The morning call., 1893-04-23

vague pictures of forty years ago still seen
through the misis of somewhat eventful
life. | do not know whas it looks like TO-
day. but to the pioneer of 1919 and 1850 it
was muurnlul array of a number of long
lines Of graves, the older marked by depres-
sions and the more recent by mounds of red
and verdureless earth. When the graves
were flied small head and foot boards had
been provided, but some of them had fallen
into the sunkcn pits and many were missing
altogether. While a few of the graves were
marked Unknown" the most of the head
board, bore names and dates of death and
sometimes hall-obliterated records of ages
and nativitieS.
Although il had been the general neerop-
oils of New Helyelia and its mbarca6ero
aater Sacramento for many years, it will be
chiefly remembered by the pioneer as the
burial place of hundreds of newly arrived
immigrants, who succumbed to the cholera
plague in the autumn of 1919, after success
fully battling with it along the valleys of
the Platte, and of as many more, including
miners. traders and others from the noun
tanS who went dow n before the seourge
In 1870, or fell by the hand of violence.
One afternoon, late In September, in
1850 three immigrant wagons, among the
last TO arrive, rolled slowly into the eastern
suburb II Sacramento and halted side by
side within 200 OF 500 yards of Suffers Fort
Two OF the wagons were drawn by one
woke of oxen each, while in front of the
single yoke attached to the third was a
larEe-b0died and jaded horse. over whose
prulruding bones a patched and toggIed
harness hung imp and burdens0me against
the shlunken sides. Guiding the animal by
a single line. a f0OtSOre and weary-lOoking
old man Of not more than GO. but who
might have passed for any age under
century, walked beside the staggering
cattle, and by c0aXing words aud gentle
urUdding had managed to cover distance
Of five or six miles since morning. Coming
10 O halt and reckoning the other wagons
% wheel in beside him, he dropped the
line, threw from him the remaining stub of
a whip and exclaimed:
THANK God, poor Orutess we shall be
compelled to torture you no lOngerl We are
at our journeys endP'
Then turning to the front opening of the
DUSTY canvas wag0n-cover, behind which
was sitting a young woman in a sun-bOnnet
and faded calico gown, he continued, cheer
fully:
Here we are at last, Kittyl This is
Sacramento. Sam is waitin' for US some
where's round here, and l must hunt i'm
mp. He's not far OFF, you can depend upon
il. They'll not stray on, and l guess they're
hardly worth stealin'."
Exchanging a few words with the oecu-
pants OF the other wagons, with whom he
had travelled from tho sink OF the Humboldt,
The old man unyoked his cattle, stripped
the harness from the horse, and then started
them of toward a neighbOring knoll where
little dry grass was visible.
Returning to the wagon he found the
Young woman in the act of allghtiDg, with
TWO OF three cooking utensils in one hand
aud some scraps of provisions in the other.
Never mind about the cOOkin'. Kitty"
he said, gathering up the harness and throw
ing II under the wagon. We've hardly got
enough OF anything left for square meal,
aud l see nothin' round here to make
- ire With"
But you have had nothing to eat since
morning, pap, but piece OF dry bread, and
ycu must be hungry"
Kitty" was The cheerful response, and the
old mans limbs trembled little with
excitement rather than exhaustion. Per
haps I'm a little f1ustered and don't know
exactly what l do want outside O tindin'
sam. While you're up there reach and get
me the purse out O the tin box. There's a
gold Iiece OF two left, and as Pm g0in' into
town TO inquire about Sam III bring back
some fresh bread and meat and butter and
things and we'll have a slashn' good sup
per. YOU can find something for you and
Frank to peck away at while I'm gone"
We'll. here is the purse, pap" replied
the woman. after a little delay in turning
over mattresses and blankets in search of
liE I'm JUN NtAg Qbh bo SoH6 lODR
They say the cholera is here and l feel ter
riby nervous. l am afraid something has
happened to Sam" Tears filled her eyes
and she could scarcely see the hand that
reached upward for the purse.
On, Sans all right, and I'll soon find
I'M" returned the old man, slipping the
purse into his pocket. He spoke encour-
agingly, but there was trem0r in his voice
betrayiHg uneasiness. Sam had promised TO
meet them in Sacramento. BE knew by
nnmiUU and II bad
been secretly hoped by both that he would
make his appearance before they reached
the city.
GU needn't bother about the CATTLE"
continued the old man, more to change the
subject than anything else; they'll not
stray out O. sight before | get back"
This assurance vas scarcely needed, for
the poor brutes were lying down within
fifty yards of the wagon.
The woman watched the old man for q
few minutes as he slowly wendell his way
toward the business part of the city, and
then, wiping the tears from her eyes, began
to put in order for removal the few effects
left by the exgeneies OF their five months
journey across the con tinent. She had been
less than a woman, very much less than
the comey woman that she was, had
she failed, on leaving the Missouri River, to
carefully put away beyond The reach OF dust
and rain, TO be used on the very occasion
then confronting her, gown or two OF bet
ter texture and more elaborate finish than
the one in which she had arrived at her
destination. with other apparel and per-
soual ornaments in keeping with them.
Therefore, without an intimatiOn OF what
may have occurred under the cover Of the
wagon for an hour or more after the de-
paTluTe Of her companion, 1t may be said
that at the end of that time the young
woman Just presented 10 the reader in a
faded calico gown and limp and dusty sun
bonnet. stepped from the wagon in clean
and very becoming attire. Her hands and
cheeks were brown from exposure to the
sun, bat with bright eye s, regular features
and form which seemed to require no I'M
prCyement, she was flne type oil youthful
western wOmanh ood-attractive anywhere,
but in California at that time an object Of
alteration.
Raising her hands with Here. FrankieP'
she lifted over the front-board of the wagon
rather pale-faced but apparently healthy
boy Of perhaps years of age. Seating her.
self on the wagon tongue she drew the child
in front Of her, pushed the hair from his
face, readjusted his little straw hat and
then kissed him and said:
You have had long sleep, Frankie. Do
you see the houses yOnder? Well, papa is
down there somewhere, and grandpa has
gone to find him. Do you want to see him,
frankie ?"
The child made no reply. He was
thoroughly absorbed in the new scene to
which his eyes had just been opened.
W ny, don't you want to see your papa,
trankie?" and the mother looked into the
eyes Of the child with an expression of gen.
tie reproach.
win he bring US good things. TO eatP"
inquired the little one.
Yes. indeed, FrankieI He will bring US
more and better things TO eat than we have
had for a long time"
Then want 10 see him right away"
was the frank reply.
The mother smiled. She was rot sur-
prlsed at the answer. The child had not
seen It's father for eighteen months and he
was too young to remember him; but food
had been poor and scarce with him for the
preceding thirty days. and be could not for
get that be was hungry.
On one side of the wagon-cover Samuel
GAYLORD" had been painted in large script
letters with a marking brush. II was
diDgy and faded, but stfll IegibIe. II was
the name of the old man who had Just left
the wagon. as well as of the son, for whom
he had gone In search. The elder Gaylord
bad been prosperous farmer near Peoria,
III. and the leaih of his Erifa In 12dz