as some
thing attractive, and though young
wife would have had her attractions,
still, socially speaking, he was al
ready an outcast from domestic life,
and felt himself better able to re-
main 80 than to return to the tread
mill of old-fashioned fidelity, from
which he had freed himself.
Hetty would have been but little
restraint upon him, could he have
married, as he meant to make his
married life conform to that of others
in California, who received unlim-
iited freedom in this particular, as the
toutgrowth of new soil, and a ten
dency to become fast in an old man
even proved how juvenile age could
become in new and unconstrained
conditions. He took his wife, there
fore, to his room, which happened to
be over fashionable drinking place
on Montgomery street, and gave her
to understand that was the best she
had to expect during their residence
in California. The room WAS luxu-
riously furnished, and showed no
signs of intense self denial; but the
absence Of all those little convent
,ences woman is accustomed to in
her home in New England, was a
great deprivation to one who had
arrived at the age of half n hundred,
living in routine and helmng her
self freely to all the improvements
incidental to an advanced civiliza-
ton. To cook her food over an al
cohol lamp or go to a restaurant, was
the choice forced upon her. The
Judge was often busy at meal times,
and as the restaurants of those days
were even less choice in their associ-
atoms than al present, for his own
credit rather, the Judge declined TO
allow her to go without himself.
She was perioTee very often obliged
to indulge herself in MS lightly eat
ing as possible, the alcohol BOT being
able to give heat enough 70 cook a
very elaborate meal of any kind.
Added to this, entire solitude was
forced upon her, from the fact that few
ladies visited ia those days without
an escort, and nobody found il w,rth
while to make much ,ttemp' th en-
liven the solitude of tit u,,'p jisti-
Gated and somewhat unilter slng old
lady the Judge had sent for t. come
to California. t
Hetty did make an effort She
felt very sorry for her and would
gladly have done something to
alleviate her isolation. but the
Judge was irate and took no pains
to conceal from his wife his feelings
In regard to this mischief maker,
and forbade his wife further associa.
tion with her. In his one interview
with Hetty on the subject he said
1 had no doubt of your affection
for me, or l should not have been
instrumental in procuring your
divorce. A woman in California is
better off with husband than with
out one. however bad he may be,
and to throw you on your own re-
sources and send you to the devil
was not my intention. shall, how
ever, do not hing further in regard
to my wife. She may remain here
as long as she pleases and return
when it gives her pleasure to do so
You need not fear my ill.treatine
her, have too much pride for that
but l shall make her see that lift
IN California is better for me thar
Tor her, and shsll as surely signify
my intention to do as l please il
regard to my own actions. You
can see she will be a wife but il
name, and very likely will endeavol
to seek her own freedom"
You are a wonderful man
Judge. I wonder all your astutenes'
and wisdom has not given yo,
more power in New England thar
1t seems to have done. 1t takes {
new country perhaps to develop
tome people. and suppose it ha'
done its work upon you"
You are a wise woman and / see