USA > California > A picture of pioneer times in California, illustrated with anecdotes and stores taken from real life > Part 31
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Then Mary busied herself in helping Ada to take off and put away her things and change her walking dress. As she did so she said, in an assumed careless tone:
" I believe Mr. Allen is going, or has gone, on some long journey."
" What makes you think so, Mary ?" said Ada, looking up quickly, with a blush spreading over her face, and then turning very pale.
As Mary saw this she turned away to hide a smile, and said to herself: " I thought it was so." Then she answered aloud:
" Oh, I don't know, Miss Ada; but he was here this morning, and had a long talk with your father and mother in the library, and when he was going away they both shook hands with him, and I heard your father say ' God bless you, sir; I wish you may prosper, with all my heart,' and I heard your mother say ' Good-bye, we both wish you success with all our hearts.'"
Ada stood as if transfixed to the spot, for a minute, in aston- ishment and evident agitation. Then, partly recovering herself, she tried to assume a calm voice, and said:
" That will do, Mary; I am so tired I believe I will rest here on the sofa until tea time."
Mary understood her, and left the room. But did Ada rest on the sofa ? No such thing. As the door closed she exclaimed, half-aloud :
" What in the world does this mean! Can he, in fact, be going away, and is he gone, or will he go and not see me! Oh, that would be so mean of him; I cannot believe it."
Then, throwing herself into a chair, she leaned her head for- ward on her dressing-table, and, covering her face with her handkerchief, she murmured to herself:
" So, then, my dream of happiness is all over;" but, with a start, she seemed to recover herself, and continued: " He looks so true and earnest when his eyes meet mine, that I cannot believe that anything would make him leave without seeing me. Oh, no," she continued, " he will be here this very evening to tell me why he has to go; I know he will, and I must be ready to receive him."
Seeming now to have full faith in this idea, she arose, bathed her face and made her toilet with uncommon care, which did not escape Mary's notice when Ada appeared at the tea-table. Time now seemed intolerably slow in passing. At length she hears a 21
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step; she knows it well; it is his, and, as he rings the bell, she seats herself at the piano, so as to appear at her ease. To com- pliment him she fancied she was about to part with for a long time, she commenced to sing one of his favorite songs. "The poor fellow," she said to herself, " now that he has to go away, I don't care if he does know that I am thinking of him."
Edmund's heart bounded as he recognized his favorite song. " Bless her darling little heart," said he: " that is a good omen." As the girl threw open the parlor door to admit him, the song was not yet finished, but Ada arose to meet him, and extended her hand in her usual cordial manner. As he took it he retained it for a moment, saying:
" Let me lead you back to the piano to finish that song, for as much as I always admired it, it never seemed so sweet to me be- fore."
" With great pleasure," said Ada, seating herself again.
Somehow she outdid herself in that song. Never before did she throw such soul and feeling into it as now. As she arose, Edmund's eyes were beaming on her with delight and admira- tion. He offered her his arm, and she took it mechanically. He led her to a little tete-a-tete sofa in the recess of the bay window, saying, as he did so:
" I have something to say to you, Miss Ada, that concerns me very much. Will you sit with me here and let me tell you what it is ?"
" Certainly, Mr. Allen," she said, taking her seat by him, and looking up into his face, she continued, with a slight tremor in her voice, "you do not look well, Mr. Allen; is there anything the matter ?"
" Nothing whatever," he said, "but the natural anxiety of one starting, as it were, on a long journey, who feels miserable at the idea that he may be all alone in all its vicissitudes and trials; but, you, dear Miss Ada, are very pale; I fear you are not well."
" Oh, perfectly, Mr. Allen; but where are you going, and why do you go on this journey ?"
As Ada spoke, her voice was suppressed and yet more tremu- lous.
" I will explain." said Edmund; "but I was first going to ask you if, as a great favor, you would leave off that cold for- mula, Mr. Allen, and call me Edmund, when we are here just by ourselves, you know. You do not know how sweet to me my name would sound if spoken by you."
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" But you call me Miss Ada," whispered Ada.
" Then I may call you Ada and you will call me Edmund ?"
Ada hesitated. "Just when we are here alone," pleaded Ed- mund in the same soft voice.
A low but decided " Yes," followed from Ada.
" I would like to go yet further," said Edmund, his face now beaming with happiness, and ask you to let me preface your name with what my heart dictates and calls for."
Ada hesitated, and Edmund again pleaded: " Just when we are here alone, you know."
As he said this, he took her unresisting hand in his.
Ada, now scarlet, then pale, by a great effort, commanded just breath enough to whisper:
" What do you want to call me ?"
Edmund leaned over close to her and, in a voice, clear but thrilling with intensity of feeling, said:
" I want to call you, while we are here alone, and forever more, while life lasts, my darling, my own Ada."
Now, each of my young readers must, to their own satisfac- tion, conclude in imagination this happy scene between Ed- mund and Ada, which is evidently going to cause two young, true hearts to go forth as one, in the battle of life. It was 10 o'clock when Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse returned. As they opened the parlor doors, Edmund and Ada stood before them, arm in arm. In an instant, Ada's arms were around her father's neck and then her mother's, and she whispered in her mother's ear as she kissed her:
" Oh mother! I am so happy."
Then, taking one look at Edmund, she glided off to her own room, to fancy and dream that all the world was as happy as she was.
The father and mother now congratulated Edmund most heart- ily, and Mrs. Morehouse kissed his cheek and called him her " dear son, Edmund."
Alice and Alfred Roman waited up for Edmund's return. As he entered their house, Alice started to her feet and cried out:
"All right, is it, Edmund ?" And he responded :
" All right, sister dear."
Then she flew to him and embraced him and kissed him over and over, saying :
" Thank God for your happiness, my darling brother, you de- serve it all."
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" My loving sister thinks so, anyway," said Edmund. As for Alfred, he called for three cheers, which he gave himself, and then shook Edmund by both hands.
" Oh, Edmund! Alfred and I have just planned," said Alice, " that you are to take me to see father and mother to-morrow, to talk over everything with them. They will be so happy, it will do us good to see them."
" With all my heart, dear Alice. It is just what I would wish to do;" and so it was settled.
" Well," said Alice, " I will never again disbelieve in love at first sight. I see now it does happen sometimes. Well, truly, matches are made in heaven."
Now came a time of the highest enjoyment and happiness to all the relations of the young people on both sides. An inter- change of visits and calls was the order of the day. Congratu- lations poured in on all sides, and never was a happier engage- ment. The wedding day was fixed and was near at hand. It came, and the nuptials took place at the house of the bride's father. After the ceremony, all partook of Mrs. Morehouse's elegantly prepared breakfast, after which Edmund and Ada set out for a trip to the Falls of Niagara; then across Lake Ontario and down the river St. Lawrence to Quebec, and back home by Lake Champlain, Saratoga and the Hudson river. When they reached home, Ada was presented by her father with a deed of a handsome, unostentatious residence, all handsomely furnished. In the selection and arrangement of the furniture, Alice and Mrs. Eaton had helped Mrs. Morehouse. A little party was as- sembled at the residence to welcome the owners home, and most heartily did they do so. Time ran on, and in its course came two beautiful children to make the house yet more cheerful and joyous. Not a cloud, not a shadow had so far ever crossed the path of life of this young couple. Innocent and pure in their love, with enough of worldly goods to meet their daily wants, they were more happy than is the prince on his throne. Oh, California! when you came with your untold treasure of gold, which was so evidently sent by Providence to aid this great re- public in its impending danger and struggle for life with its own mad children, why was it a part of your mission to destroy a happy home, such a paradise on earth as this of Edmund and Ada's ? Yet so it seemed.
CHAPTER VI.
NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA-A TERRIBLE DREAM.
One day in November, 1848, Edmund Allen came home as gay and light-hearted as usual. Ada met him with a bright smile and her usual kiss of welcome. The streets that day were muddy, so Edmund announced his intention to change his boots for slippers. Little Alice, their eldest, ran towards her father, calling, "Pa, me slippers," and in her tiny hands she bore the slippers.
He expresses his thanks to her, praises her, and tells her she is his "little woman," his "pet," and that she had earned a dozen kisses from him. Then she holds up her little cherry lips to get her pay, and oh! how sweet to him was it to pay that debt! Then, elated with her success, she drags his muddy boots towards the kitchen along the carpet. Then her mother calls out: " Oh, Alice dear! dirty ma's carpet."
" No, ma; I am clean Pa's boots."
Then Edmund catches her up, puts her on his shoulder, then makes her feet walk on the wall, and tells her she is a fly. Then he pretends to eat her up, while he kisses her all over. Then Ada is jealous; she says that he has forgotten the baby. So he takes the baby, and hugs and kisses the little darling until Ada begs him to sit down to dinner or " Every- thing will be cold," she says.
At dinner Edmund tells his wife that he has the New York Herald in his pocket, giving an account of the discovery of gold at Sutter's Fort, on the American River, in California.
" I will read it for you," he says, "after dinner, if you would like to hear it, as I have not yet read it myself, but Alfred was telling me about it."
" Yes, dear; I would like very much to hear it; but wait until the children are in bed."
So, dinner over, and the little ones snug in bed, Ada takes
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her work out-it is some little article of dress for the baby -- and, drawing her chair closer to where her husband sits, she tells him she is " all ready."
Edmund leans over and kisses her, then draws out the Herald, and reads aloud all the accounts it gave of the wonderful dis- covery of gold in California, as they first reached New York.
" I wonder," said Ada, as he concluded, " if these accounts are to be relied on ? "
" Well, in the main facts, I suppose they are. It is truly wonderful," said Edmund.
He laid the paper down, and walked up and down the room, as if in thought. Then he stopped short, and, seeming to throw the thoughts, whatever they may have been, from him, he said: " Come, dear wife, lay down your work, and sing for me."
"Certainly, my dear husband, I will, for I do not like to see you thinking of business at home in the evening. You know it is against both our ideas."
" Yes, darling; you are right. There is, as you intimate, a time for all things, and this is always an hour for enjoyment; so away with thoughts of business, and of gold, too."
Edmund opened the piano for Ada, and, seating himself by her, as was his habit, called for his favorite songs and pieces of music. As Ada concluded, and was closing down the piano, Edmund said:
" I wish I had not read those accounts of gold in California to-night. It has, somehow disturbed me, and made me feel dis- agreeable."
" Strange," said Ada, " it has had the same effect on me. The feeling is undefined, and I would not have noticed it if you had not."
" How very strange," added Edmund, " that it had the same effect on us both. Well, it is said, you know, that the Old Boy is always glad when gold is plenty. Perhaps he is going to try to reach us through it."
" God forbid," said Ada, fervently, " that he should succeed in doing so."
" God forbid, my darling wife," responded Edmund, in the same tone of voice.
As they knelt together that night in prayer, as was their wont to do, Edmund's voice seemed to Ada more than usually deep and earnest as he asked for protection against temptations.
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After prayers Edmund entertained his wife, while preparing to retire, by relating a thrilling incident, told to him that day, of a man and his wife who had an almost miraculous escape from floating ice on the upper Hudson River. This seemed to have drawn all thoughts of California and her gold out of their thoughts, for neither spoke of it again that night. But Ada had a fearful dream as she slept. She saw Edmund, it seemed to her, at the opposite side of a large sea. He was in some great trouble, and was calling on her to come and save him. She ran down to the water's edge, and now the whole sea was covered with floating masses of ice, running close together, and making a fearful crashing and groaning. She thought to cross on the broken masses, but her courage failed her, and she drew back. Again she hears her husband call, and now, to her horror, she sees her children on the ice before her, trying to jump from piece to piece. She no longer hesitates, but flies to save her children; from mass of ice to mass she leaps, as if she had wings, and reaches the children in safety. The baby she catches up in her arms, and, taking little Alice's hand, she continues her terrible flight. Edmund is now plainly in view; closer and closer she gets to him, but as she nears the shore where he stands the ice seems far apart; but, redoubling her efforts, with one more des- perate leap she gains the shore, and, with a wild cry, throws herself and the children into Edmund's arms. Her cry, and the last terrible effort awaken her. "Oh!" she exclaims, " Thank God! Thank God! It was all a dream."
" Why, my darling wife," said Edmund, who was awakened by her fearful cry, "what is the matter ? You are surely not frightened by a dream ?"
" Oh, Edmund, it was so fearful, so terrible, so vivid; I can see it all yet. The horrid ice, as it crashed and roared; the danger of the children, and your pitiful call for me to come to you; but, oh, it was all only a dream. Thank God! Thank God!"
While she spoke her teeth chattered, and she was trembling all over, as if in great terror. Edmund got up, lit the lamp, got her a drink, and did everything he could to aid her to regain her composure. He spoke cheerfully, laughed at her thinking so much of a dream, declared all dreams to be ridiculous, and unworthy of the least attention, and blamed himself for having told her of the frightful escape of the man and his wife, so near bed-time.
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" I know all you say is, in fact, true, my dear Edmund; but yet I never, in all my life, suffered as I did in that dream."
" Well, try and think no more of it, dear wife."
Then Edmund, with tact and skill, drew off her thoughts in another direction, and it was not long before they were both once more fast asleep. No dreams came to disturb Ada any more that night.
Oh, California! was that dream your work ? And what does it portend to this virtuous and happy couple ?
Now came the California fever so often spoken of. Every new arrival from there heightened the excitement, and the daily papers found profit in fanning the flame, until it became almost a frenzy in the minds of the whole people. The New York Herald raked up every possible scrap of information, not only on gold discoveries, but of the climate, soil and capabilities of Califor- nia and of the whole Pacific coast. Rude maps and diagrams of the geography of the country were appearing every day in the Herald and other daily papers.
Now, the rush, which is soon to swell into a mighty tidal-wave, of the young, the middle-aged, and, in many cases, even of the old, begins for California. The journey was a very expensive one, and an outfit besides must be had. This held back thou- sands who would willingly have gone if they had the means. In some cases families clubbed all their resources to enable one member to go. Many young men, whose character gave them good credit, were assisted to go by well-off friends. Others obtained help by entering into contracts to divide all they made for the first year after reaching California with the party fur- nishing the required money. This last way was very common for those who could not go themselves, though having ample means, faith in California, and the prospect of becoming rich there. Such readily risked their money in the venture, against the toil and personal service of some good, enter- prising young fellow. When the excitement rose to its height Allen and Roman became infected, but not at first so as to wish to go themselves. They, however, fitted out one or two young men they had faith in, and started them to California, on a con- tract such as I have mentioned. Indirectly, they helped some others to go and try their luck in the land of promise. To one such case in particular let me draw attention in the next chapter, as the little heroine of the circumstance will figure as an object of interest in our next story, illustrating early life in California.
CHAPTER VII.
MINNIE WAGNER-BROTHER AND SISTER.
Minnie Wagner was a beautiful girl of fifteen; she was hand- some in face and faultless in form, with piercing and very pleas- ant dark, blue eyes; her hair was what might be called fair, but not light; she had a profusion of it, so that when she sometimes, for the amusement of her companions threw it out loose, it swept the ground, and almost enveloped her whole person while she stood erect. In her disposition she was generous and unsel- fish to a fault. She had one brother, to whom she was devotedly attached.
He was five years older than she was, and resembled her in many traits of his character. Minnie was always his pet, his darling. They shared together all their little trials and crosses, and all their little joys and amusements. Each watched for the other on all occasions, in seeming forgetfulness of themselves. Their parents resided in a small, unpretending cottage which they owned in the outskirts of Newark. In front of it there was a charming little flower garden, inclosed by a pretty fence, painted white. The flowers were well taken care of, and in their selection and management showed excellent taste. Everything in and about the cottage was as neat as neat could be. A glimpse into the little parlor showed a plain rosewood piano. The father, Thomas Wagner, was an architect and house-builder by occupa- tion, and an industrious, good man. The mother was as good a woman as the father was a man, and of no common educational culture. She was Irish by birth, and was of a good family in her own country. The father, and nearly all her immediate relatives, lost their lives in one of those patriotic uprisings that are so often occurring in Ireland in, thus far, though, let us hope, not always to be, fruitless efforts to rid themselves of the terrible tyranny of English rule. One brother, whose life was spared, and whom she loved devotedly, escaped to France, but
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Mrs. Wagner had never been able to trace him since. She her- self got an opportunity of coming to America with a family emi- grating to New York. In that city she supported herself by teaching. Her knowledge of music aided her much; but yet, as an unknown stranger of a nationality and a religion that at this time had to battle against the bitterest and most unfounded pre- judices, her task was a weary one, and required all the fortitude natural to those of her race to sustain her in her struggle with adversity.
At length, through the influence of a good lady who had become her friend, she obtained a very advantageous position as teacher in a school in Newark. But it was not long before some narrow- minded parents objected to her on account of her religion. This aroused a bitter controversy among the patrons of the school. The young architect, Thomas Wagner, attended a meeting called to consider the matter. He had never seen the young lady, but his true American chivalry of character, and true American detestation of persecution of any sort, but particularly persecu- cution for opinion's sake, caused him to take part in the discus- sion, and by his manly, brave defence of the stranger girl shamed all bigotry into silence. Miss Fitzgerald was not present, of course; but, on hearing to whom she owed so much, called on him to express her heart-felt thanks. And so it was that very soon Miss Fitzgerald became Mrs. Thomas Wagner.
Thomas Wagner was known to be skilled in his profession, and, therefore, very seldom out of employment. He supported his family in comfort, and laid by a little each month in the sav- ings bank for a "rainy day." When the son was sixteen the father took him from school, and got him a good position in a hardware store in Newark. Being like most fathers, he pre- ferred his son should choose any mode of life rather than his own.
Minnie went to a day school kept by the good Sisters, and im- proved rapidly in all her studies, and was instructed in music by her mother.
A few months before the California excitement broke out, Mr. Wagner met with a terrible accident. He fell from a house he was at work on, breaking his leg, and otherwise seriously injur- ing himself. This was a severe trial to the whole family. Minnie left school to wait on her father's sick-bed; and to her watchful eyes and gentle hand he owed many an easy hour and refreshing
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sleep. He had been so severely hurt that his recovery was very slow, and it was plain to all that the time was near at hand when they would be forced to draw on the little reserved fund in the savings bank, instead of adding more to what was there. This they were most anxious to avoid, if possible; so Mrs. Wag- ner proposed they should try to get something to do to make enough to meet their daily expenses until the father should again be able to work.
After a family talk and consultation, it was settled that Mrs. Wagner should, the next day, apply to Allen & Roman for work.
In those days retail drygoods dealers were in the habit of taking orders for shirts from gentlemen wishing them made in a certain style and finish; so Mrs. Wagner was not disappointed. She came home with the material for a dozen shirts. The price allowed for making was small enough, yet reasonable; so that, with Minnie's help, who was a beautiful sewer, she could meet all the family expenses.
Sewing machines were not in vogue in those days; so, as they cared for and watched by the dear sick father, they went on, as it is in the " Song of the Shirt," " Stitch, stitch, stitch," all the day long, mother and daughter. When forced to stop and pre- pare the frugal meals, they did so with a sense of the greatest relief; for so incessant was the strain on their eyes and fin- gers all the day, with the never-ending stitch, stitch, stitch, that any work seemed light and a relaxation in comparison.
Until the shirt-making commenced, Minnie would often soothe her father's weary hours by playing for him on her piano; but now he did not ask her for music, except on Sundays, fearful to take the time from the everlasting work on the shirts; so the only enjoyment left was, that in the evenings Walter read aloud for his father, while his mother and sister sewed on and listened.
Now came the California news, and Walter's evening reading was mostly of all its wonders. There is nothing on earth that will fascinate as stories of gold-finding will, when supported by any show of truth. It is not surprising, then, that the Wagner family did what all their neighbors were doing- talked and dreamed of gold. The father, on his sick bed, often exclaimed:
" If I were well, I believe I would try my luck in California."
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Then the mother would say: " Well, dear Thomas, do not think of it; for it is not God's will that you should do so. Let us be satisfied, and I have no doubt it is for the best, after all."
" Yes, dear wife, I have no doubt you are right; and I am al- most sorry I ever heard of California, as it adds to my regret that I am so helpless here."
Then Minnie would do or say something to draw her father's mind from sad thoughts.
On the first Sunday that came after the California excite- ment had risen to its height, the mother went to early church, and Walter and his sister went together to the late service.
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