The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-03
FROM CHAMBERMAID
TO GOLD QUEEN
Aged and Rich Miner WEEDS n Pretty
Girl Who Worked in "A Hotel.
From the New York World

Girl Who Worked i'm "a Hotel.
From the New York World
Salt Lake City, Jan. 23,-From
chambermaid to the wife of one of
the richest mining kings in the West,
and all in the twinkling of an eye, that
is the story of Jean ONeill, who was
married to John Oldham.
Miss O'Neill is a Scotch lassie who
came to this country only year ago,
and secured employment at the ST. Ell
mo Hotel as waitress and housemaid.
She is % years old, a blonde and
plump. The girl has no relatives in
this country Mr.. Oldham is 70 years
of age. He was one of the crowd of
hardy "forty-nnerS'' who came West
in the gold rush. For twenty-six years
he has been proSpector and has made
and lost several fortunes. Since 1878
Mr.. Oldham has made no less than
twenty strikes. He had been bachelor
and had made his fight for gold alone.
His life has been a thing apart from
from women. No love affair had ever
Crept into his life.
Ten years ago, when he made his
greatest strike, he began to think of
what a home might be. Soon his for
tune was swept aside when a mine in
which he had invested his life's savings
went to the bad, and the aged pros
pector began again his search for the
yellow metal.
IF | ever again make a strike l
shall go back to civilization" declared
the miner, land marry the first good
woman to whom my heart turns"
So last week, with $150,000 to his
credit in bank, Oldham started to San
Francisco to find wife. For years he
had heard of the Golden Gate City as
being the home of the prettiest girls
in the West.
IT will go there" he said, land Sc
lect the prettiest of them to preside
over the home l will build with the gold
dust 1 have dug out of the hills
And so Oldham started for Frisco.
But it happened that the little god of
love had concocted a scheme to waylay
i the aged lover before he got out of
Utah. Hardly had Mr.. Oldham reach
Il ed Salt Lake City before his heart had
/ been stormed and won.
/ Mr.. Oldham drove up to the st. Elmo
/ Hotel late one evening. He asked for
a room, the best in the house.
Five minutes later the aged mining
1 king was stretching himself before a
/ big log fire. Pipe in hand day-dreams
II
/ Of smoke the woman fancy had pic
tured as his wife. There was knock
at the door, and Jean O'Neill entered.
Ibid you ring, sir?'' she asked, in
broad Scotch.
Oldham, startled. looked up. Stand
| ing before him he saw the pretty
| Scotch girl. AS he declared afterwaru,
it was the woman whose picture he had
| seen. in the cloud of smoke. Hastily
4 apIrs L T. g. - G,.A n1dhAfa ln0K-
i ed out the window to recover his COM
/ posure. Then he turned and gazed on
| the girl. His admiration increased the
| longer he watched the handsome cnam-
| bermaid.- When she left the room ne
l went to the Office and asked the clerk
| to arrange with the housekeeper SO
that he might be introduced to her.
This was Saturday. On Sunday ga
ham met the girl, and soon his aruor
reached the point where he asked het
| to be his wife. Jean seemed much
/ smitten with the aged miner she
pondered over the subject for DAY,
and then considered.
Il Meanwhile Oldham had loaded her
down with presents. First he pougns
her a fine silk dress. then SOU golo
watch, a dimond ring and many other
| things. In fact, he lavished presents
4 upon her. One day later the coupe
4 we're married ana started Oh "
i honeymoon tour to San Francisco
| Both We're as happy as two children:
| II suppose you are going to Write
A story of the mining king ana tne
chambermaid." said the bride laugh
ingly. 1T is true that | met, loved
and married Mr.. Oldham all within
the space of a day or two, but 1t was
case of love at first sight. II there
S such a thing as that. This IS my
first, my only romance. 1t is my hus-
bands first romance. ] am the nrst
woman he has ever loved. / must De
the woman that was set apart for
nim for he saw my picture in a wreath
Iot smoke just one moment before l
Ientered into his life. That must mean
something. 1t can only mean that GOD
has stamped our union with the seal
ot his approval. 1t is true that | am
only chambermafd, and Mr.. Oldham
a rich bonanza king. But there
no reason why a poor girl cannot
make him a good wife and be mis-
,ress in all the word implies OF the
beautiful home he will build for me
the mountains. Our future lives
VIII prove that December and May
nay mate and live a long, sweet
My wife speaks only the truth,
nr2ke in Oldham at this point4 We
WI be happy, you may rest assured
~ that. We have money, she mas