The Bossier banner., 1895-01-03

belt. 81 claim to have the nerve to
use it."
She got the load of goods and an ac-
count was opened up with capt.
Jane" All that summer and the win.
ter following she made regular trips.
The winter of 1S50-51, be it remem-
bered, was the dryest season the Amer
cans had seen in CALIFORNIA;; so team
ing was not interrupted. At the end
of the year Capt. Jane had deposited
with her merchants about fifty thou
sand dollars.
Every old resident on the west side
of Sacramento valley and of Shasta re-
members Capt. Jane. She purchased
farm on Thomas creek, just below
the town of Tehama. The teamsters
and tavern keepers along the road in
that day had many incidents to relate
of her. Camping miles away from
any body she would sleep in her wagon
or beside it alone, when it was well
known she had large sums of money.
She was a woman of action, not of
words She talked more to her mules
than to men. When she threw the
harness on each mule walked to his
place. Nor did she ever picket out
one of them. Freed to Craze upon the
best grass they were sure to be on
hand in the morning. She kept her
Tehama property but short time,
and selling it at profit disappeared.
In 1852 George w. Frink kept the
Tehama house, at the corner of Cali
fornia and Sansome streets, San Fran
CISCO John Duncan was his clerk.
There were sitting around his office
stove Gen. E. O. C. Ord, his brother,
Judge Pacifcus Ord, Judge Cy Wal
lace, DR.. Robert Semple, Gen. j. w.
Denver, John Bigler, Lieut.. Derby
and several other army officers. The
Panama steamer had just arrived and
the political situation at the east was
| being discussed, when plainly
dressed woman walked in, approached
| the counter, registered and asked to be
| assigned room. The conversation
lulled. Duncan disappeared to show
the lady her room, and Frink walked
to the register to look at the name.
| "Who is she?" asked Lieut.. Derby.
plain Jane Smith"
"From where does she hail?"
"She doesn't hail - that's left
blank
For weeks and months the distin-
guished guests of the Tehama Won
dered who Jane Smith could be and
whence she came, but none of them
could engage her in conversation. The
landlord was one of the handsomest
men of his day, and a great ladies
man withal, yet he could talk to hel
of no other matters than those con
nected with the business between
them. She took all the commercial
papers of the Atlantic board as well
as those of San francisco. AS point
er John Duncan noticed that the old
papers brought from her room were
minus the market reports and the
shipping intelligence.
''No more. ham for breakfast" said
Landlord Frink, jocularly, to his
guests ''Gone away out of sight;
been cornered just like flour was a
short time ago. In the last six or eight
months somebody has cornered pork.
lard, candles, -four, salt, beans, to.
bacco, and be hanged If l know what
else. am told to-day that it is a
woman, who polSes around inquiring
prices, giving no name, but when she
buys always says: Cash."
II have it," exclaimed John Dun
can. 1T is our woman in 16. She has
kept posted about what was on the
way to this coast. Didn't tell yor
about the clippings? She must be
worth million. Good for her!''
1t seemed plain to them now, ant
there was general clapping of hands
in the circle around the stove.
"Parrott, or McCrary, or some one
else must be backing and instructine
her. said guest mo woman coult
do that of herself
Don't you believe it." said Lieut.
Derby. ''If she hasn't self-reliance
there is no virtue in physiognomy."
just then the object Of the converse
ton passed through the Office and OIL
up the stairs. A few minutes late
"John Doe," supposed to be one o
| Vic TlCutSU VI - Tile Clty
came in, sent his card to 16 and ner
vously waited reply. 1t was notices
he drew deep sigh of relief as tn,
message came: "Show the gentle
man up
l have given this gentleman an alias
Miss Jane Smith?" queried Mr.. Do
as he entered the room.
'Jane Smith, at your service, SIR
"Ah! Mrs. Jane Smith,
''Jane Smith is my name, and yours
believe, is John Doe?'
He bowed and she continued: "Oh
yes; think have heard the name be
fore. You are engaged in trade, be
lieve, something of which women ar
supposed to know nothing. You dea
in hams, sometimes in flour, occasion
ally Ia pork, and it seems to me some
body once told me you handled car
dies"
'You seem well posted on my bus
ness, Miss Smith"
Jane Smith has sought to post hel
self on the business of several gentle
men. How well she has succeeded tn
sequel must show"