Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-07
ROMANCE OF CREEDE'S WARD
Wonderful Life Story Of a Millionaire's 8
Adopted Child,
RESCUED FROM A CRUEL STtpFA1HER
Cheers the Last Days of Famous
Miner and Inherits His For-
tune-sketch of Vest
ern Life.

for this wonderland OF the far west, relates
the San Francisco Examiner, where strange
and unexpected events are always occurring
and peoples lives have fashion Of becom-
ing oddly entangled. For the dramatis per-
sonae It has handsome and spirited girl
who has escaped In an open boat from an
island which owes allegiance to no govern
ment on earth. and which is not quite as
blank and dreary as the Devils Isle, where
Dreyfus is In exile, but is as deficient In the
elements necessary 10 young LIES happi-
ness. Then there is a cruel stepfather OF
the genuine old fashioned type, rather
dlsspated husband little forsaken babe
and rich millionaire, who comes to the
rescue and conveniently dies, leaving all OF
his fortune to the babe, who Is In turn
bringing love and fortune to the mother who
abandoned her in infancy.
As accessories there figure the island and
its single. lonely ranch house, the theaters
OF big city with their glamour and tempta- =
tions and hospital where the young
mother went, i'll and frendless, while a de-
voted young husband, who comes to the
rescue of broken life, mercenary widow
and her counsel and several other minor
characters round out the cast.
The recent decision OF southern Call
Dorothy Creede. adopted child and heiress
OF the late millionaire Nicholas Creede, has
been awarded to the little girls mother,
Edith Waters Bashford, recalls the romantic
stories of two lives, the destinies Of which,
strangely interviewer by circumstance, have
centered in this little life.
The story Of Nicholas Creede Is one OF the
most picturesque and typical in the annals
of the west. Born and reared In obscurity,
but possessed Of certain rugged strength OF
character, the man first came to the front as
lieutenant Of a volunteer company OF In"
dian fighters OF his own recruiting, which
did worthy service during the Pawnee
troubles Coming in contact with gold and
silver miners a naturally adventurous dis
position led him to undertake prospecting
on his own account, and the fact that his
first days experience as a placer miner
netted him 80 in cash sealed his destiny.
From thenceforth he gave himself up to the
search for the precious metals in the Rocky
mountains with the single hearted zeal OF
the true prospector. He knew what 1t was
to suffer from cold and from hunger, to be
weary and ragged and footsore, but his
faith in the lucky "strike" that he would
some day make never failed him. And one
day his dream was realized.
How Creede Made His Pile.
In the days when silver was at par and
the possession of silver mine meant
something, he found a big and rich silver
lode in a region so bleak and forsaken that,
casting about for suitable name with which
10 christen it, and remembering Moses
quest in the wilderness, he dubbed it the
"Holy Moses" and the name stuck to it,
eve natter he had sold it for $4,000
This $4,000 meant his start in life as
a mining man, and he pressed on to new
victories ,rt-
His next rich find was the Amethyst"
which netted him millions, paying monthly
dividends of 100000. and after that It was
an old story when Creede became possessed
OF new and valuable ledge, and a matter
of small moment to him.
He owned one-third Of the prosperous
mining town of Creede in Colorado, which
borrowed its name from him, and he was
man venerated among miners only the
lucky are worshpped But all the adula-
ton that came, and all the increasing stores
OF wealth meant little to him, for he was
growing old and feeble and had no children
in the planning OF whose future he could
lose the consciousness of his own infirmi-
ties.
He came to California acquired a pretty
home in the city of Los Angeles and real
lied the dream of his youth. He had a
livery stable of his own which brought him
new profits. but life was still a dull and
hopeless round until one day new element
entered into it, and he found and adopted
the wee girl WHO afterward became his pet
and plaything. Back of the child is an
other story, one Of the strangest and most
romantic that ever found its development
in California.
Now for the island and the girl who lived
there in exile, to finally make her escape
in so dramatic fashion,
San Miguel Is the outermost OF the Santa
Barbara channel islands, so situated that
1t bears the full brunt OF the trade winds
constant warfare. 1t Is generally so wrapped
In fog that only an experienced mariner
dares approach II to try TO make its harbor,
dreading the hidden reefs and needle-like
pinnacles that stand about it as so many
threatening outposts, and have caused many
good snip to lay her bones on the shores
OF San Miguel.
Yet there are days when the mists retreat.
and one who rides safely past Princes island
on the one hand and DEVILS Nose on the
other finds himself in a beautiful little bay
mile across, whose deep blue waters re-
Meet stately hills and grassy slope that cour-
tesies low to meet the sea-
There Is no sign of human occupancv
here, but following the narrow trail that
winds up the hillside. in places wholly ef-
faced by the drifting sand one comes out
upon a fertile mesa, thickly carpeted with
succulent grasses and starred with wild
flowers In their season and up the line OF
gulch, just below the highest crest of the
hills, at an elevation OF 400 feet, there
stands friendly farm house, which has
never refused hospitality to the stranger.
An Island Home.
Edith Waters was born in San Francisco
born to poverty and hardship, neglect and
loneliness OF life, fraught with all danger
TO the pretty, promising child. Her beauty
and promise attracted the attention of a
tender hearted woman, Mrs. Scott, the wiaow
OF rich warehouse owner, who formally
adopted her, taking her to her heart and
nome When she Afterwards married VIII
liam q. Waters, foreman OF the printing
department OF a San Francisco daily news
paper the child took Captain Waters name
ana as. oddly enough. she came In time
10 bear startling resemblance to him,
there we're few who ever questioned her
paternity when Mrs. Waters falling health
made II desirable to remove to southern
California. Here, after short residence
In San Luis obispo county and in Santa
Barbara, the captain acquired possession of
San Miguel island and there established his |