USA > California > A picture of pioneer times in California, illustrated with anecdotes and stores taken from real life > Part 29
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"Now, Captain, you know who I am; but I see it puzzles you why I sent for you ; but some other time I will explain. I am now in a hurry to leave this ship. I am under your protection, and I want you to so consider it until I say otherwise. I am giving you, and may give you, a great deal of trouble not prop- erly belonging to your duty as a police officer, which you will please not ask me to accept without compensation."
As she spoke she handed him three twenty-dollar pieces. At first the Captain drew back.
" I insist," she continued, as she reached out the money. The Captain then bowed, and took it.
" I did so," said he, when he was telling me the story, " for two good and sufficient reasons. In the first place, my doing so put the lady more at her ease, and then it is a bad habit for one to get, to refuse money when it is offered, no matter for what or
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from whom. 'Pay in advance,' is always my motto, and it is a good one, particularly in our profession."
As the Captain dropped the money into his pocket, in a care- less way, he said:
" Nothing surprises a police officer, Mrs. Allen. It is a part of his business not to be surprised. I am at your service, madam."
Mrs. Allen then took from her pocket-book a half sheet of note paper and handed it to the Captain, saying :
" Can you, Captain, go directly to the place designated in that paper ?"
The Captain read, just audibly, the following direction:
" It is a nice little cottage on Stockton street, east of Wash- ington. It sets back a little from the street. The lot is inclosed by a neat fence. There are some flowers and rose bushes in front. The little gate is of a pretty Gothic pattern. The cot- tage and fence are all painted white."
As he concluded reading the direction he said:
" Certainly, I know the locality to an inch."
While he was speaking, he walked over to where a lamp was suspended over the cabin table, and, raising the paper close to the light, scrutinized it closely, and then said, in a low tone:
"I thought I was not mistaken; so this is some more of ' De- tective Bucket's ' work. I begin to understand now."
" Well, then," said Mrs. Allen, " please procure a carriage that will take you, the children and myself to that place, with as little delay as possible."
The Captain left the cabin to obey, without a word. As he reached the wharf, he seemed lost in thought, and said, half aloud:
" Yes, I begin to work this case up. That is old ' Mother Bucket's' handwriting, sure. I have got too many notes from her not to know it. I recollect, now, that, before she went East, she told me one day about that cottage, and something about Al- len's having an 'over-dressure creature,' as she called her, for a housekeeper. I took but little notice of it at the time, as I do of all she says, but now it throws light upon this case. She will get herself into a scrape, yet. I will snub her when she comes back, so that she will be glad to mind her own business. Well, Allen is a real good fellow, so I must try and help him out of this scrape. I see this must be another ' Briggs case;' no doubt
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. of it, and it is also easy to see that his wife (heavens! what a beautiful woman she is) is determined to catch him, but, I must save him, and it will spare her feelings too."
As he spoke, he blew his whistle and in a moment a policeman approached him.
" Ah Jim! that is you, Well, go right off to Mallet's livery stable, in Kearny street, and tell him to send me, here to the steamer, that best carriage of his, but you need not hurry him, particularly. Then go as fast as you can to that little white cot- tage in Stockton street, half a block east of Washington, in which Mr. Allen lives; call for that gentleman, and when he comes to the door, just say to him, so that no one else can hear you: 'Captain Casserly desires me to say to you that your wife has arrived in the steamer, and is now on her way to this house in a carriage with him.' If Mr. Allen is not at home, do not say a word to any one else, but come to the corner of Stockton and Washington streets, and, as the carriage turns the corner, get into a fit of coughing. I will notice you and under- stand that you did not find Allen." Without asking explanation, on the policeman started, to do as he was directed. Mallet was too glad to get the order for his fine carriage, the best then in San Francisco, not to make all the haste he could, so that he was on hand much sooner than Captain Casserly wished. During all this delay, Mrs. Allen seemed to suffer more and more anxiety. Her eyes were almost wild with an excited expression of half- alarmed, searching scrutiny as every new face appeared in the cabin.
" Oh!" she exclaimed, "how long the Captain is in getting the carriage! What if Edmund happened to come here, looking for some expected friend !"
And at the thought she shrank back into her state-room.
" Oh! how could I meet him here! No; I must hurry away. We must meet each other when no one else is present, for then I will be the happiest woman that lives on earth, or," here she stop- ped a moment, as if to overcome a choking sensation in her throat; then continued, in a trembling whisper: "or I will just die at his feet. Oh, God be my guide and helper!"
Captain Casserly now appeared, and announced the carriage as all ready. In the kindest and most considerate manner he helped Mrs. Allen to remove her children and all her things to the carriage. As soon as the carriage was in motion, Mrs. Allen,
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overcome by her thoughts, lay back with a sort of gasp or heavy sigh that was almost a groan. The Captain's sympathy was awakened to the utmost, and he could not resist saying:
"My dear madam, it is useless to say that I do not partly di- vine your thoughts; but you may be totally deceived in what you fear; and, anyway, for the sake of these dear children, try to face it, whatever it may be, with calmness and courage."
There was a tone of hearty good feeling and sympathy in the Captain's words that touched her sweetly; for in her trouble there was a lonesome, oppressive feeling about her heart that they seemed somewhat to relieve.
" Thank you, Captain ; you are very kind," said Mrs. Allen, making a great effort to recover her self-composure. "I trust and hope, and I believe, I shall find my husband perfectly well."
She thus avoided recognizing that the Captain might under- stand the true cause of her fears.
Just then the carriage turned the corner of Stockton and Washington streets, and they all observed a man standing near, in a violent fit of coughing.
" Why, Mamma," said little Alice, " that man is choking."
" I think not, my love; it is only a bad cough."
Captain Casserly said to himself: "I see my plan is overboard. Well, we must only face the music. Another Briggs' case, it must be, then. I will do as Captain Howard did; I will send the dame flying from the house."
Now, my young readers, I am sure you want to know how it comes that a lady like Mrs. Allen appears in San Francisco with- out her husband's knowledge, in such wild excitement and deep anxiety. Let us go back some years in our history, and we shall ascertain.
CHAPTER II.
EDMUND ALLEN-A BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
Captain Monroe Allen, a retired sea captain, was a well-to-do farmer, living some twelve miles from Newark, New Jersey. He had a good wife and five children. The third boy, Edmund Franklin, they educated with a view to a mercantile life. So, after a course of good training at a commercial school, they found a place for him with the Captain's old employers, when he fol- lowed the sea, Gould, Fox & Co., wholesale dealers in drygoods, Pearl street, New York.
Edmund was a keen, shrewd, active, bright boy-handsome in person, off-hand and most polite in manners.
He made a good use of every hour of his time, and became a great favorite with the firm. So, three years passed, and now Edmund had almost reached his majority, when one morning Mr. Gould called him into the office, and, in a pompous, meas- ured sort of a way, asked him to be seated. Then, in the same sort of tone, but in words very complimentary to Edmund, went on to say that, in consultation, the firm had decided to advance him to the position of head salesman, with, of course, a corres- ponding increase of salary.
Edmund's face lit up with a pleasant, expressive light, and he thanked Mr. Gould, and all the members of the firm, in the most cordial way, for the kindness intended, but told Mr. Gould that he could not avail himself of the offer, as he had made up his mind to at once start into something for himself, should it be in ever so small a way.
" My father," continued Edmund, " says that the time for a man to make his fotrune is from the age of twenty-one to forty- five-ouly just twenty-four years. So, you see, Mr. Gould, I have no time to lose, and must, if I can, begin to make my fight at once."
Mr. Gould looked surprised, and a little put out. Then he
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said, in a changed tone of voice-it had lost its pompous, pat- ronizing sound, and was now familiar, friendly and respect- ful :
" That is all true, Edmund; but the question is, How had you better begin this battle for fortune you are so anxious to win ? Had you better stay with us, and advance surely, if slowly, or risk an encounter with the world of business while you are yet so young and inexperienced ? You know, from your father's stories of the sea, that a young captain sometimes runs great risks, with a ship in his command, for the purpose of making a quick voyage; and, in so doing, often loses all, even reputation; while the old and experienced commanders run but few, if any, risks, and almost always reach their destination in safety, and with honor."
"Yes, sir ; I am sure you are right," said Edmund; " but I do not aspire to the command of a ship right away ; but I thought I would begin to learn how to command one, by running a little craft of my own-a sort of a little schooner-close to the shore, and only venturing out to sea when I felt I was sufficiently skill- ful in command, and well provisioned, too."
Mr. Gould smiled, and said :
" It is easy to see, Edmund, that you are the son of an old seaman; not only from your illustration, but that you inherit a touch of his daring enterprise and self-reliance, all which I like, when tempered with good principle and guided by honor, as I feel sure it will be in your case; but tell me, what is your plan ? "
Edmund then explained to Mr. Gould that a friend of his, who was a clerk in a drygoods store, was about to be married to his twin sister, and that he had proposed fo him a partnership which, with his father's approval, he had accepted; and, in pursuance of this idea, they intended to open a retail dry goods store in Newark, New Jersey. His father, he said, was to furnish him with three thousand dollars, and his intended brother-in-law was to put a like sum in the business.
After some further consultation, Mr. Gould approved of Ed- mund's project, and shook hands with him warmly, assuring him of his regret at his leaving, and promising him decided help, whenever he should need it, in any way that their firm could be useful.
Edmund's twenty-first birthday came, and soon after was
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opened, in Newark, a well-stocked retail dry goods store, over the door of which appeared, on a plain but neat sign, the name of the firm, "Allen & Roman." This was in the Spring of the year 1844.
Success seemed to crown the efforts of the young merchants. They kept their credit with all their city business connections, as the insurance men would say at " A No. 1." Their store soon became the most attractive in that old town. Ladies found that they could do full as well, and, many contended, far better, by making their purchases at Allen & Roman's than by going to New York for the purpose, as they had heretofore mostly done. Among their lady customers, happened in two that some- how particularly drew Edmund's attention. They were a mother and daughter. The mother was a tall, large woman, well formed; but had something almost masculine in her manner and tone of voice. At the same time, she was stylish and lady-like, and de- cidedly good-looking, but rather imperious in her bearing to all around her. The daughter seemed almost the opposite in some respects. She was rather below the average height. Her voice was peculiarly sweet, musical and soft. In figure and face she was surpassingly beautiful. She seemed to love to please every one of both sexes, but particularly, perhaps, gentlemen. This Mrs. Morehouse was the wife of a retired lawyer and now silent partner in a large carriage manufactory in his native town, Newark. The Morehouses lived in very handsome style in a beautiful mansion in the outskirts of the town. Willard S. More- house was a man of sterling good sense and of remarkably fine judgment. He was an affectionate husband and a fond, devoted father. They had four children, all yet at school, except Ada, who was now the constant companion of her mother. Ada had heard so much, from her lady friends, of Allen & Roman's beautiful stock of goods, that one day she requested her mother to go to the store to look for some articles they wished to pur- chase. She had heard, also, of the fine, handsome, young mer- chant who was one of the partners in the firm, but, of course, this had nothing to do with her desire to visit the store. Any- way, if it had, she did not know it, for we are often led by some secret, half-hidden feeling, in our daily walks through life, with- out our knowing, ourselves, what it is that leads us. Perhaps, if we chose to be watchful, and were determined to know, we would not be deceived as often as we are. But Ada Morehouse
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saw no particular use in examining into the real cause of her de- sire to visit this famous dry-goods store, when she proposed it to her mother. She knew she wanted to purchase some articles of dress, and she knew she preferred to look for them at Allen & Roman's, and that was all she cared to know. The mother at once acceded to her wishes. On entering the store, the ladies found attentive, gentlemanly clerks, who seemed most anxious to please and to exhibit their goods to the best advantage. Mrs. Morehouse found what she wanted, and made her purchases. Ada was not, at first, so fortunate. She asked for a particular style of glove, of a peculiar color and shade, intended to match one of her dresses, and the clerk could not find it. That day, Mr. Roman was in the City of New York, making purchases, and Edmund was seated in the office, looking over some accounts. The door of the office was open, so that he could hear what was said in the store, if he chose to give it his attention. Mrs. More- house's voice was unnoticed by him, except that he thought it sounded imperious and loud, but it in no way disturbed him at his work. But, now he started, as his ear caught the sound of the sweet- est voice he had ever heard. What was it that was so peculiar about it ? What was in it that so aroused him? He asked himself those very questions over and over for days afterwards, but he could not satisfy himself with an answer. Certain it is that it vibrated on some nerve of his system never before disturbed, and certain it is that it produced a sweet feeling of pleasure never before felt by him. He arose from his seat and walked into the store. As he entered, Ada was yet speaking, and he saw that it was her voice that so attracted him. Taking his clerk's place, he opened box after box of gloves, but none exactly suited. This led naturally to a conversation on gloves, which seemed wonderfully interesting to both. Edmund held Ada's eyes on his own handsome face while he gave her a full and very inter- esting description of the great glove manufactories of France. Neither Edmund nor Ada, two hours before, would have believed that it was possible for them to be much interested in glove- making, yet now it seemed to be of absorbing interest. On, on, they talked, turning box after box of gloves over and over, mix- ing all sorts together, to the horror of the clerks, who were looking on, and yet never finding the right pair. Mrs. More- house began to grow impatient, and said:
" Ada, dear, will you never get through with those gloves ?"
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" Yes, dear mother, in a moment."
Just then Edmund held up a pair, saying:
" This is a beautiful shade of blue, and, I think, very nearly what you want."
" Well," said Ada, " on your recommendation, I will take it."
She said this with the slightest possible emphasis on "your," and, for an instant only, their eyes met, and Edmund thought & slight blush heightened the color of Ada's cheek, and then there was a queer feeling about his own heart he never felt before. It was not pain, or, if it was pain, it made him feel happy.
Mrs. Morehouse had made several purchases, so that Edmund sent the errand boy home with the ladies to take the parcel. That evening, Mrs. Morehouse observed that Ada was very thoughtful, and, half divining the cause, said to her:
" Why, Ada, what is the matter with you ? Why is your piano shut down at this hour, and why so thoughtful, my child ?"
" Mother, dear, I do not feel exactly well to-night, and, with your permission, I will retire for the night, for I am, beside, somewhat tired and weary."
So saying, Ada left for her own room. As she entered it, she threw herself into a softly cushioned rocking-chair, and there sat motionless for a long hour, in deep thought. Once she mur- mured, half audibly :
" They will say he is only a struggling, retail storekeeper, the son of a farmer and all that sort of stuff. What if he is; they will have to admit he is a fine, manly-looking fellow, and suc- cessful, too, in his business. For my part, I hate the sight of those rich men who come home with father, to see me. They are old enough to be my father; and I despise still more those rich men's sons. They are mostly dissipated, worthless fellows, and I can see that father himself does not love them. There are exceptions, of course, but they are mighty few."
Ada again fell into a brown study. Then, suddenly arousing herself, she began her preparations for the night, and, as she did so, she murmured:
" Well, when next I see him, I may not like him half so well; so I will dismiss those foolish thoughts. They annoy me, too, for he is the first man that ever bothered me in this way."
But, that night, Ada was again sorting gloves in dreams. When Ada left her mother, in the parlor, Mrs. Morehouse was waiting for her husband to return from New York, where he had 20
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gone that day. She now threw down the paper she had been reading, and, drawing her easy chair near to to the fire, she fixed herself in the most comfortable position and fell into deep thought. After awhile she said aloud:
" I do believe the child is half caught at last. It is strange, too, by just a retail drygoods dealer. Well, I do not half blame her; those rich old fellows her father keeps bringing here are enough to disgust her. What does a handsome young girl like
Ada want with them ? And then, as to those impudent, idle, worthless, rich young men, who come here, if there was not another man in creation, I would not let one of them have her. They have no recommendation but their wealth, which they are sure to get rid of, and, if they do retain it, they use it in such a manner that it is, in fact, a curse to them. No, I will speak to Willard on this subject; now that our children are beginning to mix with the world, we had better encourage the acquaintance of the sort of young men and girls, too, for there are our sons to be considered, we would be satisfied with for members of our family. Those rich girls who think of nothing but dress and fashion, and society, and do not know the first thing about house- keeping, I have an utter contempt for. What sort of wives would they make? They say we are rich, and I suppose we are, but I would be ashamed if I had brought up my daughter in that sort of way."
Mrs. Morehouse seemed again to sink into thought. Then, after a little time, she spoke aloud:
" If Willard thinks as I do, I will never again invite to our house those rich young scapegraces, and Miss Dollies of girls, even if their fathers are rich. I will extend our acquaintance among the good and worthy, whether rich or poor. Yes; and then when we give a party, I will only invite such to it, no mat- ter whom it hurts; for what is the use of being rich, if we can not do as we like, and use our riches to encourage the good and vir- tuous, whether rich or poor ?"
Just then, Mr. Morehouse arrived and it may safely be set down that a man of his sense fully endorsed his wife's views, and authorized her to proceed in society matters, in the future, as she herself had planned to do.
CHAPTER III.
A TROUBLESOME COLUMN OF FIGURES.
When Mrs. Morehouse and Ada left the store, Edmund went back to his accounts. He had some long lines of figures to add up. He commenced his work with seven and nine are sixteen, and five are twenty-one, and eight and eight and eight. Then, looking vacant, he said:
" What dazzling eyes! Oh! what am I thinking of ? Let me see where I was; oh, yes, here it is. Seven and nine are six- teen and five are twenty-one, and eight, yes, and eight. I never heard such a voice; it was all music. Why, I will never get this outrageous account added up; I cannot put it off either, so here it goes, and now I will attend to it. Seven and nine are sixteen, and five are twenty-one, and eight would be just twenty-nine, and six, and six, and six-what a smile she had! I could have just stood there all day looking at her; and that dark, brown hair, I believe she just fixed it up so as to set a fellow crazy. Well, what am I about ? I believe I am crazy. Now, I must at- tend to my accounts. What in the world is that girl to me ?"
He then went on, very loud, and with a voice of strong deter- mination:
" Seven and nine are sixteen, and five are twenty-one, and eight (with a yet louder voice) are twenty-nine, and six are thirty-five, and nine, and nine, and nine-I think she did blush just a little, when she took that pair I recommended to her, and I wish she did not," he continued angrily, "for I believe that girl has just put me out of my head. Where in the mischief was I in my accounts ? Well, now, no more of this fooling, or Roman will be here before I get this account added up. Seven and nine are sixteen, and five are twenty-one, and eight are twenty-nine, and six are thirty-five, and nine are forty-four, and three are forty-seven, and seven, and seven-I saw her foot as she went out of the door, and I know she does not wear over
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a two or two-and-a-half shoe. Her hand, too, was a model of beauty. What, in the name of mercy, am I about! I may as well give up those accounts."
Just then he thought he heard suppressed laughter behind him, and, turning quickly around, there stood his sister, Mrs. Roman, who now gave way, unrestrained, to a fit of merry laughter.
" Why, Edmund," she said, " what has befallen you ? Who is this Venus that has so upset your accounts ?"
Edmund looked confounded, but, trying to recover himself, said:
" Alice, how long have you been there ?"
" Since you began to try to add up that line of figures, and you did make sad work of it. It was as good as a play to hear you."
Then she laughed again, and, throwing herself into a chair near him, she began:
" Seven and nine are sixteen; I shall never forget that anyway; and so she has dazzling eyes, dark, brown hair, a bewitching smile, a number two foot, and model hands. To tell you the truth, brother Edmund, I am glad you are caught; but who is she ? I want to know."
" If you did know, sister Alice, you would know more than I do."
" Nonsense, brother; now, that I know you are caught, you may as well make a confidant of me. I agree to help you if I approve," she added, with emphasis.
"' Alice, you are too bad. How did you know all that about her eyes, hair, hands and foot ? I will admit that it is all true, but how did you know it ?"
" I read your thoughts, brother Edmund, that is all. Was not I standing behind your chair while you were blundering over those figures, and mixing them up with the praises of the sweet- heart you have found somewhere ?"
" Well, Alice, you know I never keep anything from you, and if there was anything in particular to tell in this matter I would not sleep until I had a talk with you about it; but, in truth, there is nothing."
Edmund then went on to tell his sister of his two lady custom- ers, and concluded:
" I will just acknowledge to you that I cannot account for my
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taking so much notice of this young lady. I never saw her be- fore. I do not even know who she is, or what her name is, but that I heard her mother call her Ada."
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