The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-05-08
FIELD A FORYY-NIEER.
Early Experience Of the Venera-
Bile Justice.
TIE GOLDEN DAYS OF CALIFORNIA
1t was Indeed " Glorious Country ~
Effects OF Presenting a Forgotten
Note-Mcney in the Nick OF Time
Sample High Prices.

account Of his early days in California.
1t is an exceedingly interesting docu-
ment, and | have been permitted to
quote from ii at length.
"Upon landing from the steamer in
San Francisco writes Justice Field,
'.my baggage consisted of two trunks,
and had only $40 in my pocket.
was compelled to pay 81 to have my
trunks taken to a room in an old adobe
building. This room was about 10
feet long by feet wide, and had
bed in it. For its occupation the sum
of S35 week was charged. Two Of
my fellow passengers and myself en-
gagged it. They took the bed and |
took the floor. do not think they
had much the advantage on the score
of comfort.
A CHEAP BREAKFAsT.
"The next morning | started out
early with So in my pocket. l hunted
up a restaurant and ordered the cheap
est breakfast l could get. 1t cost me
81. A solitary dollar was therefore
all the money in the world ! had left,
but was in no respect respondent
over my financial condition. As /
walked along the streets met great
many persons / had known in New
York, and they all seemed to be In the
highest spirits. Every one in greeting
me said, 1T is glorious country or
Did you ever see more glorious
country or something to that effect.
In every case the word glorious was
sure to come out. There was some
thing infectious Ia the use of the word.
or rather in the feeling, which made
its use natural. | had not been out
many hours that morning before
caught the infection, and though /
had but single dollar in my pocket
and no business whatever and did not
know where | was to get the next
meal, found myself saying to every
body met, 1T is glorious country.
1.-THE streets were filed with people,
1t seemed to me, from every nation
under heaven, all wearing their pecu-
liar costumes. All seemed to be busily
occupied and in a state of -pleasurable
excitement. Everything needed for
their wants-food, clothing and lodg-
ing quarters, and everything required
for transportation and mining-were
in urgent demand aud obtained ex-
travagant prices. Yet no one seemed
to complain of the charges made.
There was an apparent dsdan of all
attempts 10 cheaper articles and re-
duce prices News from the east was
eagerly sought from all newcomers.
Newspapers from New York were sold
at 81 apiece. | had a bundle Of them,
and, seeing the price paid for such pa
pers, | gave them to a fellow passen-
ger, telling him he might have half
he could get for them. There were GA
numbers, if / recollect Alright, and the |
third day after our arrival to my as
tonishment he handed me $32, stating
that he had sold them all at 81 apiece. |
Nearly everything else brought sim
ilarly extravaganza price.
HARD LUCK.
"After breakfast / followed the |
crowd to the courthouse and found |
that Judge Almond was holding what |
was known as the court of first in
stance, and that case was on trial. |
To my establishment / saw two of my /
fellow passengers, who had landed the
night before, sitting on the jury. / |
waited till the case was over and then |
inquired how it happened they were
there. They said that they had been
attracted by the crowd, just as | had
been, and that while looking on the
proceedings Of the court the sheriff
had summoned them. They replied
that they had only just arrived in the
country. But he said that fact made
no difference. Nobody had been in
the country three months. They adj
ded that they had received So each for
their services. At this piece of news
/ thought Of my solitary dollar and
wondered iflimilar good fortune might
not happen 20 me. So l fingered in
the court room, placing myself near
the sheriff int The hope that on another
jury he might summon me- But it
was not my good luck.
passing down Clay street my at
tention was attracted by sign in
large letters, Jonathan ID. Stevenson.
Gold Dust Bought and Sold Here. As
saw this inscription l exclaimed,
Hello, here is good luck' for sud-
denly recollected that when left New
York my brother Dudley had handed
me note against Stevenson for $3.50
or $500, stating that he understood
the colonel had become rich in Cali
fornia, and that If such were the
case to ask him to pay the note.
L had put the paper in my pocket
book and thought no more of it until
the sight of the sign brought it to
my recollection and also reminded
me of my solitary dollar. The
colonel had known me very well in
New York and was apparently delight
ed to see me. He at once commence
ed talking about the country. sAh,
ne continued, sit is glorious coun-
try. | have made 5000, 000. This
was more than | could stand. | had
already given him long shake of the
hand, but l could not resist the i'm
pulse to shake his hand again, thinking
all the time of my financial condition.
So seized his hand again and shook
1T vigorously, assuring him that /
was delighted to hear of his good luck.
We talked over the matter, and in my
shook his hand third
time, expressing my satisfaction at
his good fortune.
A FRIEND INDEED.
'We passed long time together,
he dilating all the while upon the fine
country it was in which to make
money. At length pulled out the
note and presented it to him. / shall
never forget the sudden change from
wreaths of smiles to an elongation of
physiognomy expressive of mingled
surprise and disgust which came over
his features on seeing that note. He
took it in his hands and examined it
he turned it over and looked
at its back and then at its face again,
and then, as it were, at both sides at
once. At last he said in sharp tone,
That's my signature, and began to
calculate the interest: that ascertain
ed, he paid the full amount due. If
remember rightly he paid me $40 :
In Spanish doubloons, but some of it
49, L I