The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-02-21
An Indian Girls Romance

She was a California Indian, prob
ably of the Tulares; she migrated TO
Oregon with her family thirty years
ago. She was then a young girl, and
said to be the handsomest squaw
ever seen in Oregon. In those days
white men in wildernesses thought
it small shame, if any, TO take lndi-
an women to live with them as
wives, and Lucy was much sought
and woed. But she seem to have
had uncommon virtue or GOODNESS.
for she resisted all such approaches
for a long time.
Finally a man named Pomeroy
appeared, and. as Lucy said after
ward. as soon as she looked at HIM
she knew he was her "tumtum man.,
and she must go with him. He had
a small sloop, and Lucy became It's
mate. They two alone ran 1t Tor
several years up and down the river.
He established a little trading post,
and Lucy always took charge OF that
when he went to buy goods. When
gold was discovered at Ringgold bar.
Lucy went there, worked with a
rocker like a man and washed out
huncreds of dollars worth of gold,
all of which she gave TO Pomeroy.
With it he built a fine schooner and
enlarged his business, the faithful
Lucy working 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 90 to California. But he had not
the heart to tell Lucy he meant to
leave her. The pilot who told me
this story was at that time captain OF
a schooner on the river. Pomeroy
came to him one day and asked him
to move Lucy and tell her she must
go and live with her relatives while
he went to California and looked
about and then he would send for
her.
The poor creature, who had no
idea of treachery, came on board
cheerfully and willingly, and he set
her off at Columbus. This was in
the early spring. Week after week,
month after month, whenever his
schooner stopped there, Lucy was on
the shore asking if he had heard
from Pomeroy. Winter came on.
She had got a few boards together
and built herself a sort of hut near
a house where lived an eccentric old
bachelor. who finally took compass
sion on her, and, TO save her from
freezing, let her come into his shan
ty TO sleep. He was a mysterious
old man, a recluse, with a morbid
aversion TO women, and at the out
sci il was q great struggle for him TO
let even an Indian woman cross his
threshold. But little by little Lucy
won her way; first she washed the
dishes, then she would timidly help
at the cooking. Faithful, patient,
unpresuming, at last she grew to be
the old mans housekeeper as well as
servant. He lost his health and be-
came blind. Lucy took care of him
till he died. and followed him to the
grave, his only m%ourner, the only
human being in the country with
whom he had any lie. He left her
his little house and a few hundred
dollars-all he had-and there she
is still, alone, making out to live by
doing whatever work she can find in
her neighborhood. Everybody re-
spects her. She is known as Lucy
up and down the river. Il did my
best to hire her to come and keep
house for my wife," said the pilot.
I'D rather have her for a nurse or
cook than any white woman in Or
egon. But she wouldn't come. |
don't know as she's done looking for
Pomeroy to come back yet, and she's
going TO stay Just where he left her.
She eve misses a time waving to
me when she knows what boat I'm
on, and there isn't muchgoing on on
the river that she doesn't know
Atlantic Monthly.