Year: 1877




would have trouble when the season for
mining arrived, for the fame of Indian
Dlgglngs had spread abroad and the ar
rival and departure of bands of prospect
ing miners WAS thing of daily occur
renee; and although but little of real
work could be done others were making
similar preparations. Brought together
from so many different quarters, those
who had secured claims and were holding
them knew little of each other as yet, but
with that spirit of frankness so general
among the toilers of that early day, we
were soon upon terms of acquaintance
with most Of those around us. Water to
work with there was none, but every
company was doing moro or less pros
pecting, and from the occasional pans
of dirt brought 20 the spring or taken TO
the little creek and washed, we felt as
sured that our camp would be good one
when the Winter rains should fairly set in. q.


Among the arrivals which succeed ours
was one which, after time, excited my
curiosity. He was young man, as indeed
were the majority of those present, but
though he watched keenly the various
prospecting companies and seemed desir-
Gus of knowing what their success was,
he made no effort to obtain claim for
himself. This surprised us the more, as
from some words he dropped while at our
camp, we knew that he had been in the
mines in 40, done we'll in them and made
a visit to the East. We were choke full
of enthusiasm then and could not under
stand how a man who had made money
mining and knew how to mine would
ever want to do anything else. We final
ly concluded him to be gambler, waiting
only until the boys got " fiush," to ply
his vocation-in which wise conclusion
we were mistaken.


Armfeld, for such was his name. re-
mained at the camp for week or ten
days, then went away as unexpectedly as
he came. / thought that was the last we
would see Of him, but was mistaken again.
lie was gone week or so when, coming
home from the claim one evening, the
sight of new white tent greeted me-
When had cooked and eaten supper,
the proprietor of the tent came over and
1t proved to be Armfeld. He had been to
Sacramento in the meanwhile, after some
tools, as he told me. He said that he had
come to the conclusion that Indian Dig
gings would be a pretty lively camp for
some years, and he thought of building a
boarding house. Would care if il were
built by us. l put his mind at ease on
that point and we separated.


Armield was up with the sun and
showed that he was no laggard as far as
work was concerned. There were plenty
OF sugar pines close at hand, and with the
assistance of a couple of idle miners, il
was not long before the establishment
began to assume shape. In the meantime
a great intimacy had grown up between
Armfeld and myself, brought about by
sort of clannish feeling much more com
mon in the early days of the mines thar
now. We found that we came from th
same State to this, and that of itself wa
passport to each others friendship. II
meet man from ones own State, thoUgl
it might be from its most distant corne
as compared to our own home, seemed
like meeting neighbor. Armfeld and
were from near the same locality; w
knew some of the same people, and moth
ing more was needed.


The new house rapidly approached
completion, and our little cabin was over
shadowed by its comparatively huge di
mensions. AS the finishing touches wer'
being put to it, l noticed that Armfel'
had one of the rooms fitted up with extr
care and that in the last load from Sacra-
mento were carpets and other things tha
did not go to the ordinary make up of
miners boarding house. / rallied Arm
field on his odd notion (as supposed AM
asked him if he expected TO have lad
boarders, that he was taking SO mucI
pains.


Not boarders exactly" said Armfeld
"I'd told you before, but thought to TAX
you by surprise. That's to be my wife
oom."


Your wife," said you never men
toned that you were married"


No more Iain't," retorted Armfeld
but that's no sign l won't be. The fac
is, my girl is on her way here now
sent for her to come before / made up m
mind to build, and 1 expect they are com
ing down the Humboldt now. at frs
thought I'd mine, but it's better to hav
steady place to stop in, SO | built thi
boarding house. They left the Missoul
river two months ago, and if they hav
fair luck will be here in week or two.


Does she know where to find you ?


"Oh, yes looked out for that. Bi
Simpson went out to the Sink " to bu
stock there's money in that speculation
and he'll tell them right where | am.


"Are her folks coming, too ?"


"No; none of 'em. One of the neigh
bors is moving out with his wife, and sh
thought she had rather come that wa.
than over the Isthmus. Our Westerl
folks, you know, are little scary abou
salt water"


The idea of settling down for life il
California was novel one to me then, a
much so as one now would be of goinI
anywhere else. But it was none of m,
kettle of fish, though l couldn't help won
dering how woman would like to rougl
if the way one would have TO. had thu
far seen but one woman in the mines.
The hot days of Summer were nearll