Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-28
FAITHFUL Lucy.
An Indian Girls ROmanee-Her
SOLITARY tlOme 10 Oregon
Long Years Of Waiting.

She was a California Indian, prob
ably OF the Tnl=Tes, and migrated TO
Oregon With ner family, thirty years
ago, says n, H." in the Atlantic.
ohe was then a young girl, and said to
be the hands0mest squaw wei seen
IN Oregon. In those days white men
in ~wildernesses thought it small
shame, if any, TO take Indian women
to live with them as wives, and Lucy
was much sought aud wooed. But she
seems to have had uncommon virtue
or GOODNESS, for she resisted all such
approaches for a long time.
Finally, a man named Pomeroy an
peared, and, us Lucy said afterward.
as soon IS she looked at him she knew
he va her "tumtum man." and she
must go with him. he had small
sloOp, and Lucy became its mate They
two alone ran it for several years up
aud down the river. lie established a
little trading post, and Lucy always
took charge OF that when he went to
buy goods. When gold was discovered
at Ringgoh bar, Lucy went Their,
worked with a rocker like a man, and
washed out hundreds Of dollars worth
Of gold, all Of which she gave to
Pomeroy. With it he built a fDe
schooner and enlarged his bust.
ness, the faithful Lucy york
ing always at his side and
bidding. At last, after eight or ten
years, he grew weary of her and of the
country, and made up his mind to 20
TO California. But he had not the
heart to tell Lucy be meant to leave
her. The pilot who told me this story
was at that time Captain offs schooner
on tho river. POmeroy came to him
one day and asked him to move Lucy
and her effects down to Columbus.
He said he told her that she must 90
aud live with her relatives while he
went to California, aud then be would
send for her.
The poor creature, who had no idea
of treachery, came on board cheerfully
and willingly, aud he set her of at Co.
lumbus. This was in the early spring
Week alter week, mouth after month
whenever his schooner stopped there
Lucy was on the shore, asking il he
had heard from Pomeroy. For a lonu
time he said he couldn't bear to tell
her. AT last he did, but she would moi
believe him. Winter came on. She
had got a few boards together aud
built herself a sort Of hut,near a house
where lived an eccentric old bachelor
who finally took compassion on bel, anC
to save her from freezing let her come
into his shanty to sleep. He was !
mysterious old man, a recluse, wlsh q
morbid aversion to women, and at thu
outset it was a great struggle for him
to let even an Indian woman cross hi
threshold. But little by little Lucy
won her way; first she washed dishes
then she would timidly help at thu
cooking. Faithful, patient, uupresum.
ing, at last she grew to be really tbt
old mans housekeeper as we'll as ser
want. He lost his health and became
blind. Lucy took care of him unit
he died, and followed him 10 the grave,
his only mourner, the only being 10 TIC
country with whom be had any tie
He lett her his little house and a few
hundred dollars-all no had; and there
she is still, alone, making out to live
by doing whatever work she can fns
ia the n~eighborhood. Everybody re.
spects her; she is known as Lucy
up and down the river. II did my
best to hire her to come and keer
house for my wife last year." said tn,
pilot. I'D rather have her for nurse
or cook than any white woman il
Oregon. But she wouldn't come.
don't know as she's done looking fol
PomerOy to come back yet, and she's
going to stay just where he left her
She never misses a time waving to me
when she knows what boat I'm on
and there isn't much going on on tn,
river she don't know"