Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-02-25
WOMAN MINER OF 40.
As Far to the Comstock Then as 90
the I<IondilSe Now.

caught the fever Of '97 The story was
told by her daughter, who is now resi-
dent of this city. Mother was one of
those Rrst famous 'forty-niners, though
not by any means of her own planning
or election. A New Yorker by birth, the
daughter of an Episcopal clergyman,
series Of most unfortunate circum-
stances found her stranded, in the fall
of '4s, in small town near the Mis-
sissippi, with tiny baby and in great
financial straits. a patty of gold seek
ers came through about that time, on
their way to the new Ellorado. Mother
begged to be allowed to join their train,
AS, alone and penniless as she was, she
could never expect to find her way
across the wilderness that then sep
arated the seaboard states from the
present great highway of commerce,
"As is the case now with parties bound
fer Alaska, these travellers had little if
anything to spare from their meager
stores for any outsider; but rather than
be left behind in her extremity, mother
undertook the hazardous journey west
ward with this certainty of privation
before her, and even the possibility of
starvation, should the journey prove
longer than the provisions lasted.
"For many weeks she elled out a bare
existence upon roots, twigs and any
thing which came to hand that could
be utilized to keep body and soul to-
gether. But the 'diggings' once reached,
there was plenty to do. Unlike the
KloAdke find, the gold fields of 40 were
In kindly zone and where nature was
not niggardly.
"Mother tells amusing stories of her
life there making shirts for the miners
at five and six dollars apiece, baking
bread for them, and between times
washing out sand on her own account.
Sometimes, with the help of n little In
dian boy who had become attached to
the camp, this plucly little woman
would make up half a barrel of flour at
time. Such days, however, were poor
in gold dust, as one may imagine; but,
on the whole, she was not the loser, for
where this unlimited money is so plent-
full people grow more generous in spite
Of themselves, and the only woman in
the camp was by no means treated i'll.
"One day when Nah-Kee, the little
Indian boy, and one of the miners were
out on a hunting expedition great
grizzly suddenly appeared in the trail
| Just before them. The man started
back aud took aim, but even before he
could fro the huge heast had sprung at
the boy, tearing one car and half the
scalp from his head. Rescued, but in a
frightful condition, he was carried
back to camp and to mother, who sewed
up his wounds with one of the same
needles that had done duty for so many
blueieans and with silk rayeled from
one of the dainty stockings that had
been part of her pretty eastern trous-
| seau.
despite the best care they could
give him, the poor boy pined and grew
worse. Even the baby's playful de-
mands upon him, which, until then,
had proved a source of endless delight,
failed to arouse his interest, and in des-
peration one of the camp Indians de-
cided to tell some of the tribe to which
the child belonged, and who were
known to be in the neighborhood at
the time. That night the camp was
surprised by something like hundred
dusliy warriors, grim and determined.
In some way the message had been mis-
understood, and they imagined the boy
to have been ill-treated, but when he
assured them of the kindness shown
him and of his love for the pale faces,
and, most of all, for the tiny white
baby, they changed their minds, and,
though they carried him off with them,
It was with earnest protestations of
gratitude and good will.
"These sachems buried the half
scalped boy in earth, up to his chin, for
several days. Oddly enough, he be-
gan to mend, and in few weeks was
himself again, pining only for his pale
face baby, and his people were forced
to let him return to the miners camp,
"When at last the thirst for wealth
with some of the little band was for
time appeased, and they decided to
come home to enjoy their gains, mother
was the first to board the old ship that
was to round Cape Horn on its way
to New York-the longest way round
being considered by far the shortest
way home by those who had once
known the horrors of the overland
route. Storms blew and beat day after
day, and weary weeks heightened into
drearier months. Rations were short
clothing scarce, and, though they car.
ried fortunes, they had scant comfort
1t proved more than the wee girl who
had known little else than the miIt
climate of California could endure, and
when her eyes closed for the last time
the Indian boy (who begged so piteous'
ly not to be separated from his little
charge that mother at last consented
TO bring him with herr lay at the cabir
door, day and night, like faithful dog
moaning and crying for the little play
follow he had lost.
"Mother brought about 100000 witt
her in gold which she had gathered be
tweenwhiles,' as she expresses it. Ant
yet, on the whole, though she loves tC
tell of that wild rough life to her chill
dren and grandchildren clustered abou'
her, she thinks, had she her life to live
over at option, she would forego the
gold rather than pay its price secont
time. IN. Y. Tribune.
Private and COnfidenti@i.
jim Jackson--How did yo' eber cum
toe propose toe de eldest OBJ de John
sing gals? She's homely as sin--no