New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-24
WOM1N ~ 4 MINING CAMP.

MRS. ROBERT LOUIS sTEvENsoNs EXPERIENCE
From The London Queen
1t was once my evil fortune 10 dwell in a mining
camp in the Reese River district. arid stretch
Of alkali desert, where no green thing was TO be
cannot imagine on what the cattle fed bread and
was little else except when on great occasions.
and at "A vast expense. some withered fruit or
withered vegetables were imported from Caiifor-
Every man and woman of the latter there
only some half-dozen) was his or her own servant.
| thought II very strange al nrst 20 stand N iny
doorway. which overlooked the motley town and see
Larger yoqns oS tse blpk ns And
for time the shoshone and Piu;e Indians that
infested the place objects OF interest not un-
mixed with fear [ had supposed, on Information
derived from novels. that the proper word for an
Indian woman squaw that Indian nuts were
called wgwams, and that the braves san .gn!
ugh" and continually demanded "hre-water; also
Gated savages shuddered the taste " Sp.ri,s had
haas" their huts "wickeaps ana themselves
"hombres" Ny faith in the novelist IS; 1 ,,S
heap" '' and "sabe" "Hombre heap hungry" said
Shoshone jim fine, tall young savage with teeth
filed TO sharp points | fastened 10 lay before him
what broken victuas could find. Having disposed
OF his food. he drew our large. sharp knife, ana
he had eaten. This was. as afterward discovered.
the proper etiquette for the occasion and IN time
my table became worn TO lower level on the FOR
ward side from continual scraplngs.
My cousin Ben. a remarkably handsome youth.
end in that forlorn country, did all he could 70
help me in my household tasks The washing of
dlsfavor by shoshone Jim. why you wash dsh?..
he demanded Of Ben. "Oh. the maha.a makes me-.
was the reply you mahala?' inquired Jim. Ben
careless.y replied in the affirmative; ,whereupo31
Jim rose walked out Of the house. and disappeared
the evening he returned, greatly fatgued with. his
long tramp, carrying young sapling carefully
stick" said he Offering it to Ben. You whip
you mahall; no good hombre wash dish, HIS race
couled at Bens refusal. then Frightened with nope
he said in It most insinuating voice You ike l
whp rho custom IN Reese River to breakfast lunch
and dine on fried beefsteak and 'hapjacks. made
by stirring water into sef-raising -four; the Tor
mua for the butchers order was invariably two
bits worth of steak, and suet to fry II IN" re-
VOTED against the apaek and and having 1Sas f9ks
kept my own family in good light bread. , The
recipe for these yeast cakes; which keep Ions
There were doubtless. miners Of the Bret Harte
type 10 be found in our camp. but never had the
on Of oniv some haifdozen women in a town OF
hundreds Of men. and was shy OF leaving the I'm,
presents ocea sional!y once an apple was sent TO
~ rIs bn, tbe offerings we're TO the sex only and
came ANONYMOUSLY one name however. learned
Johnny craycroft have often heard his foot
laid many traps 10 catch him one was to send MN
PEELED to thank me- but his gratitude took the form
OF deeds and not words: the next morning found
bSG b5ped ito to catch Johnny with was jar Of
imitation honey ] learned how 10 make this honey
when a child from old negro, who sold II under
My first. last and only dinner party in camp. was
c"urse was the piece de resistance. or calves
brains. sweetbreads and tongue made a presenta-
bic vol-au-vent. Vegetables there were none. For
my pudding | took two and one-nalf cups or com.
mon New-Oreans molasses; one and one-hair
of chopped suet two and one-half or bread crumbs,
one teaspoonful Of salt cloves. cinnamon nutmeg
and ground ginger to taste After Warming n the
Donate Of soda and then with my hand WORKED
q very thick batter This | boiled IN small TN
pan with a flannel cloth tied over H. for six hours:
and served it with blazing rum II was not a PAD
imitation Of plum PUDDING, minus tne p aun,s;
and almost indigestible Except FOR sentimental
consderat9ns am atogether opposed 10 'ne plum n,
pudding is called for, | use an ancient English
In the pride of.my heart refused all help in my
preparations for the dinner party only allowing
Ben in the kitchen after everything was D Wen an Ssp
that had long been my bane futtered in between
his feet This hen b2 to or gang 5 OF coming
New Years celebration. I had several times found
afraid TO complain TO her owners. She uesan
Hopping about in the idotic manner OF mems up
sc ing do6r we had set open for her exit Never
was a creature more exasperatng than That hen.
nqy she Ben ep l n'q Paa 81 be Ra picked
from the hearth It went straight TO the mark, and
but the result filled with CONSERVATION We
closed the door. shot the bolt, drew the curtain:
what we should do with the body Of the hen,
fowl I'm Reese River an article OF untold value.
Its price might ruin us Ben suggested install
ments. ~ -. -.
our lives" returned |. Besides. We found that
neither OF MS had the courage 10 confess the deed,
and saw like George Washington, Il did 1t with
nv little Ratchet Burning in the kitchen stove
would not be safe. FOR the odor OF burnt featners
might betray US. Time pressed, and we had come
to no decision. Steps must be taken cried ben:
and catching up the fowl. he buttoned II inside
his coat snatched up his hat. and disappeared In
4 short time he returned unbuttoned his coat.
and produced the fowl. plucked and ready Tor
ron sting Into the with H." said he Il had
meant TO shy IT down that old shaft behind the
house but hadn't the heart to waste the good meat.
IL will look we'll at your dinner party, ana guests
do not ask questions. But the feathers and the
rest?' | asked doubtfuly. mo danger returned
Ben 81 lay down behind big boulder, ana
plucked It into my handkerchief: then l put In a
stone tied up the handkerchief and hung II TO
the bottom of the shaft There's not SO much as
pin fea Their of evidence against us Atter dinner
I'm send the bones the same road.
detected look OF surprise in the races OF my
guests when the hen served. but think was
the most startled when miserable child who had
been spying on us unobserved (who would have
SUSPECTED treachery from imp hardly weanedl
mined in with: ION, Is that the chicken you ano
Ben stole?"