The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-08-04
Emma LarsOn's Trip.

town?' tHa 4s.-' .ss-lt. -
1nese words greeted the ears of Mr..
w. w. Davis and family as they sat at
supper yesterday evening at their resi-
dence, Sixteenth and O'Neill Streets.
MI Davis looked out of the open
Goor OF his dining room upon Sixteenth
otreet. lie saw there an unusual pict-
ure. fine, large sorrel mare, with a
yearilng colt at her side, was standing
py the sidewalk. Upon the mares
pack sat young woman sidewise in a
man saddle. She had on mans
proao-Drlmmed hat, a close-ftting blue
anu white checked calico dress, rough
lace shoes, and on one foot was a man s
stirrup. A yellow rubber coat was tied
up behind the saddle. The young
woman was sunburnt and travel stained,
put sat erect and looked as if she was
able to take care of herself. She was
girl OF about twenty or twenty-five
years OF age, having an intelligent
1ace, with comely features. Her hair,
Whlch was brown, was cut somewhat
snort, and banged. Her complexion
was OF the hue that wind and sun puts
on man or woman, and her lips were
chapped from the same cause. She
mad bright gray eyes and a straight
handsome nose.
What town do you want?"
The next town, whatever it is"
Mhere are you travelling toP''
10 California.
"Alone?"
Eyes, alone, and camping out.
sWhere can find good grasp
Mr.. and Mrs. Davis, like good, hos
pitable people, invited the young lady
to dismount and partake of some sup
per. She washed her hands and face,
sat down to the table and talked about
the trip she was making.
my home is in Wisconsin," she
said, where | live with my father.
once spent some time visiting in South
ern California, but it was some years
ago / have for several years thought
OF starting in the spring and making
the journey on horseback, and this year
| made up my mind that would do it..
l have been eight weeks on the
road. From my home to the Missis-
sippi River the distance is $50 miles; it
is $50 across the State of Iowa, as |
travelled, and then 500 and more to
Cheyenne. So l have come over a
thousand miles on horseback and
alone
"Have you good horse?''
Indeed have. They wanted me to
give up my trip at Kearney. Why, some
folks there grew real angry with me be-
cause | persisted in going on. They
wanted me to sell my mare and colt
and take the money to pay my passage.
But l do not need money and I'll never
part with that mare. She's a GOOD
animal, has speed as trotter, and she
weighs as much to pound as when
started with her. To-day have ridden
twentyeight miles, but that is more
than | generally make. | travel morn
ings and evenings and 1 stop long
while at noon. | started with a side
saddle, but it made the mares back
sore, so l traded it off for man
saddle. At night picket the mare and
lie close to the picket. She can't move
but L know it. She got away twice,
though Once | followed her afoot
more than ten miles and caught her in
a herd OF thirty horses.
"What bedding have you in camping
out?'
Nothing but that yellow slicker and
the saddle blanket. | haven't suffered
from the cold, but it gets awful lonely
sometimes at night when the coyotes
are bowling"
"Have you been annoyed by tramps?"
"Not great deal. 90 back from
the railroad at least two miles and avoid
them. Once a tramp came upon me in
lonely place when | had the saddle
oft the mare, and began talking.
directed his attention to some emigrants
off at a distance, and slipped on the
saddle, buckled the fore sinch, and gal
loped off. But I'm not afraid. | never
think of danger, and | carry no fire
arms"
GLOW do you manage about eating?''
''There | have trouble. If don t
strike station at meal time l get moth
ing to eat. Why, I've gone all day
often without eating-two days some
times. 1t was hard at first, but l got
used to it, don't want to travel with
emigrants; there's no glory in that. l
have set out to do this trip alone. /
have been the last day or two travelling
at about the same rate with some emf
grants to Washington Territory. Some
times they're ahead; sometimes l am.
But | don't camp with them"
Would you mind telling me your
name?"
emma Larson"
"MiSS Emma?"
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