The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1913-12-19
A WOMAN IN
CAMP
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1913, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

No man of us who was there can
ever forget the afternoon a party Of
hunters and Indian fighters rode up to
our mining camp with lone woman
In their midst
1t had been twenty-five months since
any of US had seen anything more re-
sembling woman than pair of spec
tacles and a red cotton handkerchief,
and to say that we were knocked down,
stepped on and crushed into the hard
soil with establishment is saying little
enough.
| The woman was a widow, who had
been captured by the Indians from an
immigrant train and then recaptured
by the hunters. She was about forty
years Of age, had taken the situation
cOOlly, and instead Of making an effort
to restore herself to the train and to
her relatives with whom she was jour-
neying had asked to be set down in
our camp until she could make up her
mind what course to pursue. This was
the way the leader Of the hunters turn
ed her over to our care:
Say, you diggers arter silver, here's
a woman who wants to stop here for a
spell till she gets rested. She's eddi-
Gated, and she sings like a south wind
blowing over prairie flowers"
And this was the way we received
her:
"Ahem-yes-ahem so-hats off,
bOys-nO swearing-glad to see ye-
hope yer well-ahem-exactlyw
There were thirty of us standing
around there, mouths open, hats off
knees wabbling and more coming up
from the diggings every minute. and
something in the situation made the
widow grin as she looked us over.
filed my claims as follows:
First.-I assisted her off the horse.
Second.-I said hoped she was well
Third remarked that it was a
melOdious afternoon.
FOurth.-She accepted my arm as
we walked to camp and then accepted
my shanty as her headquarters.
If tidal wave six feet high had
come rolling up the valley it wouldn't
have produced half the f1utter Occa-
stoned by the presence of the Widow
Fleming. There were eighty or ninety
of US, rough, brawny and more or less
wicked, some married, some divorced
and some old bachelors. and to have a
dumpy little black eyed widow with a
pretty mouth and a voice as sweet as
sixty cent molasses pop in upon US at
8 O'Clock in the afternoon was excuse
enough to stop work.
Several curious things happened
right away. Colonel Taylor, who had
never been known to wash his face or
comb his hair. started out in search Of
a clean shirt and pocket comb.
Bill GoOdhen, the ugliest looking man
in camp, offered So for a piece Of look
ing glass two inches square, and, not
being able to find one, he went and
washed his feet as the next best thing.
There was a general washing up and
combing and scrubbing and hunting
out clean shirts and neckties, and the
old man Payson. who had been sick in
bed for a week, got up and began to
chew tobacco and call for his clothes,
and he observed:
Gentlemen, who knows but what
this wilder heard l had $50 saved up,
and she has come here to ask for my
hand in marriage?'
/ have further claims to file, as fol-
lows:
Fifth was chosen guardian to the
widow by unanimous vote.
Sixth.-The widow seemed perfectly
satisfied with the choice.
SEVENTH had the only clean white
shirt in that whole camp. and only five
buttons were missing from the gar
ment.
Other claims We're intrusted to me to
be filed, as follows:
Seven different men had their hail
cut.
Six others shaved themselves with
jackknives.
Over a dozen of our band let up a
notch or two on swearing.
Well, it was curious what a change
that widow wrought in our camp, in
our way of living, and upon the man
ners of the men. Each made an effort
to clean and slick up, and in most
cases with marked success. Before her
advent we could count on two or three
quarrels per day. After her coming
such thing was never known. Indeed
one day, when Peter White so far for.
got himself as to insult Charles O'Gay
Charles took him aside and whispered
-"Peter, l kin turn We wrong side out
in six ticks of clock, but I'm not
the sort of gentleman to kick up
q row and upset lady's nerves. III
lay it up agin ye and arter she leaves
camp I'll wallOp We or die trying"
And the widow, she sewed on but
tons and mended rent garments for the
whole of us, and she taught this one
how to cook, and that one how tC
patch and darn. and before we knew
it she was a gOdmother and an idol
A queen could not have commanded
deeper respect, nor an angel greater
reverence.
She was with us about six weeks
and then went away with friends
who came for her. Each man was
taken by the hand and given IL gOodby
word, and as she was lost to sight
down the trail the awful silence among
our crowd was broken by the thunder
ing report of the judge blowing his
nose, followed by the husky Observa
ton:
"Waal, l swan! Hanged if I've fell
so much like crying in about forty
seven years.