The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-05
THE WOMEN OF 40.
Lively Passages From Senator Stew
arts Book.

Women were so scarce in California
at that time that this was sufficient tC
arouse the whole camp. The "boys, .
as we were called, were scattered along
the Coyote diggings for distance OF
about four miles, and when anything
unusual happened the words "Oh Joe! y
would be passed along the whole line
When I saw the feminine raiment ]
raised the usual alarm, "Oh JOEL
and this called the attention of the min
ers on Buckeye Hills, where | was, to
the clothes-line which had attracted my
notice. They gathered around on the
hill, nearly surrounding the covered
wagon and it's contents.
The rush of the boys in the immediate
vicinity to see the wonderful sight at
tracted those farther away, and in less
than ten minutes two or three thousand
young men were anxiously watching the
wagon, clothes-line, and fascinating
lingerie.
In alarm the man that belonged to
the woman inside stuck his head out of
a small tent beside the wagon. [ as,
sured him that no harm was intended,
but that we were very anxious to see
the lady was was the owner of the
clothes.
This aroused her curiosity sufficient
ly to induce her to pull the curtain of
the tent aside so that her face could be
discovered, but not fully seen.
] then proposed that we make dona-
ton to the first lady that had honored
our camp with visit. / took from my
camp a buekskin bag, used for the pur-
pose of carrying gold, and invited the
boys to contribute. They came for
ward with great eagerness, and poured
out of their sacks golddust amounting
to between two and three thousand dol
lars. I then proposed to appoint a com.
mittee to wait on the lady and present
it. The motion was unanimously car
ried, and one of the gentlemen ap-
pointed on the committee suggested
myself as chairman.
T took the sack of gold and went
within about thirty feet of the tent, and
made as good a speech as I could to
induce the lady to come out, assuring
her that all the men about her were
gentlemen, that they had seen no ladies
for so many months, and that the pres.
ence of one reminded them of their
mothers and sweethearts at home. I
told her the bag of gold was hers on
condition that she would come out and
claim it.
Her husband urged her to be brave,
but when she finally ventured out about
half way, the cheers were so vociferous
that she was scared and ran back.
She repeated this performance several
times, and | kept moving slowly back
far enough to get her away from the
little tent so the boys could have good
view of her. [ suppose half an hour
was occupied with her running back
and forth while the boys looked on in
admiration, when finally gave her the
bag with all the good wishes of the
camp. She grabbed it and ran into the
tent like a rabbit.
The next morning the wagon, oxen.
man, and owner of the inspiring apparel
were gone. and we never heard of them
in after life. 1t was no doub- well that
they FASTENED their departure. for in
those days it was a very usual occur
renee for the young wife coming to
that country to be persuaded to forsake
her husband on their arrival in the
new camp.