The San Francisco call., 1909-12-19
HERRMANN 3
.SCHARMANN

and shelter to which had been led this day of
days. Grouped about the fire, all sang the old
Christmas songs again and again. the eyes of each
man seeking and finding in the flames familiar
scenes of home far back in the east Then when the
blaze had fallen embers and the shadows began to
steal in upon us from. the forest shook hands all
around with the clasp OF friends, wished each other
once more Merry Christmas, and SO to our
blankets"
THE OTHER STORY
Mr. Sharmann was born in Germany and was
brought by his parents the United States before he
was year old, with his brother Jacob, four years
older than himself The family lived in Brooklyn for
time, and when the older Sharmann decided to
join the army of California gold seekers there
little daughter years old. This is Mr.. Sharmanns
story of his '4o Christmas:
1--WE took the overland route to the west, starting
early in 184o. 1t took nine months to- make the
trip, and, young as | at that time, the terrible
sufferings and prvations endured have been
.effaced from my mind.
"At independence, Mo-, we left behind us the last
vestge of civilization and plunged into the trackless
regions of the great plains. My father made
captain of a train of Is emigrants who banded to
make this dangerous stage of the journey together
Our family had one wagon, prairie schooner it was
called, and yoke of oxen. 1t was slow, difficult
travelling and for weeks we plodded on and on into
world that was brown, fiat plate under an in
verted blue cup.
"The train broke up advanced, and when we
had crossed the Rockies and struggling into the
Misfortune swept upon when we had covered part
of that hopeless stretch Our water nearly gone,
cattle died and packing such supplies could
carry on our shoulders staggered on toward the
goal. My brother aud myself were strong and we'll
able to do share but my mother and little sister
grew weaker
"Day by day threw away possessions to
enable us to make the distance we must make or
perish Finally after period that has since been
nothing but haze of torture in my memory, we
the slope of the Sierras. Here began to climb
We had made only short distance when my sister
died We buried her where we chanced to be, on
mountain side l have never been able to identity
the spot.
December found us established on our first claim.
The nearest settlement Bidwelrs bar, though
that was nothing than two or three tents, and
the nearest town was Marysvie, 90 miles away
We had neghbors, and my mother the only
woman for many miles around in that wilderness.
With our depleted supplies we were in bad case. A
sheet of canvas stretched piles served us for
house 1t did little but keep the full sweep of the rain
from finding us Furniture we had none, nor beds
We slept on the ground, wrapped in ragged
blankets By day my father, my brother and myself
worked at placer mining on the Upper Feather
river.
my mother recovered from the effects of the
trip across the desert. After we went into camp
she helpless invalid and knew she was dying.
Toward the middle of the month my father too, fell
ILL., His trouble was scurvy, due to the wretched
food, which was all could procure. We had NAH
aged to get horse and my brother rode to Marys-
vile, where he bought potatoes at 81 pound
and about gill of vinegar We escraped the potatoes
and soaked the scrapngs in vinegar. With this we
saved my fathers life
"As Christmas approached two youngsters fell
to making plans. Brought up as all Germans are.
to regard Christmas the great fee of the year. the
time for reunions and merry making and great good
cheer could quite forego observing it, though
there was little to rejoice in We had saved small
quantity of gold dust - our share of the mining
operations and we determined to spend it in cele-
brating.
"Ewo days before Christmas, my father then being
somewhat better my brother and mounted the horse
and started for Marysville riding foremost by
We followed the trail down the river and reached
the town worn and tired but happy for time in the
sound of new voices, the sight of and dwellings
and the thought that might purchase some few
articles in tie 'ore. 1t took long time to make