Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1914-08-20

Mrs. Blumstrum is a Swede. She is
also widow, and q years Of age.
she Is also accustomed to working in
notels and restaurants. On account
Ut her widowhood, and the fact that
she has TO earn her own living, she
mas been compelled to place her four
children in the State Orphans home,
says the Carson News. Her latest
place of employment was Tonopah.
She had small boarding house there,
but fell down cellar and broke her,
right leg, and was compelled to sus-
pend the business, and when she re-
covered, did not see any advantage
an resuming business. An irresistible
longing TO see her children came
over her, and she was short of the
wherewith to pay railroad fare, or
rather though she could have paid
ner way, she decided that she would
save the money and walk to Carson.
The distance from Tonopah to Car.
son, as given in the official map, is
205 miles, and it is across some of
the most desolate desert country of
Nevada. There are some fine Guilt
waited valleys on the way, but in the
main the road is dismal, hot, and dry.
The country is given over to the rat
tlesnakes, coyotes, and other such
yermln. But, as Mrs. Lumstrum
quantity expressed it, "Ill try any
ting, yunst." She packed her suit
case, afoot and alone, across the des-
ert. Asked where she slept and how
she supported herself on the way, she
said that she carried some edibles
with her, and when she could not
find farm house depended on this
small supply. Her water she carried
in a bottle. One day, on the trip,
she broke her water bottle, and walk
ed fourteen miles, in the sun, over
the sand and rocks, without drop
to drink. When tired, she simply lay
down beside a sagebrush, day or
night, and took nap, and when
rested continued the tramp. Much
OF her walking was done at night.
One morning, waking from her sleep,
she saw at her feet large rattle
snake, coiled for the strike. She
placed the heel of her heavy walking
shoe on his head, and her suitcase on
his body, and when she had ground
his head to a pulp tore the rattle
from his tail with her hand. There
were ten rattles on this one. and
with two more which she killed with
rocks on the trip, she has them in
her suitcase.
Her shoes wore out on the long
walk, and needed new half.soles.
Coming TO deserted mill, she found
piece of leather betting, and with
some shoe nails she had in her suit
case, pocket-kuife to cut the leath-
er, rock for a last, and another for
hammer, she made a fairly good
job OF halfsoling the shoes. She had
them on when she arrived in Carson
Arriving here, she went Immediately
to the Orphans home, after buying
some presents for the Riddles, but as
II was not visitors day, she was not
allowed to see them. She. then pur
chased some clean clothing, and af
ter visit to the warm springs, made
quite a neat appearance. On Sunday
she walked to the home, and saw her
nddies, as a reward for her long, hot
venturesome walk.
Asked if she was not frightened
alone on the desert, she said no, she
did not mind the lonesomeness, nor
the wild animals which she met, but
the Goddam mosquitoes nearly eat
mine arms Off"
Besides the rattlesnakes, she met
numerous coyotes, and one night, a
small animal, described by her SO
that one would think it either a por
cupine or a badger, attacked her
growing furiously. This animal she
frightened away by throwing lighted
matches at IT, When she has finished
visiting her children, she will again
go to the desert camps, and look for
employment. When asked how many