The Opelousas courier., 1883-08-11
THE SILVER SLIPPER.
a Leaf from the journal of m Eortv.
Miner.

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A Leaf from h journal of a Forty
Miner.
sonora c. died last Wednesday
IN an old adobe house at the Mission
dolores, says a recent number of the
San Francisco Bulletin. She was a
Californian, and in the early history Of
San Frascisco something of a celebrity.
She was the heroine Of the "silver slim
per- an incident which, remembered
Dy n Old San Franciscan, is probably
unknown to tho majority of Our citi-
zens. Its singularity and the death of
the heroine serve to bring it again to
the front. One morning a monte-deal-
er crossing the plaza found "a leather
slipper lying on the ground. It was
almost new and adorned with a scar
let rosette on the instep. 1t was also
very small and had evidently belonged
to a well shaped foot. The dealer
with a feeling of ~exultation, carried
the prize to Long Bob SCratton," the
subsequent famous bartender of the
FL Dorado gambling saloon, but at this
time the chief engineer of a dram shop
in a blanket tent neal the old p~ostotfice.
Bob was a nctel admirer of the sex,
and when the finder laid the little slip-
per on the dry goods box that served
as a bar, he rose from a game of "sev-
en-up' and, settling himself six feet
six inches i'll a pair of raW-hides, gave
a yell that made every man in the tent
lay his hand on a "shooting-iron' in
the belief that a ~scrimmage was immi-
nent. When the panic had subsidized
Bob called all hands to the bar and dis
played the trophy.
1t was only a shoe, yet it filled those
strong men with emotion. 1t was long
since they had seen anything like it.
Women in those days were scarce, ex-
ceedingly scarce, and the sight of a
fragment of the attire worn by one OF
the sex created, as Bob himself re-
marked, an impression bordering upon
madness" Certainly ''the boys" acted
strangely; Judge Bagley, the closest
man in Fresno standing treat, and
Bob promising cigars free ''for the hull
crowd, and children included There
was a good blowout that night The
news spread. Bob was said to have a
woman's slipper in his saloon, and
crowds of curious m~asculines FASTENED
to gaze upon the honored object. In
the meantime Bob's active brain was
at work. He always had an idea to
business, and conceived the idea that
he might be able to utilize the relic.
Accordingly he bought it, paying
therefor an 'ounce of dust and three
gin sings" The slipper was lined
with silver and turned into a drinking
cup from which drinks were dispensed
at the rate Of ss$1 q tip" The idea
took. Crowds of bibulous mortals
came to taste the beverage dispensed
by the shrewd b%arkeeper from the tiny
cistern once encasing the foot of beau
ty. Bob coined money. The Juror
lasted some time-so long, in fact, that
Bob was able to lay by u plum large
enough to buy an interest in the Gel
Dorado" and pave the way to a for
tune. In the midst of success he did
not forget the fair owner of the slipper.
He inquired diligently, but his search
was long unavailing. At last, a detec-
tive who passed over to the majority
q few weeks since, discovered the fair
one in the person of a California girl
residing at the Mission. Her name
was Addia-one-half must suffice. She
was unmarried, pretty, the owner OF a
pair of black eyes that sent a pang
through Bob's heart the first time he
looked upon them. In fact, he became
enamored of the fair Senorita, whose
solitary prunella had placed him on the
roll of financial success. But he had
called too late. The lady had already
placed her affections on a s~avage-look-
ing vaquero, and rejected the barkeep-
er's advances. Finding that he could
make no impression upon the DARK
eyed Californian, Bob retired from the
field, giving her as a dover half a doz-
en- eonzas' which she utilized in the
purchase of a wedding attire. Bob
took the disappointment a good deal
to heart and tippled a good deal from
the silver slipper; in fact, laid the
foundation for that love of stimulants
which ultimately. reduced him to pow
erty.
That was thirty years ago. and time
has not been idle. The silver slipper
was destroyed in the May fire OF 81,
whan the Eel Dorado was laid in ashes,