Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-22

of Talbot's share. We carried the dust
always with us, for the camp was no
longer safe from thieves:
About this time the first Of the over
land wagon trains began to come
through. Hangman's Gulch was not
on the direct route, but some enterpris-
ing individual had found our trail fair
ly practicable for wagons and ten
miles shorter than the regular road.
After that many followed, and soon
we had q well cleared road. They
showed plainly the hardships of long
journey, for the majority of them were
thin, sick looking and discouraged.
Few of them stopped at the diggings,
although most had come west in hopes
of gold, but pushed on down to the
pastures of the Sacramento. They
were about worn out and needed to
recuperate before beginning anything
new. Some were out of provisions and
practically starved. The Yankee store
keeper sold food at terrible rates.
remember that quinine, a drug much
in demand, cost dollar a grain! We
used to look up from our diggings at
the procession of these sad faced, lean
men walking by their emaciated cat
tie and the women peering from the
wagons and be very thankful that we
mad decided against the much touted
overland route
One day, however, an outfit went
through of quite a different character
We were apprised of its approach by
a hunter named Bagsby. He loped
down the trail to the river level very
much in a hurry.
Boys he shouted, quit work!
Come see what's coming down the
trail" with which he charged back
again up the hill.
His great excitement impressed us,
for Bagsby, like most of the old time
Rocky mountain men, was not ordinar-
lily what one would call an emotional
individual. Therefore we dropped our
tools and surged up the hill as fast as
we could go. l think we suspected
Indians.
A train of three wagons drawn by
strong oxen was lurching slowly down
the road. 1t differed little from 9TH
ers Of its kind, save that the cattle
were In better shape, and the men
walking alongside, of the tall, compe-
tent backwoodsman type, seemed we'll
and hearty. But perhaps a hundred
yards ahead of the leading wagon
came a horse, the only horse In the
outfit, and on it, riding sidesaddle, was
a girl. She was a very pretty red
checked girl, and she must have stop
ped within n half mile or so of the
camp in order to get herself up for this
impress-ye entrance. Her dress was
of blue calico. with white yoke and
heavy founces or panniers. Around
her neck was a black velvet ribbon.
On her head was a big leghorn hat
with red roses. She rode through the
town, her head high, like a princess,
and we all cheered her like mad. Not
once did she look at us, but could see
her bosom heaving with excitement be-
meath her calico and her nostrils wide.
She was remarkably pretty girl, and
this was certainly the moment of her
triumph.
<aOoub tLio liliC VIC huN W NOLhC W
some sort of n decision, for our provi-
sions were about exhausted. We had
no desire to replenish our stock from
that of the local storekeeper. We were
doing pretty well in the diggings, but
we had also fairly healthy appetites,
and l am convinced that at the prices
that man charged we should have no
more than kept even. Williams, the
storekeeper, was levying double prof
its, one from us and one from the
overland immigrants. Don Gaspar
proposed we send out Vasquez with all
the horses to restock at SuNer's Fort.
We We're trifle doubtful as to wheth-
er Vasquez would ever come back, but
Don Gaspar seemed to have confidence
in his man. Finally, though a little
doubtfully, we came to the plan. Don
Gaspar sent out also to Mcclellan for
safe keeping his accumulations of gold
dust, but we did not go quite that far.
In view of probable high prices we In.
trusted him with eighteen ounces for
the -
(To Be Continued)