The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-15

footsteps OF the men who beat the path
through the snow, so she grew tired very
soon. Her brain must have rested from
her sufferings, but even then her face was
wreathed in smiles and she kept telling
her father and the men that she saw bright
angels all about them-that they would
surely be saved. Poor little Patty sank
down at last, and was only kept alive by
mitten-thum bful of crumbs, which her
father moistened first with his own lips
and then placed little at time between
hers.
The last part of the way Patty had to be
carried. But I'll warrant that even then
she paid her passage with words of cheer.
After three days the party reached camp
where they were warmed and fed and
saved.
What very little woman was that same
Patty As soon as she was comforted she
drew out of the bosom OF her dress a little
wooden dolly she had carried all that
dreadful time. And with it she had
treasured a lock of gray hair she had cut
from the head of her beloved grandma,
who was left in the far-away Eastern
home. A little glass salt-cellar, TOO, a
childish treasure, she had chung to all the
way.
In one of the beautiful homes of San
Jose those three things, with an old wooden
mitten which still has traces of crumb BIS in
its thumbs, are carefully treasured. And
| wonder if Patty Reeds grandchildren
don't cry little bit over them sometimes.
That is enough about hard times for one
while. But another one of the history
men tells a story which must be true,
since it's written in book, of some chill
dren who haven't had half enough credit
for what they did.
1t is true that the Spanish Governor,
Alvarado, received report of the finding
of gold in California in 1912. 1t
was at place called San Francis
quito, about thirty-five miles from
Los Angeles, that ranchero named
Francisco Lopez found this gold. He
pulled up some wild onions, it is said, and
found gold in the earth about their roots.
However all that may be everybody knows
that it was the discovery of gold on the
AmericanRiver in 1916 that caused the great
gold-fever to break out and spread over all
the civilized world. Jacob Wright Harlan.
a member of Colonel Fremont's staff. has
written a book about early DAYS in Cali
fornia and in it he tells the story of the
discovery of gold after this fashion:
I'm Coloma lived my fathers sister.
married to Peter WINNER, whom / had
always known as Uncle Peter. He had
crossed the plains with us and had re-
manned at Suffers Fort. About the first
OF lo4I received letter from Uncle Peter
which changed all my plans of life.
I'm that letter he told me that. soma
time before, Captain Suffer had made a
contract with him and J. w. Marshall tn
build for the captain a sawmill at Coloma
on the south fork of the American River
Uncle Peter had four children. three
boys and little girl-my cousin. While
the mlllrace was being dug the children
found 1t place which they liked to play
In, and one day, while they were thus
playing, little John WINNER. the second
Oldest boy, found piece OF gold of the
value OF about So. 1t was bright and
pretty, and the. child ran to the
house and showed it to his father
ana 70 Marshall: It was washing day,
ana at Marsballs suggestion the nugget
was put into the wash-kettle among the
polling suds. After some little time f was
found to pc untarnished, and Marshall
said 1t must be gold.
he took 1t to Suffers Fort, where it was
TESTED ana found to be truly gold. While
marshall was gone to the fort the children
picked up about four ounces more of gold,
SO That when Captain Suffer came up to
tne sawmill to see for himself, which he
Immediately did, Uncle Peter showed
MIN this second discovery of the chill
dren's. and satisfied him that a most valu-
pie source OF wealth had been found.''
linen Sutter and Marshall and WINNER,
gaining the Coloma Indians together, en-
tsreo into an agreement or lease with
them, by which they leased from the In
oians territory twelve miles square.
1Qe Indians were IN ha maid in aour