Daily globe., 1878-03-17
CALAMITY JANE.

Major Newson's s.Drama of Life in the
Black Hills'' gives the following description
of a remarkable female in the Hills:
Among those in the Hill swho are pre-emi-
nently original is Calamity Jane, Martha
Canary. Born in the midst of wild whirl-
wind Of dissolute ife-uneducated, uncared
for-with mother incapacitated to love
her-father dead-surrounded with sadness
Jane grew up among the rough and tum-
BILE of the world, and is to day what delicate
society would denominate, a strong minded
woman. She is about twenty two years old;
has dark complexion; high cheek bones an
awkward walk; receding brow, black hair:
rather pleasant eye, but when in passion,
emitting greenish glare. Her movements
are all free and unstudied; yet in
no sense unbecoming. Her conversation is
animated, her language good, and her heart
warm and generous. She initiates no one;
is an original in herself; despises hypocrisy,
and is easily melted to tears. She is gener-
ous, forgiving, kind hearted, sociable, and
ye6'when aroused, has all the daring and
courage of lion or of the devil himself.
She has been long in the Hills; has been a
scout in the army; dressed in soldiers
clothes; travelled all over; scaled the noun
tains; rode horseback; fought Indians; and
when dressed in her own garments she looks
comely; when equipped as man she has all
the characteristics of the sterner sex, with
her pistols, bowie knives, and other weapons
of death.
Fl. N. Mcguire, Esq, gentleman | met
I'M the Hills in 1877, and very fine writer
on American Wonderland, thus alludes to his
first introduction to our female hero:
II asked my old Yellowstone friend, Jack
Baronett-
'sHow far is it to Deadwood, Jack?''
"Only mile and half: that girl on
horseback is going there now''
''Girl! what girl? don't see anybody on
horse, but that daredevil boy yonder.''
''Why, that's girl on that bucking cayuse:
that's Calamity
And ''Calamity Jane'' she was, as I ascer-
tanned in getting some items in regard to her
most remarkable career. There was moth
ing in her attire to distinguish her sex, as
she sat astride the tirery horse she was man
aging with a cruel Spanish bit in its mouth,
save her small neat-ftting CATERS and sweep.
ing raven locks. She wore coat and panta-
looms of buckskin, gaily beaded aud fringed;
fur-trimmed vest of tanned antelope skin,
and a broad-brimmed Spanish hat completed
her custume. Throwing herself from side
to side in the saddle with the daring self
confidence of a Californian buchario, in full
career, she spurred her horse on up the
gulch, over bitches and through reservoirs
and mud holes, at each leap of the fractions
animal giving as good imitation of Sioux
war-whoop as feminine voice is capable Of
Calamity Jane,' is character in the
mountains. but she has redeeming qualities.
Ii she must be ga woman of the world,'' she
would at least save independence of charac-
ter. She sought not the sympathy of kin
dred associations, but preferred to stand
alone, in brave defiance of a frowling world
Donning mail attire in the mining regions
of Nevada, where no legal restraints were
imposed npon such freaks Of iniqnitous &c
centricity, she 'took to the road,'' and has
ever since been one of hunting party, then
participating in a mining stampede; again
attached to and moving with a freight train,
and, it is said, she has even rendered good
service as a scout, i'll an Indian campaign.
She has had experience as a stage driver,anq
can draw the reins over six horses as skill
fully as veteran Jehu, and handles a re-
volver with the dextelity and fires it as accu-
rately as Texas ranger. She is still in
early womanhood, and her rough career has
not altogether
Swept away the lines where beauty fingers. -
The Major introduces Calamity into the
drama, as quoted below, and says:
The scenes in the drama where Calamity
appears, are, in every essential particular,
true, and are presented, as they occurred
under the observation of the author.
SCENE II. ACT II.
"a street scene. Loud talking is heard be-
tween man and woman, and as they
come upon the stage the man draws pistol.
pointing it at the breast of the woman, and
exclaims: ''You miserable old buckskin, [
have good mind to shoot you!'' Calamity
looks at him moment, then straightens
herself up, snatches off her bonnet, throws
it upon the ground, takes off her sack,
throws that upon the ground, and replies:
t"I'm but woman! I don't fear you! shoot!
you dirty dog.''
while standing in this position, the man
undecided what to do, in enters the marshal.
who seizes the arm of the man. Jane picks
up her bonnet and shawl. The man puts
the pistol in his side pocket and begins NOV
ing of, when Jane seiZes it and has it point
ing at his head.)
''Now, you puppy! l could blow your
brains out if you had any
CThe man backs out, Jane after him. with
the pistol at his head, when the marshal
seizes her, wrests the pistol from her and
conveys her to jail, with small crowd fol-
lowing)
SCENE III-ACT III.
"a building somewhat deep, with two
rooms. First room occupied by bar, inner
room adapted to a dance. Men drinking at
bar; and others coming in. -Four girls can
be seen in the inner room darting about, and
among them Calamity Jane, dressed in a
plain black silk dress -conlely figure. A
small, dg,apy fellow, dressed in brown velvet
appears III the front room among the
men, and exclaims loudly:-ssGentlemen will
please prepare for the dance.'' One and
another take girl and assume their places
upon the floor. while the music strikes up
lively tune. Calamity comes to the bar with
a rough looking man, and says: ::Give me
a cigar. Lights it and walks off; smokes a
moment, and then throws it away. The man
in velvet calls off in loud and drawline
manner, and the dance sets in. Two of the
girls are drunk, and stagger; the third one
is noisy. Calamity is quiet, with an occa
sional remark: dances modestly, and at the
conclusion of the dance all parties repair tc
the bar. The three girls drink whisky with
the men; Calamity takes wine. The secont
set commences, when a noisy fellow, hall
drunk, sis spelling for fight walks up ane