The comet., 1880-10-16
TIM OF THE CALIFORNIA
FEVER IN 1919
THE LOUISVILLE EXPOSITION.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct, 1880.
BY 4 JACKSON BOY.

I To the Editor Of the Comet
Sitting in the office Of IA prominent
manufacturer of this city, Il few days
since, reading the morning "COurier-
Journal" my attention was attracted
by the entrance of II pale-faccd, meek
eyed looking woman dressed in black,
accompanied by Il boy perhaps twelve
years of age. She timidly enquired if
she could get work. The proprietor
seated at his desk, looked up and
kindly said to her, that they had moth
ing for her to do; and she turned away
and closed the door after her.
For few moments, there was II
silence, as if each of us We're absorbed
in our own reflections. At length,
turning to me, the gentleman said:
A PAGE OF Personal HISTORY.
"Do you know that this is the hard
est task | am called upon to do-to
refuse persons who make application
to me for work Many years ago he
continued, when the gold fever ran
high, and the attention Of thousands
were turned to the rich gold fields of
! California, as the Eldorado from
whence they expected to amass untold
wealth, in the company of thirty or
forty men, a friend from the same
town, and myself, wcndcd our way
over what was then known as the
overland route to these distant and
almost inaccessible mining regions. |
need not tell you of the dangers and
tatigucs that we endurCd-sOmetimes
| from hunger at other times chilled by
the cold winds as they swept over the
snow capped peaks of the Sierra Ne
vadas, while occasionally, we were
menaccd by the cunning Sioux and
the bloodthristy Camanache, led ON,
perhaps, by some of the same band
that shocked the civilized world by
their bloody butcherics at the Noun
tain Meadows, where men, women
and children were most cruelty mas
sacred.
at was in the fall Of lS49, and
the remembrance Of that trip will
forever remain indellibly impressed
upon my mind. After Il faIiguing
journey of over six months, we landed
in San FranciscO--brulicn in spirits
and in health and what was still
worse, with empty pockets.
Iti Il terrible thing to he stranger
in strange land; and especially with
out the means of helping yourself.
The charities of this life are cold. 1t
is not at all surprising, that the poor
prodigal in want, should have thought
of his fathers home, and desired to
return thereto.
The morning after our arrival i'll the
city, for we had taker up our quarters
under tree in the suberbs, | deter
mined to find something to do. Lcav-
ing my sick friend ut our quarters, l
went into every business house, and
requested employment. From some
| received rough answers, Others
laughed at me, and all turned away
without word of encouragement. As
| passed up the street, ! saw three
men standing on the corner in conver-
sation, and heard one say something
about employing Il cook. Stepping
up TO them, l said, gentlemen
understood you wish cook p
"Wcll, we do, said one! "Do you
know anything about cooking :"
" Yes, think l do said. 81
cooked coming over the plains, and l
think I can do plain cooking
"'Oh well, said he, that is about
all we have to cook
The three men were running Il saw
mill near town and seeing after my
friend, | commenced Ia cook for them
at onn hundred dollars per month.
After cooking several days, one morn
ing the three gentlemen, who were
partners, were sitting at table in the
kitchen, which was used for all pur-
poses, trying TO effect IA settlement
with each other; but the more they
attempted it, the more they were mys-
titled it seemed. After preparing
breakfast and while washing up the
dishes, | said to them, gentlemen, |
think l can help you i'm the natter
"what p said one. do you know
anything about bookkeeping"
"'Ycs, sir, think do. "
$50 took hold of the books and
saw through the difficulty in a mo-
ment, hut | worked on for half an
hour, for fear they might think the
thing too simple. | settled up the
matter to their entire satisfaction,
after which one said that the firm had
better employ me to keep their books
So after four or five days service a
cook, was promoted to book-keeper
at one hundred and fifty dollars per
month.
after that experience, determined,