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BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


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AUGUST,     188 


Gran 

TkiM'IV  Si-.H<ii>J.,   l)y  Adclc  L-,  Garter,   vvilii  illuhlratious  by   tlic  auilior.  ,  Triiiiiy    bciiuol,    n>- 
-,    graved  by  McKeon;    Trinity  HaU,   by  Coon;    A  Front  View,  by  Harris;    The  Dininc;  Hall. 
Interior  of  School. Room,  and  }X)rtrait  of  Rev.    F-.  B.  Spauldinii;,   by  Hay 

TiiF,  Mp:chanrs'  Institute,  by  M 

Zafel,   by   Ilarr  Wagner 

Sh.k  Cui.rrRK,  by  P.  S.  Dorney, . .  . 
,  A  Crescent  and  a  Ckos.s,  by  Bal)^; 

The  MoNc.or.  and  the  Tramp,  by  P.  S.  Dor; 
y  The  Little  Land,  by  Roljcrt  Louis  Stevenson 

'ZATiON  IN  Chili,   (illustrated)  by  J.  ^L  Slangier .  . 

-WERED,  by  Madge  Morris 

K  \  \;  lii.Es  IN  THE  Northwest,  by  L  L>.  Wagner 

Li  IKKATURE  AS  A  PROFESSION  FOR  WOMEN,  by  Ella  Sterling  Cummins. 

The  Golden  Gate,  by  Madge  Morris,  reprint  from  Golden  Gate 

The  Ric.HTs  oh  Married  Women  in  California,  by  Adley  II.  Cummins.  . 

Mv  Nasturth'm,  by  A,  A.  Devine 7 

.\RT  IN  Cvlifornia,  The  Art  Views  of  Mr.  William  Mori 

The  Mlsefm  -  A  Casket   of  Jewels 

'         V'ditor's    Office:     Business   Capacity  of    Wq^rien — The    \iiiiiiy  ot   Writers  -Gr.: 

Realism  in   Literature — Open  Tetters 

i  HI  atres 

Library    Table 


_'40 
■^47 

-5' 
-55 
262 
-63 

265 
267 


W  \   R   H 


W    A  G   \    1     R 


GOLDEN     ERA     CO 

lijioniery   Street,   .>;m   I'f.i 

\^   \\n    i  aliforjiiu  ;     Brentain'.     -,    <. 
(iillig"  «.V  Co.,   440  Strand,   Londoi 


Golden  Era  Co.'s  New  Publication; 


SHOR  r  SI  OKIES  BY  CALIFORNIA  AUTHORS, 

Heing  Origijial  Stories  by  Ella  Sterling  Cymmins,  Mary  W.  Glascock,  H.  B.  > 
1  )owell,  Will  S.  Green,  W.  A.  Cheney,  Ben  C.  Truman,  Harr  Wagner,  J.  W.  G;i 
Elegantly  bound  in  cloth.  Price,  $i.oo.  '  Cheap  paper  edition  for  sale  by  all  n» 
dealers,  only  25  cents. 

POEMS,   BY    J.    D.    STEELE, 

With  frontispiece.  Being  a  collection  of  the  author's  best  efforts  in  verse.  Bound 
cloth.     Price,.  $1.25. 

NATURE'S    BY-WAYS   IN   CALIFORNIA. 

Complete  in  one  large  quarto  volume.  Size  of  page,  12x18.  Price^  $7-5^'  '>'i<i  ^ 
l)er  copy.     Edited  by  Harr  Wagner,  (Editor  of  the  "Golden  Era.") 

POEMS    BY    MADGE    MORRIS. 

A  book  that   has  received  more  praise   than   jiny  other  California    production. 

'*  i'he  State  reputation  that  the  author  has  already  secured  as  a  poet  will  be  strengther 
by  this  latest  and  more  carefully  produced  work.     Running  through  every  line  of 
poetry  is  a  gentleness,  and  a  tenderness    and   an    earnestness  that  go  straight  to 
heart.     No  book  ever  issued  from  a  California  press  contains  so  many  and  such 
during  elements  of  popularity." — San  Jose  Herald.     Bound  in  cloth,  $1.50. 

A  CRESCENT    AND    A  CROSS, 

Written  by  "  Babek,"  a  society  belle  of  San  Jose,  one  of  the  most  fascinating  stoi 
yet  i)ul)lished  in  Califoniia.      Do  not  fail  to  read  it.      Price,  20  cents. 

THE  GOLDEN  ERA  MAGAZINE, 

The  oldest  literary  publication  in  the  West.  Price,  $2.50  per  year.  The  maga? 
iiiiinbtTs  among  its  contributors  the  best  writers  in  California. 

RANCH,   FIELD  AND  FIRESIDE, 

(Agricultura-l.)     50  cents  ])er  year. 

IN  PRESS. 

Endura:     Or  Three  Generations.     A  novel  of  New  England  life,  by  B.  P.  Mo( 
Secretary  of  California  Furniture  Co.     350  pages.     Illustrated.    Price,  $150  per  a 

Montezuma.     An  epic  poem  relating  the  origin  and  fate  of  the   Aztec   nation, 
Hiram  Hoyt  Richmond.      180  pages.      Price,  $150. 


Till    Goi.DKN  Era  Co.  has  facilities  for  publishing  books  of  all  kinds  at  the  lov 
terms.     Will  i)ublish  books  when  of   sufficient    merit  to  warrant,   and   will   pay 
author  a  royalty.     All  books  published  are  advertised  and  i)laced  on  sale  at, the  be 
stores  on  the  Pacific  ('oast  and  the  Ivast. 

(;OLDEN  ERA  COMPANY, 

7 1  2   Montgomery  Strec 


.  G 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


BANCROFT 
1  '.-^-lARY 


Remington  and  Royal  St.  John 


ARE    THE    LATEST    IMPROYED,  MOST 

COMPLETE     AIND     PERFECT 

SEWING  MACHINES  IN 

THE   WORLD. 


They  Run   Easier,  Make  Less  Noise,  are 

Simpler   and  More    Convenient 

than  any  other  Machine 

in  the  Market. 


C.  SHAWL,  GEN.  AGENT, 

No.  30  Second  Street,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

— ALSO   DEALER    IN — 

NEEDLES,  OILS  AND   STAPLE  SUPPLIES 

For  all  kinds  of  Sewing  Machines. 


WM.  DRURY, 

MERCHANT  TAILOR, 

633  KEARj^Y  STREET, 

SAN    FRANCISCO. 


Suits  Cheaper  than  at  any  other  House 
in    the    City. 

Full   Stock    of    French,    English   and    American 
Cloths  and  Cassi meres. 


STECK, 

PAT.  ARION, 

SCHWECHTEN, 

BENJ.    CURTAZ, 
NEW  ENGLAND, 


PIANOS 


SMITH   AMERICAN   ORGANS. 


20 


20 


Trarerooms,  30    O'^FARREI^Li    ST,.  Sam  Francisco,    Cat. 

Pianos  to  rent  and  sold  on  easy  monthly  installments. 

IMPORTANT! 

That  the  public  should  know  that  for  the  past  Fourteen  Years  our  Sole  Business  has  been,  and  now  is 
Importing  (Over  100  Carloads)  and  breeding  improved  Live  Stock— Horses,  Jacks,  Short  Horns,  Ayrsliires, 


"Holsteins"  and  Jerseys  (or  Alderneys)  and  their  grad  ^s  ;  also    all  the  varieties  of  breeding  Sheep  and 

_)ply  any  and  all  good 
convenient  terms.    Write  or  call  on  us. 


Hogs.    We  can  supj 


any  and  all  good  animals  that  may  be  wanted,  and  at  very  reasonable  prices  and  on 
PETER  SAXE  and  HOMEK  P.  SAXE. 


San  Francisco,  Cal.,  May,  1885. 


PETER  SAXE  &  SON,  Lick  House,  S.  F. 


THE   GOLDEN    ERA. 


|V_^//y6?/^.'/Yl^--t_.-^^. 


akegtH^Jest  ■ 
PHOTOS-IN-THE-CITY, 
724-i   MAf\KET  Sj.  S.F.H 


C.  p.  Sheffield.  N.  W.  Spaulding,  J.  Patterson. 

X*  -A-  O  I  IF"  I  O 

Saw  Manufacturing  Company, 

Nos.  17  &  19  FREITIONT  ST., 

SAN   FRANCISCO. 

Price,    with    Pacific    Saw    Manufacturing 
Co.'s  Extra  Blade,  $1.50  each. 

SAWS  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTIOK 

On  hand  and  made  to  order. 


Agenti^    for    C.   B.   1»AUI.'S     Files. 

Repairing  of  all  kinds  done  at  short  notice. 


ELECTRICITY  FOR  ALL,  RICH  OR  POOR. 
The  "  Perfection"  Electric  Belt  is  the  latest  and  best. 
Powerful  current  suitable  for  either  sex.  Guaranteed  first- 
class  in  every  respect  and  superior  to  belts  sold  for  $20,  $30, 
and  $40.  It  cures  without  medicine,  and  is  specially  rec- 
ommended to  cure  diseases  of  the.  Nerves,  Stomach,  Liver, 
and  Kidneys,  Male  and  Female  Weakness,  General  Debil- 
ity, etc.  Price,  Six  ( J86  )  Dollars.  Sent  free  on  receipt  of 
price,  or  by  express,  C.  O.  D.  Agents  wanted.  Call  or 
address  J.  H.  WIDBER  (Druggist),  701  Market  St.,  cor. 
Third,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 


ii 


IVItSOl^IA  " 


MAGNETIC 

EFFECT    WONDERFUL    CUBES  ! 

For  Certificates  of  and  reference  to  Prominent  Citizens  of 
San  Francisco  who  have  been  cured,  apply  to  Wilsonia 
Agency  314  Sutter  St. 


F.  A.  BLISS, 

DENTIST, 

906  Market   Street,  Rooms   7  and   8,  San  Francisco. 


OUIGK  TIME  AND  CHEAP  FARES 

— TO — 

Eastern  and  European  Cities 

via  the  Great  Trans-continental  All-rail  Routes 


—  OF    THE- 


SOUTHERN    PACIFIC 

(PACIFIC   SYSTEM.) 

Daily  Express   and  Emigrant  Trains  make  prompt  connec- 
tions with  the  several  Railway  Lines  in  the  East, 

— CONNECTING    AT — 


— AND — 


NEW   ORLEANS 

with  the  several  Steamer  Lines  to 

AliL,     EUROPEAIV    PORTS. 


PULLMAN  PALACE  SLEEPING  GARS 

attached  to  Overland  Express  Trains. 


THIRD-GLASS  SLEEPING  GARS 

are  run  daily  with  Overland  Emigrant  Trains, 

No  additional  charge  for  Berths  in  Third-class  Cars. 

^g' Tickets  sold,  Sleeping-car  Berths  secured,  and  other 
information  given  upon  application  at  the  Company's  Offices, 
where  passengers  calling  in  person  can  secure  choice  of 
routes,  etc. 


RAILROAD    LANDS 

FOR  SALE  ON  REASONABLE  TERMS. 


Apply  to,  or  address, 
W.  H.  MILLS,  JEROME  MADDEN, 

Land  Agent,  Land  Agent, 

C.  P.  R.  R.,  San  Francisco.        S.  P.  R.  R.,  San  Francisco, 


N.  TO\rNE,         T.  H.  GOODMAN, 

General  Manager.  Gen.  Pass.  &  Tkt.  Agt 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. 


WINSLOW'S  A.  C.  &  S.  C.  CLUB  SKATES, 


Also  Vineyard  Skates    for  Riuk  Use. 

Prices  Reduced— Send  for  Catalogue. 

WIESTER  &  CO., 

17  New  Montgomeiy  St.,  San  Francis 


At  Last  to  "Perfection." 


"BECKER"  WASHER, 

I  3VE  i»  XI.  o  -v  :es  X3>  , 


APPROACHES  NEARER  THE  OLD  METHOD  OF  HAND-RU  B 
bing  than  any  invention  yet  introduced  to  the  public.  EASILY  worke 
and  washes  perfectly  clean.  Owing  to  its  intrinsic  merits  thousands  have  been 
sold  over  the  U.  S.,  all  giving  perfect  satisfaction.  It  only  needs  to  be  seen  and 
tried  to  be  appreciated.  In  localities  where  as  yet  I  have  NO  Agent  I  will  ship 
SAMPLE  machines  and  wringer  on  trial,  the  party  to  pay  for  them  at  WHOLE- 
SALE prices,  and  act  as  agent  if  found  satisfactory,  if  not,  return  them. 
Patented  July,  1879.  Fifth  Improvement,  April,  1884.  Awarded  First 
.  Twenty-five  thousand  men  and  women  of  Intelligence  and  Character  are  wanted  as  Local  and 
Will  furnish  castings,  etc.,  and  license  to  manufacture.     Write  at  once  for  terms  and  Territory. 

Sole  Manufacturer  for  Pacific  Coast.      Factory,  Fifth  and  M  Sts.,  Sacramento.     Branch  Offices,    San  Francisco,   Los 
Algeles,  Stockton,  Portland,  Or.,  Denver,  Col. 


Premiums  '83  and  ' 
Traveling  Agents. 


BEAUTIFUL 


LADIES!  InoVse  1C^ 
ips)  for  particulars  ! 
testimonials  I  etc.,  in 
lied  letter  bv  return  mail,  of  Elegant  Toilet 
Kequisltes!  How  to  Beautify  and  Adorn  the  Coniplexios  ! 
Remove  Wrinkles!  Flesh-Wonns !  Black-Heads!  Freckles! 
Pimples!  Tan!  audPock-Marks  !  Adipo-Malene develops  the 
Bust!   Non-injurious!  CorpMS-Lean_redjJC_es ^superfluous 


flesh  10  to  15  lbs. 


^euko- 


ith!    NO    POISON^  .      . 

Lentlne    cures  all  Womb  Diseases  and  Female  Complaints  1 
NAME  PAPER  and  mention  the  article  wanted  ! 
Chichester  Chemical  Co., 
^»18  Madison  Square, 
PhiludelDhia,  Pe. 


WOMEN! 


No  more  "  Disease"  or  "  Sickness,"  but  plenty  of 


EGGS!  EGGS!!  EGGS!!! 

— VVHEM    USING — 

WELLINGTON'S  IMPROYED 


FOK     FOUI^TRIT. 

i-lb  boxes,  40c.;  3-lb,  $1.00;  lo-lb,  $2.50;  25-lb,  $5.00. 

Ask  any  Grocer  or  Druggist  for  it.     Any  not  having  it 
should  write  for  the  trade  terms  and  supply  themselves. 

B.  F.  WELLINGTON,  Prop. 


JS  X3  X2  X>  S  . 

A  choice  lot  of  B»«rr  Clover  in  the  Burr;  also  im- 
porter and  dealer  in  Alfalfa,  Grass,  Clover,  Vegetable,  Ever- 
green Millet  and  seeds  of  every  variety;  also,  every  yariety 
of  Fruit  Trees  and  Nursery  Stock.  Send  for  Catalogue. 
425  Wa.sliiiig-t.0  8i  St.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

BOARDING  AND  DAY  SCHOOL 

FOR    YOUNG    LADIES. 

Oak  Street,  between  Tenth  and  Eleventh, 

Oakland,  Cal. 

Miss  S.  B.  Bisbee,  Principal. 

The  location  of  this  school  is  retired,  the  grounds  are 
spacious,  well  shaded  and  beautiful.  The  building  is  con- 
structed in  the  most  approved  style  of  modren  architecture, 
securing  sunshine  and  ventilation  in  every  part.  I'heschool 
is  limited  in  number,  and  is  strictly  select.  Each  pupil  is 
considered  one  of  the  family,  and  all  freedom  and  comfort, 
consistent  with  good  order,  are  enjoyed  as  at  home. 


LADIES 


PIi:iIiA-80I.VENE— Only  Genuine  Solvent.  Per- 
nianently  dissolves  Superfluous  Hair,  root  and  branch, 
in  five  minutes,  without  pain,  discoloration,  or  injury. 
Particulars,  6  cents. 

MAMALENE— Develops  the  Bust.    Harmless    and 
Certain.    Particulars,  6  cents. 
WILCOX   SPECIFIC    CO.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


A  |-ir|k|-rO    WANTED   for  DR.  SCOTT'S 

■■*"■■■•  '  ^'ple  free  to  those  becomin.sf  agents. No 
risk. quick  sales. Territory  given, satisfaction  guaranteed 
Address  DR.  SCOTT,  842    Broadway  St.,  N.  Y. 


CONSUMPTION. 

I  have  apositiv,^  remedy  for  the  above  disease  ;  by  its  use 
thousands  of  csises  of  the  worst  kind  aiui  of  long  Si  andiiig 
have  beencured.  Indeed,  sostronffismyfaith  in  itsefflcacy 
that  I  will  send  TWO  BOTTLES  FREE,  together  with  a  VAL- 
UABLE TREATISE  on  this  disease,  to  an  y  sufferer.  Give  e^ 
press  &  P.  O.  adaress.  DR.  T.  A.  SL(X;uM.181  Pearl  St  N. «" 

SOHMER  PIANOS, 

Absolutely  tlie  Best. 

BRUENN    PIANOS, 
SCHUMANN  PIANOS, 


AGENTS     WANTED. 


SEND   FOR   PRICES. 


1070  Broa,d^vira.y,  Oakland. 


A.    H.    CUMMINS. 


C     E.    ROYCE. 


yOYCE  &  CUMMINS, 

ATTORNEYS     AT    LAW, 

507  Montgomery  Street,    San  Francisco. 
Entrance,  Room  3.  Telephone^No.'i32. 

WILLIAM      MoPHUN, 

(Successor  to  Hartshorn  &  McPhun,) 
861  Market  Street,  opp.  Baldwin  Hotels 

Factory,   cor.  22d  and  York  Sts, 


PAPER    HANGINGS, 

Carpets    and  Oil    €Iothi§i. 


1      I    Manufacture    WINDOW    SHADES    for  Stores  and 
Dwelling  Houses. 

Original  Designs  a  Specialty. 

SW  Opaque   Shade  Cloth  and   Floor  Oil   Cloths.  "^ 


i! 


1 


VIRGIL    WILLIAMS, 

DIRECTOR    ART    SCHOOL 
430  Pine  Street. 


M.  STRAUS, 

ARTIST, 
15  Dupont  Street. 


ASTLEY   D.-M.  COOPER, 

ARTIST, 

Room  17,  St.  Ann's  Building. 


F.   L.   HEATH, 

STUDIO, 
218  Post  St.,  Room  24,  San  Francisco. 

J.  A.  CRACKBON, 

PORTRAIT  ARTIST  IN  WATER  COLORS 
AND  CRAYON, 


127  Kearny  Stieet, 


Room  63,  Third  Floor. 


ALBERT   MORTON, 

STUDIO, 

331  Phelan  Building. 


Fine  Crayon  Portraits   a  Specialty.      Lessons  in 
Drawing  and  Crkyon.  '  Hours  10  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m. 


C.  A.  ROGERS, 

ARTIST, 
Room  216,  Phelan  Building,  San  Francisco. 


L.  ROETHE, 

STUDIO, 

18  Post  St.,  Room  24,  San  Francisco. 


Miss  Ida  Lathrop,  Miss  Jennie  Rice, 

MRS.   M.  E.  FOUNTAIN, 

STUDIO  AND  ART  DECORATIVE  ROOMS, 

Phelan  Building,  Room  329. 

Instructions  given  in  Crayon,  Portraits  and 
Sketches.  Landscape  Painting  in  Oil.  Flower 
Painting  a  Specialty.  Luster  Painting  (new  and 
beautiful  work).  Painting  on  Plush  and  Satin. 
Studio  open  to  visitors. 


MRS.  C.  E.  DANIELWITZ, 

ARTIST, 

Room  75,  St.  Ann's  Building. 

Opposite  Baldwin  Hotel,  San  Francisco. 

E.  J.  LEWIS, 

ARTIST, 

Room  75,  St.  Ann's  Building, 

Opposite  Baldwin  Hotel,  San  Francisco. 


A.  RAY  DIETRICK, 

ART   SCHOOL, 

Penmanship,  Painting,  Drawing  and  Designing. 
Cards  and  Private  Letters  written.  Art  Needle- 
work. Kensington  Luster.  White  Velvet  Paint- 
ing. 

104  Eddy  Street. 


PSTA'I'E  OF  SAMUEL  HILL,  Manufacturers'  Agent  and  General 
-'-'  Dealer  in  Sewing  Machine  Goods  of  every  description.  634  MAR- 
KET STREET,  opposite  Palace  Hotel,  San  Francisco. 

|^"Send  for  New  Illustrated  Catalogues  and  Price  List. 


PSTATE  OF  SAMUEL  HILL 
-^Manufacturers'  Agent  and  Gen- 
eral Dealer  in  Sewing  Machine 
Goods  of  every  description.  634 
MARKET  STREET,  opposite 
Palace  Hotel,  San  Francisco. 

||^  Send   for   New    Illustrated 
Catalogues  and  Price  List. 


«  The  Golden  Era, 


' -wiSIVJAnS   US   STAR   OF  EMPIBE  TAKES    ITS 


Vol.  XXXIV.  AUGUST,    1885.  No.  5. 


GENERAL  GRANT. 

Dead  !     Can  we  utter  the  word  ? 

With  our  hearts  crowding  out  at  the  lips, 
We  are  pierced  by  a  terrible  sword, 

And  our  sun  has  gone  into  eclipse. 
We  watched  when  his  eyes  were  glazing, 

We  watched  till  his  pulses  were  still, 
We  watched  while  the  sun  was  still  blazing, 

And  we  saw  it  pass  under  the  hill ; 
But  we  said  it  would  rise  with  the  morning, 

And  we  thought  that  our  Chieftain  but  slept, 
And  our  hearts  would  not  wake  to  their  warning, 

And  we  hoped  and  lingered  and  wept. 

The  ineffable  glory  has  reached  him, 

And  Eternity  claims  but  her  own ; 
As  he  leaps  to  his  last  promotion, 

And  our  hearts  are  a  vacant  throne. 
The  hand  of  the  gentle  scepter, 

Is  quiet,  and  pulseless,  and  cold; 
And  the  plain,  simple  life  of  our  Chieftain, 

Is  a  tale  that  at  last  is  told. 
Burned  into  our  hearts,  as  a  battle, 

Beat  into  our  lives,  as  a  part, 
He  has  taken  his  niche  in  the  temple, 

Unaided  by  sculpture  or  art. 

But  when  Time,  with  his  tremulous  fingers, 

Feels  the  touch  of  the  Infinite  Hand, 
With  the  songs  of  the  spheres  that  lingers, 

Shall  linger  the  song  of  our  land  ; 
And  dawn  from  the  highlands  of  glory. 

What  a  chorus  shall  break  at  our  ears, 
As  our  dead  gone  before  join  the  story. 

And  God  links  together  the  years! 

Great  Washington,  Pater  Patria, 
And  Lincoln,  Salvator,  as  great, 


2l6 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


And  Grant,  the  great  Gustos,  a  tribune 

Unreached,  in  the  annals  of  fate ; 
And  white  from  the  stains  of  the  battle, 

The  grandest,  grand  army  of  dead. 
Such  a  vision  shall  burst  with  its  passing 

As  never  was  sung  or  said  ; 
The  angels  shall  wonder  upon  it. 

And  Heaven  shall  ring  with  its  tread. 

Hiram  Hoyt  Richmond. 


TRINITY    SCHOOL. 


Trinity  School  was  founded  in  1876, 
by  Trinity  Corporation,  and  the  Rev. 
Edward  B.  Spalding,  lately  Sub-Warden 
of  Racine  College,  Wisconsin,  was  called 
to    assume  charge. 

At  the  opening,  his  brother.  Rev.  Chas. 
N.  Spalding  was  associated  with  him,  and 
later,  upon  his  brother's  departure  for  the 
East,  he  called  the  Rev.  G.  A.  Mead,  also 
of  Racine  College,  to  the  Head  Master- 
ship of  the  young  Institution.  Mr.  Mead 
was  a  friend  of  many  years'  standing, 
and  was  Mr.  Spalding's  companion  when 
traveling  abroad. 

Under  the  very  able  management  the 
number  of  pupils  increased  so  rapidly,  that 
Trinity  Sunday  School  parlors  in  which  the 
school  had  found  birth,  proved  in  a  few 
months  too  small,  and  the  present  place 
with  its  fine  grounds  and  trees  was  accepted 
as  a  site  for  a  new  hall,  being  suitable  at  once 
on  account  of  its  beauty  and  accessibility. 
It  is  situated  at  the  corner  of  Mission  and 
Eleventh  Streets,  and  is  remarked  by  every- 
one in  passing,  for  in  size  and  freshness  it 
stands  out  in  bold  relief  from  all  its  sur- 
roundings. 

There  is  great  charm  in  the  retirement 
of  the  buildings,  which  are  set  deep  in  the 
square,  and  revealed  only  in  half  glimpses 
through  heavy  foliage. 

The  Rector's  residence  is  handsome, 
substantial  and  commodious,  furnishing 
accomodations  to  a  limited  number  of 
boarders,  who  can  here  enjoy  home  life 
and  the  advantage  of  social  and  daily  in- 
tercourse with  the  trained  intellects  of  a 
corps  of  exceptional  teachers,  who  live  with 
the  Rector. 


Many  benefits  accrue  from  association 
with  men  whose  sole  care  in  life  is  the 
cultivation  of  mind  and  heart.  They  may 
be  considered  inestimable,  and  the  small 
number  of  students* who  constitute  a  part 
of  such  a  family  are  to  be  congratulated. 

In  the  Rector's  residence  are  the  draw- 
ing rooms,  library,  study  room,  dining- 
room,  kitchen  and  sleeping  apartments. 

Of  the  beauty  of  the  dining-room  our 
cut  gives  but  a  poor  idea.  The  entire  front 
and  sides  are  of  glass  so  that  one  is  appar- 
ently sitting  among  trees  in  a  wealth  of 
sunshine. 

The  school  hall  is  of  very  attractive 
architecture  both  outside  and  within.  It 
is  divided  into  main  hall,  recitation  rooms, 
and  library  above.  On  a  lower  floor  cov- 
ering the  entire  building  space,  is  an  im- 
mense room  devoted  to  the  use  of  students 
for  amusement  during  cold  or  inclement 
weather.  Hot  air  furnaces  heating  the  hall 
run  through  this  apartment,  so  that  it  is  al- 
ways comfortable.  A  fine  billiard  table 
and  bowling  alley  are  placed  here  for  the 
enjoyment  of  the  boys,  while  a  very  large 
play-ground  outside  furnishes  opportunity 
for  any  manner  of  out-door  sports.  Mr. 
Spalding  has  been  to  much  pains  and  ex- 
pense to  put  this  latter  in  good  condition 
for  the  coming  term.  A  great  portion  of  it 
has  been  covered  with  a  soft  rock  and 
rolled  so  that  it  is  of  a  macadamized  nature. 

The  main  hall,  or  Trinity  Hall  proper, 
on  festive  occasions  is  opened  to  guests. 
Desks  and  chairs  are  removed,  and  a  band 
stationed  in  the  loft  just  visible  in  one  of  our 
illustrations.     Mr.  Spalding,  with   the  fac- 


2l8 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


ulty  that  brings  everything  to  a  succesful 
issue,  has  made  the  place  memorable  by 
many  enjoyable  gatherings.  He  is,  per- 
haps, unexcelled  in  his  talent  for  arrang- 
ing social  entertainments.  Those  who 
have  had  experience  can  appreciate  the 
difficulty  of  trying  to  amuse,  to  make  per- 
fectly content  for  the  time  being  many 
people  of  many  tastes.  A  glance  at  one  of 
the  programmes  issued  by  Mr.  Spalding 
for  a.  fete  charn.petre  shows  him  to  be  of 
almost  exhaustless  resources  in  his  devices 
to  meet  this  end,  and  the  brilliant  assem- 
blage of  guests  openly  manifests  the  appre- 
ciation with  which  his  efforts  are  always 
met. 

To  his  admirable    choice    of  teachers  is 


At  the  closing  exercises  of  the  school, 
gold  medals  are  awarded  for  the  greatest 
proficiency  in  Latin,  Mathematics,  English, 
and  in  declamation  ;  and  for  the  highest 
standing  in  class  studies  and  conduct. 

The  Alumni  have  presented  a  scholar- 
ship which  frees  the  holder  from  school 
fees  for  one  year.  This  is  awarded  upon 
a  competitive  examination. 

The  school  can  be  easily  reached.  Cars 
run  in  front  and  to  the  rear  of  the  block, 
connecting  with  all  parts  of  the  city,  but 
the  exercise  is  not  greater  than  is  needed 
by  most  boys  to  keep  them  in  full  health, 
were  they  to  walk  the  distance  daily. 

The   Rev.   E.  B.  Spalding,   youngest  of 


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TRINITY  HALL 


due  the  vigorous  health  and  advancement 
of  the  school.  Nine  years  of  work  show 
most  gratifying  results.  Its  graduates  are 
found  in  the  universities  of  the  East,  West, 
South,  and  of  England.  No  better  com- 
mentary than  this  can  be  offered,  to  con- 
clusively prove  the  thoroughness  and 
effectiveness  of  the  work  done  within  its 
walls,  and  the  number  and  class  of  those 
attending,  speak  for  the  esteem  in  which 
the  institution  is  held. 

The  grade  of  studies  will  take  those 
who  desire  it,  as  far  as  the  Junior  year  in 
a  college  course. 

The  departments  are  four:  A  Prepara- 
tory School,  Lower  and  Upper  Schools  and 
Post  Graduate  course. 


four  brothers,  all  of  whom  are  clergymen, 
was  born  near  Geneva,  New  York,  and 
graduated  at  Hobart  College. 

Subsequently  he  was  called  to  Racine 
College,  where,  as  before  stated,  he 
was  for  seventeen  years  intimately 
associated  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  De  Koven, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  educators  of  his 
day. 

Not  long  after  opening  the  school  on 
Mission  street,  he  was  persuaded  to 
assume  charge  of  St.  John's  Parish,  which 
is  in  the  immediate   vicinity. 

The  same  talents  and  qualifications 
that  were  calculated  to  build  up  a  school 
and  fill  it  with  zealous  students,  were  exact- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


219 


INTERIOR  OF  TRINITY  HALL. 


ly  those  which  would  draw  a  large  congrega-  have  been  subscribed  and  raised  under 
tion,  so  that  every  Sunday  he  now  preaches  his  influence,  towards  the  advancement  of 
to  crowded  houses.  his  church  and  other  religious  purposes. 


DINING-ROOM. 


The  feeling  and  sympathy,  with  which  The  number  of  families  under  his  care 
he  inspires  his  parishioners  and  hearers  is  have  increased  since  1881  from  forty-nine 
evident,  and  within  four  years  $27,598.98   to  one  hundred   and  ten;  communicants 


220 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


from  seventy-five  to  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
six.  His  popularity  constantly  increases. 
In  preaching,  his  diction  is  smooth  and 
pleasant ;  he  never  hesitates  for  a  word, 
and  one  great  element  of  his  success  lies  in 
the  fact  that  he  speaks  entirely  without 
notes.  The  ability  to  "  think  on  one's  feet " 
is  quite  as  important  to  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  as  to  a  lawyer,  and  quite  as  rare — 
rarer  because  the  chances  are  fewer,  the 
number  of  lawyers  being  in  the  preponder- 
ance, and  largely  too,  from  the  fact  that 
our  best  men  avoid  the  church.  But  it  is 
more  effective  from  the  pulpit  than  at  the 
bar,  because  people  are  more  impression- 
able on  religious  subjects  than  on  ques- 
tions of  dry  facts.  Aside  from  that,  the 
province  of  the  minister  is  supposed  by 
sowing  harmony  to  choke  the  growth  of 
discord  and  dispute,  and  thereby  to  dimin- 
ish litigation;  so  that  on  the  principle  that 
"  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a  pound 
of  cure,"  the  value  of  high  oratorical  abil- 
ity is  proportionally  greater  at  the  altar 
than  before  the  judge. 


One  feels  that  what  is  spoken  sponta- 
neously comes  from  the  heart,  and  is  not 
so  likely  to  be  the  result  of  calculation. 
Utterance  given  to  a  thought  as  -soon  as 
evolved  more  surely  speaks  the  man. 

But  the  charm  and  force  of  direct  ap- 
peal is  broken  when  the  speaker  strains 
and  stumbles  after  a  word ;  this,  however, 
seemingly  never  occurs  in  Mr.  Spalding's 
discourse.  By  his  full  and  easy  swing  of 
words  that  come  without  apparent  effort, 
one  is  led  on  from  beginning  to  end,  im- 
bibing his  ideas  with  the  same  readiness 
with  which  they  are  given. 

Mr.  Spalding  is  still  a  young  man,  hav- 
ing only  reached  his  forty-fifth  year.  He 
married  in  New  York  State  a  young  lady 
whose  father  was  Professor  at  Racine  Col- 
lege. He  has  proved  a  great  blessing  to 
our  city,  and  is  creating  an  influence 
through  both  school  and  church  that  must 
be  widely  felt. 

Adele  B.  Carter. 


THE    MOUNTAIN  QUAIL. 


Oh  !  mountain  quail  with  crested  head, 

Oh  !  pretty  quail  with  white-tinged  eyes, 
For  you  a  bounteous  feast  is  spread. 

By  him  who  jewelled  all  the  skies  ; 
You  flit  across  the  road  so  lone. 

To  ambush  that  each  broodling  knows, 
And  in  a  shrill,  staccato  tone. 

Pipe  out  your  call  to  frighten  foes. 

Mount  Raymond  like  a  Titan  looms, 

And  shoulders  morning's  gauzy  light, 
While  in  his  cloister  crypt  there  glooms, 

Great  miracles  of  silver  bright  ! 
Huge  neighboring  mountains  fold  away. 

In  scalloped  curves  along  the  air  ; 
Where  in  gum  woods  the  grizzlies  stray 

Or  furtive  lions  build  their  lair. 

Our  California  skies  are  blue 

As  are  the  violets  in  her  grass, 
Where  by  her  seas  the  gray  gulls  mew, 

Or  fawas  through  her  weird  forests  pass; 
There  lizards  slide  across  the  rocks. 

In  canyon  cups  that  drink  the  sun! 
Or  doves  the  fairy  echo  mocks. 

Where  dripping  springs  refreshing  run. 

Sweet  quail!  Your  nerves  are  aye  unstrung. 

You  start,  and  poise  your  turbancd  head, 
And  flutter  o'er  your  reckless  young, 

As  if  life  was  one  throe  of  dread; 
You  choose  the  bushes'  tented  shade. 

Whose  green  pagodas  o'er  you  bend; 
You  stand  half  trusting,  half  afraid, 

And  make  no  earthly  thing  your  friend! 


The  pink  azalias  scent  the  air, 

The  sweet  wild  lilacs  plume  the  road, 
While  ferns  with  tangled  maiden's  hair 

Hang  o"'er  the  water-snake's  abode  ! 
■  Bright  rainbow  insects  sail  across 

The  pond's  green  breast  like  winged  flow'rs; 
By  boulders  dotted  o'er  with  moss. 

The  horned  kine  dream  out  the  hours. 

His  bait  the  swarthy  Indian  throws. 

Into  the  stream  with  conscious  pride. 
Where  the  lively  trout  in  glitt'ring  rows. 

Dart  like  bright  arrows  thro'  the  tide; 
He  lifts  his  treasure  to  the  sun. 

That  wriggling,  sparkling,  gasps  and  dies, 
Nor  heeds  this  luscious  atom  won. 

Has  suffered  all  death's  agonies! 

But  you,  oh  pretty,  graceful  quail. 

With  mother-love  chirp  o'er  your  brood  ; 
And  dread  imagined  foes  assail. 

With  sharp  glance  peering  thro'  the  wood; 
So  like  a  tender  parent  heart, 

That  fears  the  future  for  her  child, 
Lest  as  life's  shadows  meet  and  part, 

She  be  from  duty's  path  beguiled. 

Oh!  graceful  quail,  your  crested  head, 

May  drop  all  sudden  to  the  dust. 
By  kingbird,  or  by  hunter's  lead. 

That  ends  your  all  of  earthly  trust; 
But  human  spirits  can  look  up. 

And  feel  God's  aid  is  ever  nigh. 
And  though  we  drain  affliction's  cup. 

We  look  for  sweeter  draughts  on  high! 
Jean  B.  Washburn. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


THE    MECHANICS'  INSTITUTE. 


The  Mechanics'  Institute  of  San  Fran- 
cisco is  a  monument  of  patient  persistence 
— of  struggling  against  many  odds — 
crowned,  at  last,  with  the  perfectness  of 
success. 

The  visitor  that  strolls  through  the 
library  on  Post  street,  and  notes  its  elegant 
furnishing,  its  thousands  of  volumes — many 
of  them  rare  and  costly — and  the  con- 
venient and  systematic  arrangement  of  its 
every  department,  will  be  prone  to  think  it 
a  gift  of  the  Aladdin  genii  of  wealth,  rather 
than  attained  by  years  of  tireless  toil. 

In  the  last  of  the  year  of  1854,  the  pro- 
jectors of  the  plan  held  their  first  meeting 
in  the  office  of  the  city  Tax  Collector,  and 
the  preliminary  foundation  of  the  grand 
scheme  was  laid.  A  few  months  later — in 
March,  1855 — the  first  business  meeting 
was  held,  and  the  first  officers  elected. 
With  a  newly-drafted  Constitution  and  by- 
laws, an  unsalaried  Board  of  Officers,  and 
the  not  very  munificent  sum  of  $347.50  in 
its  treasury,  the  work  of  the  object  of  the 
Association  (The  establishment  of  a  li- 
brary, reading-room,  the  collection  of  a 
cabinet,  scientific  apparatus,  works  of  art, 
and  other  literary  and  scientific  purposes) 
was  begun. 

To-day  the  x^ssociation  owes  but  $  1 5,000, 
its  property  is  estimated  at  half  a  million, 
and  there  are  2,300  names  on  its  role  of 
membership. 

The  library  contains  38,000  volumes, 
valued,  at  $81,000.  Among  the  rare  and 
curious  of  them  is  a  complete  set  of 
"  Philosophical  Transactions,"  in  old  Eng- 
lish, dating  back  two  hundred  years  ;  and 
it  has  the  honor  of  possessing  the  only 
complete  set  of  "  Memoirs  of  the  Royal 
Astronomical  Society"  on  this  coast.  There 
are  forty-six  volumes,  numbering  from  1822 
to  date.  Its  set  of  "  Transactions  of  the 
Zoological  Society  of  London"  are  hand- 
somely and  expensively  illustrated,  many 
of  them  costing  from  $60  to  $70  per 
volume.  The  thirty-four  volumes  of 
" Palaeontographical  Society"  and  "Curtis' 
Botonical  Magazine"  from  1790  to  date, 
are  also  very  valuable. 

The  collection  of  mechanical  and  scien- 


tific works  is  good  and  complete,  but  not  by 
any  means  must  the  searcher  after  knowl- 
edge confine  his  reading  to  mechanism 
and  science.  While  he  can  unravel  the 
intricacies  of  ship-building,  engineering  and 
architecture]  can  sound  the  seas  and 
measure  the  mysterious  stars;  he  can  revel 
in  the  classics  and  the  thoughts  of  the 
deepest  thinkers,  and  he  can  sate  his  soul 
with  the  lightest  standard  literature.  If  he 
wants  to  delve  into  the  dryness  of  Patent 
Reports,  this  is  an  official  depository  of 
them — both  British  and  American.  If  his 
taste  runs  in  lighter  vein,  the  Eastern  and 
foreign  magazines  are  kept  on  file  in  a 
room  devoted  exclusively  to  them.  He  can 
play  chess,  or  study  mechanical  drawing 
(a  teacher  is  employed  by  the  Association 
to  instruct  classes  in  the  latter);  or  he  can 
sit  in  the  quietest  of  places  and  meditate. 

The  $10,000  donated  by  James  Lick  to 
the  Institute  is  being  expended  for  books 
and  furniture  for  the  library  as  directed. 
It  was  a  generous  donation.  Had  some 
one  but  thought  to  bestow  such  a  gift  on 
the  infant  Institute  away  back  in  the  fifties, 
many  a  dark  day  had  been  lighted.  And 
thus  it  ever  is;  the  gods  give  all  their 
goods  at  once. 

The  rules  of  the  Association  are  liberal. 
We  doubt  if  there  is  another  institution  in 
America  where  the  members  are  so  well 
favored.  The  Librarian,  Mr.  Horace 
Wilson,  whose  judgment  in  books  is  con- 
ceded by  all,  is  exceedingly  popular  with 
members  of  the  Institute.  In  the  purchase 
of  new  books,  he  aims  not  only  to  please 
a  particular  class  of  readers,  but  all  classes. 
He  has  studied  very  carefully  the  wants  of 
the  patrons,  and  has  thus  contributed 
greatly  to  bringing  the  library  to  its  present 
degree  of  popularity.  In  fact,  all  those 
connected  with  the  Institute,  who  come  in 
contact  with  the  public,  have  won  good 
opinions  by  their  deference  to  the  wishes 
of  others. 

Mr.  S.  C.  Bugbee  made  the  first  pre- 
sentation of  books  to  the  library,  his  gift 
being  a  Bible,  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  Encyclopedia  of  Architecture  and 
Curtis  on   Conveyancing— a   solid   begin- 


222 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


ning.  The  Bible  and  Constitution  were 
afterwards  stolen,  which  fact  goes  far 
toward  refuting  the  prevailing  idea  that 
California,  in  those  days,  was  the  lawless 
infidel  she  is  represented. 

Miss  Sarah  P.  Warren  gave  the  library 
the  first  book  presented  it  by  a  wom^. 
History  fails  to  record  the  name  of  that 
book.  This  is  a  great  oversight  in  the 
history;  it  makes  it  the  newspaper,  with 
the  coveted  paragraph  cut  out. 

The  immense  pavilion  of  the  Associa- 
tion, located  on  Larkin,  Grove,  Polk  and 
Hayes  streets,  has  gained  a  nearly  world- 
wide notoriety  for  its  annual  Mechanics' 
Fair. 

The  proceeds  of  these  Fairs  go  into  the 
maintenance  fund  of  the  library.  Thus  is 
its  continued  prosperity  assured. 

The  officers  of  the  Institute  are :  Board 
of  Trustees — P.  B.  Cornwall,  President ; 
David  Kerr,  Vice-President;  J.  A.  Bauer, 
Treasurer ;  S.  J.  Hendy,  Cor.  Secretary ; 
W.  P.  Stout,  Rec.  Secretary ;  D.  A.  Mac- 
Donald,  James  Spiers,  C.  F.  Bassett,  Byron 
Jackson,  J.  R.  Wilcox,  George  Spaulding, 
C.  Waterhouse,  George  H.  Hopps,  John 
Mallon  ;  Librarian,  Horace  Wilson  ;  As- 
sistant Secretary,  J.  H.  Culver ;  J.  H.  Gil- 
more,  Superintendent ;  A.  M.  Jellison, 
Assistant  Librarian. 

The  library,  pavilion  and  Fairs  are  under 
the  direct  management  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  worthily  and  well  have  they 
managed. 

In  the  preliminary  announcement  of  the 
Fair  for  1885,  the  Board  of  Trustees  says: 

The  Mechanics'  Institute  of  the  City  of 
San  Francisco,  organized  in  1855  for  the 
dissemination  of  information  and  useful 
knowledge,  which  has  held  under  its 
auspices  nineteen  Industrial  Fairs,  again 
takes  pleasure  in  announcing  that  the 
Twentieth  Exhibition  of  art,  manufac- 
tures, science  and  natural  products,  will 
be  open  on  Tuesday,  August  25th,  at 
their  immense  pavilion,  located  on  Larkin, 
Grove,  Polk  and  Hayes  streets,  which  will 
be  still  further  enlarged  and  improved  for 
this  occasion,  and  supplied  with  every 
requirement  for  the  proper  display  of 
articles  and  machinery,  including  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  steam,  water,  gas  and 
power,  the  latter  from  a  large  and  power- 
ful engine  to  be  manufactured  expressly 
for  this  exhibition. 


It  is  a  conceded  fact  that  a  compre- 
hensive exhibition  of  natural  or  manufac- 
tured products,  when  given  by  a  Gov- 
ernment, State,  County  or  Society,  is 
productive  of  good  to  the  general  com- 
munity by  bringing  together  at  one  time  the 
producer  arid  consumer,  the  manufacturer 
and  dealer,  or  those  engaged  in  like  occu- 
pations, whereby  an  exchange  of  ideas 
may  be  had,  and  comparison  of  results 
arrived  at,  which  have  been  carried  out  in 
various  ways  for  the  same  end,  but  under 
different  rules  and  conditions. 

The  benefit  of  these  gatherings  of  peo- 
ple and  products  has  been  recognized  by 
all  great  nations,  particularly  our  own 
Government,  for  twice  our  representatives 
at  Washington  have  made  an  appropria- 
tion for  such  purposes,  namely :  at  Phila- 
delphia and  New  Orleans.  Material  aid  has 
also  been  given  by  nearly  all  the  States  in 
the  Union  to  encourage  and  foster  local 
fairs  within  the  borders,  showing  that  our 
wisest  legislators  believe  in  such  exhibitions, 
and  recognize  their  benefit  to  the  com- 
monwealth. 

It  is  the  desire  of  the  management  to 
have  the  display  of  manufactured  and  nat- 
ural products  as  full  and  perfect  as  possi- 
ble, that  the  varied  resources  of  this 
Coast  may  be  brought  together  in  such 
form  as  may  best  afford  the  citizen  seeking 
information,  the  capitalist  seeking  invest- 
ment, the  visitor  from  the  Eastern  States 
or  immigrants  from  Europe  seeking  a  busi- 
ness opening  or  a  home,  an  opportunity  to 
inform  themselves  of  the  skill  and  advance- 
ment of  our  citizens  and  inventors,  and 
the  variety,  excellence  and  superiority  of 
our  products,  which  in  the  near  future 
must  and  will  be  an  important  factor  in 
the  World's  consumption. 

The  Mechanics'  Library  is  not  the 
largest  one  in  San  Francisco,  but  there  are 
none  better,  and  its  educational  advantages 
are  superior  to  any.  The  public  are  cor- 
dially invited  to  visit  the  rooms  of  the 
Association,  No.  31  Post  street,  between 
Montgomery  and  Kearny. 

There  can  not  be  too  many  libraries  in 
any  land ;  neither  can  too  much  be  said  in 
their  favor.  Literature  without  libraries,  is 
religion  without  churches.  Who  builds  a 
library  for  the  people,  strikes  a  blow  at  the 
foundation  of  the  penitentiary. 

M. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


223 


ZAFEL. 


Zafel's  head  was  poised  like  one  of 
Giotto's  models.  He  was  a  magnificent 
man.  The  muscles  of  his  legs  and  arms 
were  huge  lumps  of  strength.  Women  ad- 
mired him.  The  painter  must  have  seen 
such  a  man  when  the  idea  of  Atlas  flashed 
across  his  brain.  Yet  Zafel  stooped  to 
touch  the  skirts  of  a  woman's  dress,  and 
trembled  at  the  faintest  caress  of  an  in- 
fant's finger. 

In  the  summer  of  '83  he  occupied  a 
small  room  opposite  512  Minna  street. 
Across  the  way  was  the  sign : 

INFANT  SHELTER. 

Babies  Taken  Care  of    During  the  Day 

at  Reasonable  Rates. 

Every  morning  he  watched  the  mothers 
with  babies  clinging  to  their  breasts,  as 
they  hurried  to  hand  them  over  to  the  paid 
keeper.  A  woman's  face  is  never  so  love- 
ly, the  expression  never  so '  pure,  the  eyes 
never  so  tender  in  their  love  as  when  the 
lips  of  the  infant  draw  life  from  the 
mother. 

God  had  mercifully  sundered  the  bonds 
that  bound  Zafel  to  his  wife.  She  slept, 
and  he  was  a  free  man  without  a  home 
and  without  children.  He  was  an  outlaw 
upon  every  moral  question,  except  the  so- 
cial relations  of  husband  and  wife.  Every 
night  his  fertile  brain  was  full  of  wicked 
schemes,  but  in  the  morning  when  he  saw 
the  women  gather  in  front  of  the  Infant 
Shelter,  and  leave  their  babies,  his  feelings 
were  as  tender  as  a  mother's  for  her  child. 

In  one  of  these  moods  he  came  to  me. 
I  had  seen  him  once  before.  It  was  in 
the  court  room.  He  was  on  trial  for  sell- 
ing false  mines  from  specimens  of  gold  ore. 
His  poise  and  grandiloquent  manner 
impressed  the  judge.  He  was  acquitted. 
And  then  to  the  judge  and  his  own 
lawyer  he  sold  a  worthless  claim  in  Mono 
county,  by  showing  specimens  that  he 
purchased  from  the  assay  office  of  Thomas 
Price. 

I  was,  therefore,  prepared  to  discoun- 
tenace  any  proposition  he  might  make.  I 
had  no  time  for  idle  speculations  and 
and  schemes  that  were  probably  not  legiti- 
mate.    His    personal    address   completely 


charmed  me.  Such  a  tribute  to  woman- 
hood I  had  never  heard.  He  dwelt  upon 
the  words  "mother"  and  "baby"  with  such 
tenderness  that  it  melted  my  reserve. 

"This  morning,"  he  said,  "before  com- 
ing to  you,  I  stood  at  my  window  and 
looked  across  the  way  in  a  room  of  the 
Infant  Shelter.  I  saw  a  mother  weeping 
over  the  cradle.  It  was  a  very  touching 
sight,  sir.  I  am  striving  to  make  a  for- 
tune so  that  I  may  purchase  the  inesti- 
mable treasure  of  domestic  bliss.  You 
may  think  it  strange  that  a  man,  whose 
name  has  been  connected  with  the  most 
w^onderful  inventions  of  the  age,  should  be 
moved  to  tears  by  so  ordinary  a  sight.  I 
was  weeping  for  society,  not  for  myself,  sir. 
The  rich  mother  hires  a  nurse  to  free  her- 
self from  care  of  the  infant.  The  poor 
mother  who  works  down  town  is  compelled 
to  do  so.  The  former  envies  the  nurse 
the  money  she  pays,  the  latter  envies  the 
nurse  the  possession  of  the  child.  The 
one  wants  what  the  other  pays  to  get  rid  of. 
But  to  my  story.  About  noon  for  the  last 
week  I  have  seen  a  pale,  beautiful  woman 
enter  the  Infant  Shelter.  Timidly  she 
rings  the  bell,  then  cautiously  creeps  to  the 
side  of  the  doorway,  as  if  afraid  of  being 
noticed.  I  have  seen  her  from  behind  my 
blinds  feed  the  babies.  She  has  won  my 
love.  Yes,  I  love  her  madly.  I  have  dis- 
covered that  a  man  has  played  her  false. 
She  is  a  mother,  but  not  a  wife.  I  have 
found  that  her  life  has  been  an  atonement 
for  her  fault.  I  want  to  marry  her,  and  I 
come  to  you  to  negotiate  a  secret  that  I 
may  bestow  upon  her  wealth  as  well  as 
love." 

I  had  now  become  thoroughly  inter- 
ested in  Zafel's  recital.  I  knew  that 
Zafel  had  invented  queer  burglar  tools,  had 
sold  counterfeit  money,  and  had  but  re- 
cently disposed  of  a  chemical  compound 
that  would  ignite  buildings  six  months 
after  being  placed.  He  really  had  the 
audacity  to  declare  in  a  court  of  justice 
that  he  could  place  the  compound  by  him- 
self and  agents  in  the  various  cities  of  the 
world  so  as  to  burn  them  simultaneously. 
I  turned  to  him  supposing   that  his   secret 


224 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


was  something  of  a  similar  nature,  and 
asked  the  particulars. 

"Not  yet.  Go  slow,"  he  said,  in  his 
confident  manner.  "  We  have  a  few  pre- 
liminaries to  arrange  beforehand.  In  the 
first  place  I  want  $10,000  for  the  secret, 
and  one-half  the  profits.  The  $10,000  I 
will  donate  to  the  Infant  Shelter  to  spend 
for  securing  better  facilities.  I  will  depend 
on  the  profits  for  my  fortune.'' 

"  A  very  generous  offer.  I  am  quite 
certain  that  I  can  get  friends  to  advance 
the  money,  if  I  find  that  your  secret  is  of 
value,"  I  answered. 

His  confident  manner  disarmed  me,  and 
I  began  counting  up  how  much  I  could 
make  out  of  the  secret.  My  mind  turned 
to  wealth  quickly — not  that  I  enjoyed  the 
possession  of  wealth,  but  the  spending  of 
it  always  afforded  me  great  pleasure. 

"Ah,  sir,  your  interest  is  so  gratifying! 
Your  fortune,  however,  is  made.  I  know 
that  you  will  make  $100,000  the  first 
month — yes,  perhaps  the  first  week.  All 
the  poor  women  who  leave  their  babies  at 
the  Infant  Shelter  will  bless  you,  for  they 
will  get  my  first  $10,000.  Martha,  my 
Martha,  will  always  be  grateful.  To  you 
she  will  owe  her  happiness.  You  must 
see  her.  The  development  of  her  form  is 
lucious  ;  the  sparkle  of  her  eyes  as  brilliant 
as  gems;  and  her  disposition  is  calm  and 
affectionate.  The  richness  of  her  love  is 
like  a  'mother  ledge.'  I  cannot  describe 
her,  but  I  will  sacrifice  the  secret  for 
her." 

"The  secret!"  I  exclaimed.  "Tell  me 
the  secret." 

"Not  yet.     Go  slow,"  he  repeated. 

"  Explain!"  I  cried,  impatiently.  "  I  am 
ready  to  go  on  as  soon  as  I  find  out  that 
you  have  a  secret  worth  money." 

"You  must  first  raise  me  $10,000,"  he 
said. 

"Impossible,"  I  replied,  "until  you  give 
me  information  that  will  prove  your  dis- 
covery valuable." 

"Will  you  agree  to  give  me  the  $10,000 
as  soon  as  I  prove  my  discovery  worth 
thousands  of  dollars?" 

"I  will,"  I  answered. 

I  now  became  intensely  excited.  Zafel 
invited  me  at  once  to  join  him  at  his 
house.  We  went  together.  On  our  way 
out  he  stopped  on  Jessie  street,  corner  of 
4th,  and   introduced    me   to    Martha.     I 


admired  her  beauty,  and  was  quite  sur- 
prised at  the  modesty  and  refinement 
visible  in  her  every  action.  I  must,  how- 
ever, admit  that  the  infant  in  the  cradle 
lessened  my  esteem  for  the  young  mother. 
Zafel,  I  presume,  loved  her,  and  love  is 
deaf  and  dumb  and  blind.  Martha 
rejoiced  at  the  good  news,  and  thanked  me 
with  a  modest  wink  of  her  beautiful  lashes, 
which  made  me  rather  nervous.  It  was 
about  half  past  five  when  we  reached 
Zafel's  lodgings.  We  stood  at  the  window. 
It  was  the  hour  that  the  women  returning 
from  their  work  called  at  the  Infant 
Shelter  for  their  babies.  Some  of  the 
women  were  large  and  coarse,  others  were 
pale  and  delicate;  all  seemed  changed 
when  the  babies  rested  again  in  their  arms. 
One  poor  woman,  tired  with  the  day's 
labor  and  suffering  from  mortal  disease, 
dragged  herself  to  the  door,  seemed,  as  if 
by  magic,  to  recover  strength  when  she 
obtained  her  child,  and  walked  away,  call- 
ing it  pet  names,  and  caressing  it  with  her 
toil-colored  hands.  It  was  a  touching 
picture  of  maternal  love.  God  never 
intended  that  a  woman  should  labor  at 
anything  that  would  take  her  one  hour 
from  the  cradle.  Poverty  is  crudest  when 
it  affects  mother  and  babe.  Hard,  indeed, 
is  fate,  when  it  casts  a  shadow  over  ma- 
ternity. 

Zafel  laughed  when  he  thought  of  the 
change  his  $10,000  donation  would  make 
in  the  Infant  Shelter. 

"  I  will  have  the  little  cherubs  rest  on 
down,  and  they  shall  have  the  choicest 
playthings,  and  all  the  kind  nurses  neces- 
sary. Martha  will  visit  the  place,  and  will 
suggest  changes.  But  now  to  the  dis- 
covery," he  said,  as  he  turned  quickly 
and  faced  me.  He  walked  across  the 
room,  and  taking  up  a  book  came  and 
sat  down  by  my  side. 

At  last,  I  thought,  the  discovery  would 
be  told.  My  sanguine  temperament  had 
not  allowed  my  hopes  to  sink.  Zafel 
opened  the  book.  I  noticed  that  it  was 
a  zoology.  He  pointed,  with  his  finger,  to 
a  paragraph  on  the  page  he  had  opened. 
I  read,  then  looked  up  in  dismay.  The 
paragraph  was  as  follows : 

The  shark  belongs  to  an  extensive  family  of 
marine  cartilaginous  fishes,  with  the  rays,  or 
skates  and  chimera,  or  sea-cat,  forming  the  order 
of  plagiostomes,  or  selacians  elevated  under  the 
latter   name   by    Agassiz.     They   are   essentially 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


225 


carniverous,  and  as  in  the  birds  of  prey  the  fe- 
males are  larger  and  fiercer  than  the  males. 
They  swim  with  great  ease  and  rapidity,  playing 
around  the  fastest  ships  and  steamers.  They 
abound  in  different  species  in  all  oceans.  About 
one  hundred  species  are  known;  some  are  almost 
cosmopolite,  while  others  have  a  limited  geogra- 
phical distribution. 

The  shark  also  haunts  the  wrecks  of  ships,  and 
swalloius  everything  at  the  botto?n  of  the  sea  from 
the  small  jetvels  to  very  large  substances.  One 
was  recently  killed  near  Cape  Cod  that  contained 
S J 0,000   worth  of  diamonds  and  jewelry. 

Zafel's  eye  was  upon  me.  I  no  sooner 
looked  up  than  with  a  torrent  of  words  he 
explained  : 

"The  discovery,  you  see,  is  second- 
hand, but  no  one  has  ever  developed 
the  industry.  We  can  kill  a  hundred 
sharks  a  week,  and  they  will  certainly 
average  one  thousand  dollars  a  piece.  Of 
course  some  will  be  worthless,  but  others 
may  have  diamonds  worth  thousands  of 
dollars.  Sharks  have  been  feeding  on  the 
jewels  and  diamonds  for  thousands  of 
years.  Of  course,  you  know,  the  sharks 
that  got  the  diamonds  of  a  wreck  two  hun- 
dred years  ago  are  now  dead,  but  the 
young  sharks  would  swallow  the  jewels 
from  the  carcass.  So  that  the  sharks  of 
this  age  have  the  jewels  that  have  been  lost 
for  centuries.  In  addition  to  that  sharks 
eat  human  beings,  and  we  will  in  many  in- 
stances find  pocket-books,  rings,  watches 
and  diamonds  of  a  man  who  has  been 
missing  for  years. 

"  In  this  way  we  may  bring  comfort  to 
many  families  who  now  mourn  the  lost. 
Oh,  it  is  marvelous  !  marvelous  !  But  for 
God's  sake  do  not  tell  any  one,  or  the  en- 
tire population  will  be  out  killing  sharks." 

For  a  moment  I  was  dazed.  Then  I 
read  the  notice  in  the  zoology  again.  If 
$50,000  has  been  found  once  it  may  be  re- 
peated. I  turned  to  Zafel,  his  face  was 
full  of  enthusiasm.  I  said  :  "We  will  make 
the  experiment.  If  at  all  successful,  you 
shall  at  once  have  $10,000." 

"  Thanks,  thanks  !  You  see  I  needed  a 
man  like  you.  I  am  unfortunate  in  being 
unable  to  transact  the  practical  part  of  any 
scheme.  You  know  some  men  are  that 
way." 

"Yes,  yes,"  I  answered.  "  But  what  is 
your  plan  ?  " 

He  dropped  his  tone  to  a  whisper  and 
said:  "  A  certain  rich  man  loaned  a  lady 
friend  his  wife's   diamonds.     I    was    with 


them  on  a  yacthing  excursion.  The  lady 
became  angry  and  in  a  fit  of  jealousy 
threw  the  diamonds  overboard.  I  saw 
the  blunted  nose  of  a  shark  as  it  opened 
its  mouth  and  swallowed  them.  They 
were  valued  at  $20,000.  We  will  at  once 
proceed  to  the  place ;  I  will  not  mention 
the  name.  The  water  is ,  warm  and  large 
numbers  of  sharks  are  there.  I  have  dyn- 
amite torpedoes  that  will  kill  dozens  at 
a  time.  It  will  take  but  a  few  minutes 
to  rip  them  open  and  secure  the  treasure. 
iVh,  Martha,  had  I  always  such  an  incen- 
tive as  you  my  life  would  have  been  a  suc- 
cess years  ago." 

He  was  so  overcome  that  it  was  some 
minutes  before  he  noticed  my  readiness  to 
start.  In  thirty  minutes  we  had  large, 
sharp  knives  to  rip  open  the  sharks,  and 
dynamite  torpedoes.  The  sail  on  the  bay 
was  full  of  delicious  delight.  It  was  al- 
most sunset  when  we  reached  a  rare  spot 
in  nature.  The  twilight  on  the  bay,  ming- 
ling with  the  hills  and  the  water,  created  a 
weird  haze.  Mount  Tamalpias  was  grand 
and  gloomy.  The  stillness  was  oppresive. 
No  man  or  beast  was  in  sight.  It  was  all 
nature  except  Zafel  and  myself.  I  looked 
at  his  massive  frame,  his  confident  bear- 
ing and  was  content. 

The  stillness  was  sublime.  The  water 
seemed  to  drag  itself  to  the  shore,  then 
rested  awhile  before  sweeping  back,  and 
entering  .the  ocean  in  the  distance.  It 
was  the  rest  of  the  ocean,  the  grave  of  the 
tired  waters.  The  white  capped  waves  as- 
sumed a  darker  hue  in  mourning  for  the 
waters  at  rest.  I  almost  forgot  my  purpose. 
Wealth  had  lost  its  charm.  No  man  can  be 
alone  with  nature  and  rail  against  his  pover- 
ty, for  he  is  indeed  rich.  A  moment  more. 
"  Zafel  has  taken  the  boat.  The  water  is 
stirred.  A  torpedo  is  sent  down.  Soon 
the  waves  burst  up.  Zafel  is  down  in  the 
water  ;  he  will  drown.  No,  he  has  gained 
the  boat.  He  shouts  hoarsely  to  me  to 
take  in  the  line.  I  count  three  sharks  float- 
ing upon  the  water. "  Then  I  am  free  from 
the  spell  of  the  bay.  It  seemed  like  a 
dream.  I  drew  in  the  line,  and  quickly 
ripped  open  the  smallest  shark.  , Zafel 
stood  over  me  ;  there  was  a  wild  light  in 
the  man's  eyes.  He  held  the  lantern.  We 
searched. 

"  Here  it  is  !"  he  cried,  and  from  out  of 


226 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


the  slime  he  held  up  a  large,  pearl-like 
substance.  It  glistened  in  the  light  of  the 
lantern.     It  was  the  bill  of  a  water  fowl. 

"  Try  this  one,"  he  said  with  bated 
breath,   "  That  one  was  too  young." 

I  opened  another  one.  He  pushed  the 
light  over.  The  knife  fell  from  my  hand. 
Zafel  let  the  lantern  fall. 

We  were  in  darkness.  Zafel  lit  a  match 
and  grasping  my  arm  nervously,  we  looked 
again.  By  the  light  of  the  match,  blue 
and  pale,  we  saw  the  face  of  a  human 
child.  Behind  us  we  heard  a  fearful 
shriek;  then  we  heard  footsteps  growing 
fainter  and  fainter,  until  all  was  still  and 
dark  again. 

"My  God,  that  was  Martha!"  exclaimed 
Zafel. 

"  No,  you  are  wild.  It  could  not  have 
been."  I  answered.  He  lit  the  lantern. 
There  in  the  slime  of  the  shark's  cold 
entrails,  rested  the  undigested  remains  of 
a  child.  Zafel  gave  a  wild  shriek.  The 
massive  frame  coiled  to  the  ground  and 
lay  at  my  feet.  The  other  shark  remained 
unopened. 

I  dragged  Zafel  to  the  boat  and  plac- 
ing him  in,  sailed  across  the  moonlit  bay, 
to  the  city.  The  shriek  seemed  to  echo 
in  every  wave  that  struck  our  frail  craft: 
"Was  it  Martha?"  "Was  it  her  child?" 
There  was  tragedy  in  the  shriek.  The 
child's  blood  was  yet  warm  in  its  veins. 
Zafel  rose  up  in  the  boat,  as  we  reached 
the  city.  He  looked  back  from  whence 
we  came;  it  was  utter  darkness.     In  front 


the  city  was  beautifully  lighted,  and  from 
the  hill-tops  the  rays  came  down  to  the 
water's  edge.  He  stood  irresolute  for  a 
moment.  I  thought  he  had  lost  his  rea- 
son. Then  taking  my  arm  he  said, 
"Come." 

We  reached  the  home  of  Martha.  Zafel 
stood  a  moment  undecided,  then  entered 
the  back  way.  He  tore  open  the  shutters 
on  the  side  of  the  house.  The  moon 
shone  in  through  the  open  window,  reveal- 
ing a  small  bed-room. 

"Look!"  exclaimed  Zafel.  I  peered  in. 
A  woman's  form  was  visible,  as  she  lay 
half  uncovered  in  the  uneffected  negli- 
gence of  slumber. 

"It  is  she!  Martha  is  innocent!"  cried 
Zafel.  Then  he  turned  to  me  and  said, 
"  Go! " 

The  man  was  greater  in  his  commands 
than  I.  The  scheme  ended  with  the 
night's  adventure.  I  left  Zafel  gazing  in 
through  the  window  at  his  beloved  Mar- 
tha. 

This  story  would  not  have  been  written 
had  it  not  been  that  I  saw  Zafel  recently, 
standing  in  front  of  the  Infant  Shelter. 
He  was  old  and  haggard.  It  had  been 
two  years  since  he  had  interested  me  in  his 
scheme.  I  did  not  approach,  for  Martha 
came  out  holding  a  baby  with  its  lips  to 
her  breast,  while  two  children  toddled 
after  her.  I  do  not  know  why  Zafel's  life 
was  a  failure.  He  was  builded  on  a 
good  plan,  yet  lacked  something.  Was  it 
a  settled  purpose  ?  Harr  Wagner. 


RIVER. 


0  River!  sparkling,  restless  River! 
Quivering  with  every  change  of  cloud  and  breeze, 
Now  gliding  'mong  cool  grasses,  whispering  rushes. 
Now  playing,  laughing,  'mong  the  drooping  trees; 
And  then,  in  pensive  but  sweet  melancholy, 

As  like  a  child  half-grieved,  and  yet  half-glad, 
Down  by  the  old  mill  slowly  dost  thou  murmur. 
Making  the  wanderer's  heart  grow  strangely  sad ! 
River, — thou  symbol  of  my  youth  long  past. 
Wilt  thou  not  rest  at  last? 

"  Through  the  meadows,  decked  with  sweetest  flowers, 

1  have  wandered  in  the  Spring-tide;  and  at  noon 

I  have  dreamt  beside  the  willows'  graceful  branches, 

That  time  passed  all  too  soon! 

And  my  bosom  has  been  stirred  by  winds  in  Autumn, 

And  dying  leaves  have  floated  on  my  breast. 

The  swan  has  kissed  my  wavelets,  and  at  midnight 


Has  breathed  a  love-song,  yet  I  cannot  rest! 
For,  oh!  somewhere,  beyond  the  meadow  flowers. 
Beyond  the  woodland  trees,  and  fairy  homes, 
There  is  a  vast  expanse  of  crystal  brightness. 
Glorious  and  beautiful;  there  the  pale  hours 
Shall  glow  with  radience,  and  supreme  delight 
Shall  fill  each  moment  of  that  rapturous  life! 
This  is  not  living;  ,or,  at  most,  'tis  life 
Without  the  all  that  Love  alone  can  give! 
There,— in  that  boundless  Sea,  whose  voice  I  hear 
Calling  me  ever  to  its  arms, — there,  there  alone 
My  wanderings  shall  cease,  and  I  shall  rest!" 

River!  glide  onward;  let  the  sweet  wild-rose 
And  trailing  honeysuckle  lend  their  bloom 
To  beautify  thy  breast! 
So  to  the  bright  Beyond  I'd  pass  with  thee. 
And,  in  the  Source  of  Truth  and  Love,  find  rest! 


■Vera. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


227 


SILK  CULTURE. 


OUR  STATE  BOARD ITS  ORIGIN  AND  WORK. 

The  California  Silk  Culture  Association 
was  organized  November  i8th,  1880.  It 
was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  promot- 
ing the  silk  culture  interest    of  California. 

A  bill,  formulated  by  the  Association, 
was  brought  before  the  Legislature  of  1883. 
In  the  fate  of  that  bill  the  ladies  of  the 
Association  displayed  *  deep   concern,  and 


the  importance  of  the  bill,  and  tools 
shrugged  their  shoulders  and  declared 
there  was  "nuthin'  in  it." 

Tools  and  blockheads  are  surprisingly 
plentiful  in  the  halls  of  legislation  and  usu- 
ally display  the  flippant  puppyism  that 
always  characterizes  a  beggar  on  horse- 
back. 

Thanks  to  the  pluck  and  energy  of  Mrs. 
Gordon  and  her  lieutenants  the    bill    was 


MRS.  OLIVE  M.  WASHBURN, 
President  California  State  Board  of  Silk  Culture. 


under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  Laura  de 
Force  Gordon  many  of  the  most  energetic 
repaired  to  the  capitol  where  they  labored 
well  and  faithfully  to  secure  its  passage. 
f^-But  few  of  the  assembled  Solons  could 
at  first  be  induced  to  lay  serious  hold  of 
the  project,  and  the  ladies  found  a  more 
difficult  task  than  they  had  anticipated.  It 
was  a  *'  woman's  measure,"  and  the  pin- 
heads  and  puppies  chuckled  and  smirked. 
Blockheads  .were  unable   to    comprehend 


passed  by  a  scratch,  and  became  a  law  on 
March  15th,  1883.  It  provided  for  the 
appointment  of  nine  persons  who  should 
constitute  a  State  Board  of  Silk  Culture, 
five  of  whom  should  be  members  of  the 
Ladies  Silk  Culture  Association. 

The  Board  was  appointed  and  consisted 
of  the  following  persons  :  Dr.  C.  A.  Buck- 
bee,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Carr,  W.  B.  Ewer,  and  R. 
J.  Trumbull  for  two  years  ;  and  Mrs.  E.  B. 
Barker,  Prof  E.  W.  Hilgard,  Mrs.   T.   H. 


228 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


Hittell,  Mrs.  F.  M.  Kimball  and  Mrs.  H. 
B.  Williams,  for  the  term  of  four  years. 

This  Board  was  legislated  out  of  office 
by  the  passage  of  a  supplemental  act, 
March  i8th,  1885.  This  act  provided  for 
a  board  of  seven,  three  of  whom  should  be 
members  of  the  Ladies  Silk  Culture  Asso- 
ciation. The  Board  now  consists  of  Mrs. 
Olive  M.  Washburn,  President ;  G.  W.  T. 
Carter,  Vice-President ;  R.  H.  McDonald, 
Jr.,  Treasurer  ;  Mrs,  Louise  Rienza,  A.  F. 
Sanfrignon,  Edw.  Carlsen  and  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Chase. 

As  it  now  stands  the  Board  may  be  con- 
sidered an  effective  one.     The  President, 


advanced  and  liberal  ideas,  and  one  whose 
mental  make-up  presents  a  rare  combina- 
tion of  qualities  ;  a  combination  in  which 
may  be  seen  generosity  and  discernment, 
firmness  and  good  nature,  affability  and 
will,  bound  together  by  a  fund  of  executive 
and  administrative  ability  seldom  found  in 
the  same  person.  Under  the  management 
of  this  estimable  lady  the  California  State 
Board  of  Silk  Culture  should  become  a 
power  for  good. 

R.  H.  McDonald  Jr.,  Treasurer  of  the 
Board,  is  a  gentleman  of  means  and  abil- 
ity. He  is  deeply  interested  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  silk  industry.     Being  a 


//     -  V\ 

REELING    MACHINE  READY  FOR  V^^ORK. 


Mrs.  Olive  M.  Washburn,  is  a  lady  of 
marked  individuality.  She  was  born  in 
1 83 1,  the  second  daughter  of  Joel  Stock- 
well,  the  oldest  settler  of  Genessee  Valley, 
New  York,  and  has  spent,  in  California,  the 
better  part  of  a  busy  and  useful  life. 

Though  possessed  of  ample  means,  and 
surrounded  by  all  the  allurements  of  leis- 
ure, Mrs.  Washburn  was  never  an  idler, 
but  has  been  found  in  the  forefront  of 
every  battle  waged  for  humanity.  She  has 
taken  special  interest  in  the  enlargement  of 
woman's  sphere  of  usefulness,  and  is  a  firm 
believer  in  the  political  as  well  as  moral 
value  of  the  softer  sex. 

Mrs.  Washburn  is  blest  with  remarkable 
vigor  of  body  and  mind.     She  is  a  lady  of 


business  man,  cautious  and  decisive,  his 
good  judgment  is  of  special  value  to  the 
Board  and  an  admirable  accompaniment 
to  the  ardor  of  the  energetic  president. 

THE  FILATURE. 

The  Board  has  comfortable  and  commo- 
dious quarters  at  No.  2 1  Montgomery 
avenue,  consisting  of  a  neatly  appointed 
office  and  a  large  apartment  which  serves 
as  a  store-room  and  a  Filature  school. 

The  school  contains  the  necessary  appar- 
atus for  reeling  and  is  furnished  with  steam 
power.  The  reeling  is  performed  by  means 
of  an  improved  Lombard  Reeling  Machine, 
of  which  the  above  is  a  very  accurate 
engraving. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


229 


The  Filature  now  contains  thirteen  pu- 
pils, all  of  whom  are  young  ladies  of  in- 
telligence and  culture.  Miss  Lucy  Her- 
man is  in  charge  as  teacher.  Filature  pu- 
pils serve  a  term  of  eight  weeks,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time,  those  who  prove 
competent  and  worthy,  receive  a  State 
diploma  issued  by  the  Board.  There  are 
many  applicants  for  pupilage,  and,  as  an 
experimental  school,  the  Filature  may  now 
be  considered  a  success.  It  is  constantly 
thronged  with  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the 
State  and  from  abroad. 

MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  MULBERRY. 

A  visit  to  the  cocoonery  conducted  by 
Benjamin  H.  Carter,  West  Oakland,    will 


a  garden  of  roses.  For  the  purpose  of 
increasing  the  size  and  nutriment  of  the 
leaves,  as  well  as  facilitating  the  work  of 
gathering  the  same,  the  trees  are  pruned 
and  dwarfed,  a  process  which  the  follow- 
ing cut  will  serve  to  illustrate: 

PRUNING    THE    MULBERRY. 

The  time  of  pruning  begins  in  Novem- 
ber. All  loose  or  crooked  branches  are 
cleared  away.  An  endeavor  is  made  to 
train  the  growth  to  the  form  of  an  um- 
brella, and  during  the  second,  fifth,  eighth 
and  twelfth  months  the  trees  are  richly 
manured. 

At  the  beginning  of  January  or  Feb- 
ruary the  young  mulberry  tree,  a  year  old, 


THE    MULBERRY. 


repay  those  who  desire  to  learn  sometliing 
of  the  growth  and  management  of  mul- 
berry trees  and  silkworms  The  leaves  of 
the  mulberry  tree  form  the  food  of  the 
worm.  Of  this  tree  there  are  many  varie- 
ties, of  which  Mr.  Carter  regards  the 
Morus  Japonica  and  the  Morus  Alba  as 
the  best.  The  mulberry  tree  was  first  in- 
troduced into  the  United  States  between 
the  years  1826  and  1880.  It  reached 
California  in  1854,  and  the  Japan  variety 
was  first  planted  here  in  -1869.  Trees 
cultivated  by  worm-growers  are  as  carefully 
and  tenderly  tended  as  a  bed  of  lettuce  or 


is  cut  down  to  a  hight  of  one  foot  six 
inches  from  the  ground.  During  the  early 
part  of  Summer,  when  the  tree  is  about 
three  to  four  feet  high,  the  upper  part  is 
cut  off  to  about  one  foot  four  inches  above 
the  original  stem,  fig.  a.  The  next  Spring, 
the  tree  having  now  four  sprouts,  of  which 
two  are  allowed  to  grow  on  the  middle 
branch,  and  three  on  each  side  branch, 
and  having  attained  a  hight  of  from  five 
to  six  feet,  fig.  c,  it  is  again  cut  down  to  a 
distance  of  one  foot  three  inches  from  the 
ground,  fig.  h.  The  form  sought  to  be  at- 
tained is  shown  in  fig.  d. 


230 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


The  silkworm  might  well  serve  as  an 
illustration,  if  not  a  proof,  of  the  immor- 
tality of  earth  life.  In  providing  for  the 
continuity  of  its  own  existence — the  re- 
production of  itself — it  spends  its  whole 
life,  or  series  of  lives;  and  having  accom- 
plished its  mission  it  dies.  It  lives  to  die, 
and  dies  to  live. 

In  prosecuting  its  life-work  the  silkworm 
encloses    itself  in   a  fibrous  shell,  called  a 


duces  the  egg.  Of  this  wonderful  com- 
bination of  processes,  silk  is  the  incidental 
product. 

Freshly  gathered  mulberry  leaves  are 
fed  the  new  hatched  worm.  For  a  period 
varying  from  thirty-five  to  forty  days  the 
worm  is  fed  from  four  to  eight  times  daily, 
at  the  close  of  which  period  it  commences 
to  spin  its  cocoon — a  process  shown  by 
the  following  illustration: 

This  labor  occupies  a  period  of  three 
days,  when  the  cocoon  is  fully  formed  and 
app^ears  as  follows: 


SILKWORM,    LIFE-SIZE,  SPINNING  A  COCOON. 

cocoon;  and  from  the  material  of  which 
the  cocoon  is  composed,  the  silk  fiber  of 
commerce  is  derived.  It  requires  from 
five  to  twelve  strands  of  the  thread  spun 
by  the  worm  to  form  the  finest  thread  of 
needle-silk,  and  cocoons  contain  from  200 
to  1,200  yards  of  the  worm-spun  thread. 
The  life  of  the  silkworm  commences  as 
an  egg,  continues  as  a  worm,  and  ends  as 
a  moth.  The  egg  produces  the  worm,  the 
worm  produces  the  cocoon,  the  cocoon 
produces   the   moth,  and  the  moth  repro- 


COMPLETED  COCOONS — NATURAL  SIZE. 


Three  days  after  the  completion  of  the 
cocoon,  the  worm,  ensconsed  within,  passes 
into  the  chrysalis  state,  and  fourteen  days 
after  this  event  emerges  a  full-grown  moth. 

Soon  after  emerging,  the  sexes  npiate  and 
the  female  moth  commences  to  lay.  She 
lays  from  200  to  400  eggs,  and  with  the 
deposit  of  the  last  egg  she  surrenders  her 
life.  In  the  moth  state  the  life  of  the 
silkworm  seems  to  have  no  duty  or  func- 
tion other  than  that  of  completing  the  pro- 
cess of  procreation.  The  moth  does  not 
eat;  it  absorbs  no  kind  of  nourishment, 
and  in  all  probability  contains  no  digestive 
organs.  P.  S.   Dorney. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


23^ 


A  CRESCENT   AND  A  CROSS. 


BY      BABEK. 


CHAPTER   X. 

(continued.) 

"You  are  looking  better  to-day,  Miss 
Carton,  said  she  kindly,  as  Ethel  entered 
the  house.  "Cheer  up,  dear ;  it'll  all*  be 
right  in  the  morning." 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Wright,  good,  generous 
friend,  it  will  all  be  right  in  the  morning," 
and  impulsive  Ethel  threw  her  arms 
around  the  neck  of  her  friend  and  sobbed 
outright. 

"Poor  lamb,  do  not  take  it  so  to  heart ; 
while    I  have  a  crust    you   shall  share  it." 

"O  Mrs.  Wright,  you  do  not  understand; 
I  have  a  place." 

Promptly  at  eight  in  the  morning  Ethel 
entered  upon  her  duties  as  a  servant.  Mr, 
Stevens  introduced  her  to  her  employer, 
who,  like  the  younger  man,  knew  intuitive- 
ly that  she  was  a  gentlewoman. 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  not  rugged  enough 
for  the  work.  Miss  Carton,  but  I  truly 
hope  you  may  succeed,"  said  the  bluff  but 
kind  old  man. 

"I  must  do  my  best.  Necessity  is  a 
stern  master." 

"Then  you  do  not  work  for  the  mere 
love  of  being  self-reliant  and  independ- 
ent," laughed  Mr.  Mowbray. 

"No ;  neither  do  I  think  it  necessary 
that  a  woman  should  literally  earn  a  stated 
salary  per  diem  to  be  either  independent 
or  self-reliant.  A  wife  or  a  daughter  is 
both  if  she  occupies  her  true  position  in 
her  home." 

Hastily  recollecting  herself,  she  stopped 
suddenly,  as  a  hot  flush  passed  over  her  face. 
She  could  not  use  herself  at  once  to  the 
silence  of  a  true  servant. 

Mr.  Mowbray  was  an  austere  and 
haughty  man  and  usually  a  stern,  exact 
master;  but  something  about  the  girl  won 
him. 

The  same  irresistible,  indefinable  charm, 
that  won  all  true  hearts  that  came  within 
its  influence,  while  it  repelled  and  antag- 
onized the  selfish  arrogance  of  the  nar- 
row souled. 

"Really  now,  she  walks   like   a    queen. 


What  turn  in  fortune's  wheel  has    brought 
her  without  friends,  I  wonder." 

Ethel  had  been  two  months  in  Mr. 
Mowbray's  employ  when  he  sent  for  her 
to  come  to  the  office. 

She  tremblingly  obeyed  the  summons, 
surprised  to  find,  when  she  met  him,  not 
that  she  was  discharged,  but  given  the  po- 
sition of  forewoman  of  her  department. 

The  year  was  fast  speeding  on. 

The  old  man,  in  his  battered  hulk,  would 
soon  pass  over  the  falls,  and  the  happy  boy 
in  his  gaily-painted  skiff  will  soon  come  glid- 
ing down  the  stream.  Her  position  was 
now  secure  and  after  several  months  passed, 
Mr.  Stevens  was  taken  suddenly  ill.  Mr. 
Mowbray  was  in  despair;  the  city  fairly 
swarmed  with  bookkeepers,  the  business 
colleges  were  turning  them  out  by  the 
dozen  every  few  months,  capable  and  will- 
ing youths  many  of  them:  but  Mr.  Mow* 
bray  was  an  old  fogy  with  an  inherent  hor- 
ror of  any  newsystem,  forms  or  green 
hands. 

Owing  to  an  accident,  he  could  not  use 
his  hand,  and  had  to  depend  almost  en- 
tirely upon  his  book-keeper,  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm  being  in  New  York; 
therefore,  Mr.  Mowbray  was  in  no  very 
good  humor. 

"Really,  I  don't  know  what  I'll  do," 
said  he,  as  Ethel  stopped  at  the  office  to 
inquire  for  her  friend. 

"Really,  I  am  in  a  pretty  mess.  I'll 
have  the  horrors  with  a  green  hand  in 
here  among  Mr.  Steven's  methodical 
folios." 

"Mr.  Mowbray,"  said  Ethel,  timidly. 

"I  hope  Mr.  Stevens  will  be  better  in  a 
few  days,  and  we  might  get  along." 

"Really  now,  do  you?  Woman  like. 
Don't  you  see,  my  child,  we  can't?  We 
are  short  of  hands,  as  it  is,  and  I  can't 
write;  get  along?     No,  ma'am  we  can't." 

Ethel  had  grown  used  to  his  blunt  man- 
ner and  did  not  forbear  a  smile. 

"Well,  sir,  I  have  a  clear  head  and 
steady  hand,  and  I  can  take  Mr.  Steven's 
place,  for  a  day  or  two  or  longer,  if  needs 
be." 


232 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


"Whew !  You  can,  can  you?  What 
can't  you  do  ?" 

"A  great  many  things,  sir.  But  I  can 
do  this.  Do  you  want  me,  or  shall  I  go  to 
work  ? 

"Really  now,  you'll  be  telling  me  you 
can  do  anything  a  man  can  do  yet. 

"No  I  won't,"  and  she  laughed  a  low, 
sweet  laugh.  "I'll  never  tell  you  I  can 
vote,  or  make  stumps  speeches,  chew, 
drink,  smoke  or  swear.  Those  accom- 
plishments I  consider  the  sole  prerogatives 
of  man. 

"But  a  woman  can  keep  a  set  of  books 
as  well  as  a  man,  you  think  ?" 

"Now,  I'll  tell  you.  Miss  Carlton,  they 
don't  do  it.     Why  is  it  ?" 

"Chiefly,  I  think,  they  do  not  have  a 
fair  opportunity  to  try. 

"They  are  not  depended  on;  you  don't 
expect  any  better,  and  they  have  not  the 
heart  that  makes  success." 

"Well,  have  your  own  way,  and  I'll  tell 
Mr.  Sheldon  to  take  your  place  in  the 
store." 

Ethel  seated  herself  at  the  desk,  and  for 
a  moment,  a  mental  picture  flitted  be- 
fore her.  She  could  see  her  father  and 
mother,  how  they  would  look  if  they  could 
see  their  petted  darling  of  ease  and  fash- 
ion on  her  elevated  position  on  the  book- 
keeper's stool.  After  she  had  been  in  the 
office  two  or  thee  days  Mr.  Mowbray  said, 
as  he  entered  one  morning:  "Miss  Car- 
ton, it  seems  to  me  that  there  is  more 
room  in  this  place  tkan  usual.  What 
makes  it  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  unless  it  is  that  I  had 
the  janitor  empty  two  or  three  of  the  waste- 
baskets,  and  I  piled  up  the  books  so  as  to 
relieve  a  chair  or  two." 

"Really,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Mowbray. 
He  said  no  more,  but  proceeded  to  ex- 
amine the  books.  He  carefully  scrutinized 
her  work  and  then  opened  the  desk  to  take 
out  the  unanswered  letters  he  supposed 
had  accumulated.  He  found  none;  all 
were  answered,  and  a  copy  of  the  answer 
folded  with  each. 

Everything  was  correct  and  in  perfect 
order. 

"Miss  Carton,  your  work  is  accurate  and 
and  well  done.  I  would  gladly  recom- 
mend you  as  competent  to  take  charge 
of  any  set  of  books." 

"Thank  you,  but,  unless  you  are  anxious 


to  get  rid  of  me,     I  would  prefer  remain- 
ing where  I  am. 

"This  is  one  other  cause,  Mr.  Mowbray, 
for  our  non  success  as  clerks,  etc.  Women 
are  restless.  They  do  not  stick  to  one 
position,  or  one  calling,  long  enough. 
They  are  easily  led;  take  any  advice,  and 
have  so  many  strings  to  their  bow  one 
never  knows  which  to  pull. 


CHAPTER   XL 

ANOTHER  CHRISTMAS. 

"Not  ever, 
The  justice  and  truth   of  the  question  carries 
The  due  o'  the  verdict  with  it." 

The  2 1  St  of  December  dawned  clear 
and  cloudless. 

A  California  Christmas,  with  its  sunshine 
and  flowers. 

Troops  of  happy  children  thronged  the 
thoroughfares  and  stopped  at  the  windows 
resplendent  with  their  Christmas  cheer. 

Ragged,  forlorn  urchins,  moved  more 
slowly,  and  gazed,  longingly,  at  the  treas- 
ures beyond  their  reach.  Along  Kearny 
street,  from  Market  to  Pine,  the  restless, 
eager  crowd  moved  to  and  fro,  intent 
upon  their  holiday  gifts  and  merry 
making. 

Ethel  went  through  the  streets  with  a 
slower  step  than  usual.  She  was  but  a 
human  creature,  a  frale,  weak  woman,  after 
all.  Only  a  year  ago  she  had  left  her  own 
beautiful  home  and  tender  parents. 

She  did  not  regret  the  step  she  had 
taken,  for  she  felt  she  had  no  right  to 
claim  any  portion  of  the  love  or  wealth 
which  belonged  to  another. 

But  there  were  times  when  she  was 
weary,  when  the  visions  of  the  happy  past 
were  almost  more  than  she  could  bear; 
moments  when  one  clasp  of  her  mother's 
arms,  one  kiss  from  her  lips,  and  a  word 
of  blessing  from  the  fond  father,  would 
have  made  up  for  years  of  pain  and  sor- 
row." 

But  she  had  voluntarily  given  it  up  and 
was  prepared  to  bear  the  result,  let  it  be 
what  it  may. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  a  private  carriage 
stopped,  and  two  ladies  entered.  They 
were  dressed  in  the  extreme  of  fashionable 
elegance.  One  was  a  stately  blonde,  who 
swept  gracefully  through  the  room  and 
entered  the  department  where  Ethel  had 
just  finished   waiting   on  a   customer;  fol- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


233 


lowed  by  a  lady  of  medium  height,  of  the  place,    she 
type  neither  blonde  nor  brunette,  but,  from  whims. 


could   not  put  up   with   their 


what  could  be  seen  of  the  complexion  be- 
neath "rouge"  and  "camelline,"  she  was 
rather  dark  than  light,  with  that  sallow 
darkness  noticeable  in  people  of  a  choleric 
nature.  Her  lips  were  thin,  and  shut  to- 
gether over  the  large  mouth  with  the  cruel  EJie^on 
snap  of  a  San  Joaquin  mosquito;  the  nose 
angular,  to  a  fault,  had  a  queer  look,  as  if 
constantly  watching  for  some  signal  to 
elevate;  steely,  gray  eyes  that  glittered  like 
those  of  a  bosilesk  as  she  talked,  yet  she 
passed  for  a  pretty  woman. 

"We  wish  to  see  Madame  Dressy,"  said 
she,  of  the  thin  lips,  in  reply  to  Ethel's 
question;  asking  for  the  forewoman  of 
the  dressmaking  department. 

"I  will  take  your  order,  if  you  please," 
said  Ethel. 

"Lois,"  said  Miss  Dragonlips,  sharply, 
"You  must  not  trust  your  order  to  a  mere 
shop-girl.       You    are   more   than    usually  all,  but  a  charity-waif. 


She  stepped  to  the  other  side  of  the 
room  and  began  to  arrange  the  cloaks  and 
dresses  in  their  places. 

Presently  the  sound  of  her  own  name 
startled  her,  not  Ethel   Carton,  but    Earle 


For  a  moment  the  room  swam  before 
her,  and,  trembling  voilently,  she  sank  into 
a  chair.  Hastily  recovering  herself  and 
finding  that  her  emotion  had  not  been 
noticed,  she  determined  to  get  out  of 
hearing.  But  as  she  moved  away,  some- 
thing she  heard  glued  her  to  the  spot. 

"O  no,  not  singular  at  all;  Mr.  Eller- 
ton's  daughter  did  not  die,  but  ran  away 
from  home  in  disgrace,  and  has  not  been 
heard  of  since.  In  fact,"  and  Ida  Mon- 
roe had  the  grace  to  lower  her  tone  a  tri- 
fle, "they  say,  she  was  not  his  daughter  at 


anxious  that  this  costume  should  be  per- 
fect in  every  detail." 

A  slight  smile  passed  over  the  perfect 
lips  of  the  "shop-girl,"  but  she  neither  ad- 
vised the  proud  beauty  nor  argued  with 
the  other. 

"I  will  call  Madame,"  she  said,  with  the 
calm  dignity  that    was  part  of  her  nature. 

"Ida,"  said  Lois  Stanton,  "Did  you 
ever  see  such  hair  ?" 

"And  such  glorious  eyes,"  echoed  a 
young  man,  who  had  just  entered  and 
whose  resemblance  to  Lois  told  the  re- 
lationship between  them. 

"Such  an  air,'-'  chimed  in  Ida,  con- 
temptuously, "I  never  saw  a  more  haughty 
person  in  the  most  fashionable  salon. 
The  airs  of  these  girls  are    insufferable — 


Pshaw  !  Ida,  you  are  jealous,"  said 
Guy  Stanton. 

"I've  often  heard  of  Judge  Ellerton's 
daughter,  and  she  was  as  good  as  she  was 
lovely." 

"I  wonder,  if  you  do  not  expect  to  win 
the  young  heir,  Lois,  in  this  fine  dress," 
said  he,  turning  laughingly  to  his  sister. 

"Perhaps,  who  knows,"  said  she,  care- 
lessly. 

Was  it  a  spirit  of  propency  ? 

"WTiat  a  pity  this  paragon  of  a  daughter 
was  turned  out  of  the  house  ?  You  might 
have  had  her,  Guy,  and  what  a  happy  family 
you  would  have  been,"  said    Ida,  vicious- 

The  silent  listener  clenched  her  hands 
so  fiercely  that  the  nails  cut  into   the   ten- 


Ida's  father  had  kept  a    corner  grocery  in   der  flesh,  and  the  lips  grew  bloodless  with 
early  days  and  her  mother  had  been  table-  their  own  pressure, 


girl  in  one  of  the  hotels  of  unfashionable 
renown   in   the  dim  ages  of  '49  and  '50. 

"Good-morning,  ladies,"  said  Madame 
Dressy.  "Miss  Carton  has  taken  the  po- 
sition of  forewoman  of  all  these  depart- 
ments; she  has  far  more  taste  than  myself; 
she  plans,  and  I  execute.  Let  me  advise 
you  to  let  her  choose  for  you." 

"I  do  not  care  to  receive  the  order, 
Madame,  you  will  please  attend  to  it 
yourself,"    said   Ethel,    coldly.     The  con- 


"Ida,"  said  Lois,  now  speaking  for  the 
first  time,  "you  are  not  sure  that  Miss  El- 
lerton  was  turned  out  of  her  house;  there 
was  some  dreadful  trouble  and  sorrow. 
Her  father  and  mother  do  not  censure 
her.     I  pity  her  deeply  and  truly." 

"Bless  your  sweet  face,  Lois,  who-ever 
you  are,"  said  Ethel  softly.  "I  could  wish 
for  no  fairer  sister.  I  hope  your  fair  face 
will  win  Will's  wayward  heart." 

So   murmuring   to   herself,    she     came 


duct  of  such  people  was  insuff'erable  to  her  quietly  forward,  and  said  sweetly: 

at  times,   and  to-day,  even  if  she  lost  her        "Lady,  pardon  my  haste;  but  I  will   ar- 


234 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


range  your  dress  if  you  and  the  Madame 
will  permit?" 

Ethel's  taste  was  almost  without  equal, 
and  in  a  few  moments  her  fertile  brain 
had  devised  a  costume  unlike  any  Ida 
Monroe  had  ever  dreamed  of. 

"Oh,  you  darling,"  said  Lois  Stanton 
impulsively,  "how  could  you  think  of  such 
a  dress  ?" 

"I  wore  almost  its  fac  simile  myself,"  she 
replied  quietly. 

"You,"  said  Ida  Monroe,  increduously. 

"And,  when,  pray  ?" 

"Come,  come,  Ida,  that  is  too  much. 
You  will  pardon  her  Miss,"  said  Guy,  hasti- 

"And  now,  girls,  if  you  are  ready  we 
shall  go." 

"No  apology  is  necessary,  sir.  I  wore 
the  dress  in  question  in  Judge  Ellerton's 
drawning-room  just  one  year  ago,"  said 
Ethel,  slowly  and  deliberately. 

"Then  you  attended  the  party  given  to 
Miss  Ellerton  the  night  she  left  home  ?" 
said  Lois. 

"I  did,"  replied  Earle,  half  regretting 
she  had  said  so  much.  But  she  was  too 
much  of  a  woman  to  resist  giving  this 
thrust  to  that  other  woman  who  had  scourg- 
ed her  so  unmercifully. 

"Did  you  see  her  ?  Was  she  so  very 
beautiful  ?  Tell  me  how  she  looked  ? 
said  the  impulsive  Lois  eagerly. 

Ethel  could  not  repress  a  smile.  Here 
was  a  quandary.  How  could  she  describe 
herself?" 

"People  said  she  was — lovely;  Her 
father    more     often  than    any    one  else." 

"He  loved  her  dearly,  I  have  heard," 
said  Lois. 

"Yes,  he  loved  her  to  idolatry,"  said 
£thel,  slowly  and  painfully. 

"Why  did  she  leave  home?"  said  Lois, 
did  you  know?" 

Why  had  she  allowed  herself  to  venture 
so  near  the  revelation  she  so  dreaded  ? 
Madness  must  have  urged  her  on. 

"Those  the  gods  love  they  first  make 
mad." 

And  sure  she  was  mad;  but  she  longed 
for  one  breath,  one  word  for  old  life.  And 
now  she  must  keep  up  the  farce. 

"Yes,  I  know  her.  She  was  an  adopted 
child,  and  by  chance  learned  that  the  real 
child  of  the  Ellerton's  was  alive  and  entitled 


to  her  place.  She  left  her  home  because  it 
was  not  hers. 

"Come,  Lois,  let  us  go,"  said  Guy,  who 
had  observed  the  annoyance  of  Ethel. 

Lois  Stanton  mused  for  a  long  time 
over  the  circumstances  that  must  have 
brought  the  shop-girl  down  from  the  guest 
of  Judge  Ellerton  to  her  present  position. 
But  she  never  thought,  as  she  reclined  on 
the  soft  cushions  of  her  carriage  and 
mused  over  the  girl's  wondrous  brown 
eyes,  dreaming  a  sweet  day-dream,  in 
which  her  new  dress  and  the  coming  party 
at  Sacramento  were  the  most  prominent 
features,  never  dreamed  that  the  quiet 
girl  she  had  just  left  was  the  once  brilliant 
belle. 

But  the  weary  girl  remembered,  and 
with  listless  step  she  finished  her  daily 
work  and  left  the  store. 

When  she  awoke  in  the  morning  her 
head  ached  and  cold,  nervous  chills  crept 
over  her. 

"Come,  Ethel,  you  are  lazy  this  morn- 
ing," said  Mrs.  Wright,  rapping  at  her 
door. 

"I  do  not  feel  just  right  this  morning, 
Mrs.  Wright,  but  I  wuU  be  down  presently." 

"Her  head  was  dizzy  and  her  lips  were 
parched  and  feverish.  After  drinking 
her  cup  of  coffee  she  put  on  her  cloak  and 
hat. 

"Where  are  you  going?" 

"To  the  store,  of  course,"  she  replied. 

"You  are  not  fit  to  go  to-day." 

"But,  Mrs.  Wright,  Mr.  Mowbray  can- 
not spare  me  now.  After  the  busy  season 
is  over  I  will  ask  for  a  rest,  but  not  now." 

"Let  him  get  some  one  else ;  you  have 
no  right  to  kill  yourself.  Poor  dependent 
though  you  are,  you  have  some  rights, 
too." 

"Yes,  but  you  know  how  kind  Mr. 
Mowbray  has  been  to  me.  How  much  I 
owe  him  that  I  can  never  repay. 

"He,  like  yourself,  took  me  in  when  I 
was  friendless  and  alone.  Do  you  think 
I  can  disappoint  him  now  that  he  needs 
me  most?" 

"Bless  her  bright,  bonny  face,"  said 
Mrs.  Wright;  "who  would  not  be  kind  to 
and  trust  her?" 

Ah  !  good  soul,  you  were  soon  to  learn 
that  there  were  those  that  did  not  trust 
her,  and  who  would  be  cruel  as  well  as  un- 
kind. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA.  235 

CHAPTER  XII.  money.     But  pshaw!  what's  the  use.     Yes, 

I  will.  We  must  keep  up  appearances,  and 
THE  MISSING  JEWEL.  Lois  and  I  must  marry  for  money.     Poor 

•'The  venom  clamors  of  a  jealous  woman      ^^  Loisj  it     doeS     nOt     matter     for     me,    buti 

Poison  more  deadly  than  a  mad-dog  s  tooth.  ,  .11, 

don  t   want  to   see  you   tied  to  some   old 

"Whose  own  hard  dealings  teache  them  to  suspect  rv-.^*..CKiT  K«^ 

The  thought  of  others !"  money-Dag. 

"Mr.  Mowbray,"  said    Guy  Stanton,  as  ^t!}°u   '""'^  -"'^  J""^'    u^^'^''!,/^'V  '°^ 

he  hastily  entered  the  office,  "has  any  one  ""J'   .'^^  '='«:l^>">fd,  as  the  bundle  of  silk 

in   your   employ  found  a  diamond   pin?  and  velvet  entered  very    unceremoniously. 

-»r:_  _  TVT ^^'. ..„_j_.. j "i.  „  "Guv    Stauton,    I    thought    vou    were 


Miss  Monroe  lost  one    yesterday,  and  she 


is  positive  she  lost  it  here. "  f  "8  ^°  J""^  "'J,  P'"'     '='^^^'"6,  f  ^^f  ^' 

Mr.  Mowbray  made  inquiries,  but  no  her  breath  would  let  her  "And  here  I  see 
trace  was  found  of  the  missing  jewel.  >'°"  ,""'^  >'°"''  ^^^^'  ^f"^'  */"  y°"'  ^ead 

Guy  was  about  to  take  his  departure  ^moking  as  contentedly  as  if  nothing  had 
when  it    occurred   to  Mr.   Mowbray  that       PP';".    ;  .„  ,   ,        ,     ^ , 

Ethel  had  not  been  summoned."  ^     ^^^'^  !! '  ^^   9^"   catch  breath,  Ida, 

„^  ,„  .  1  ,  r,  -r  ^^'^  y^^  ^^'1^1  choke  if  you  dont. 

*'We  11  just  step  down  there,  Stanton,  if       aj  .^.^nt  down  to  Mowbray's  and-" 
you    please.       I  do  not  like  her  to  be  put        ayes,     yes,     I    know    all    that,"      she 
to  any  extra  trouble.  snapped.   ' 

"Mowbray,  who  is  she,  anyway,  and  "You  know  that  girl  stole  my  pin,  and 
when  did  you  pick  her  up  ?"  I  want  you  to  swear  out  a  warrant  for  her 

"I  know  nothing  of    her  but  what    you    arrest." 
see.     She  is  a  perfect  lady  in  manners  and        "I'll  be,"    excuse  me,    "hanged  if  I  do. 
education.  When  Steven  swas  taken  ill  she    Good  Heavens!  Ida    what  do    you  mean? 
took  his  place  and  actually  surpassed  him.    Are  you  crazy  ? 

I  offered  to  obtain  a  book-keeper's  position        "Not    one    whit.     She   took    it,     I  tell 
for   her,  but    she  seems  to    shrink    from    you." 
strangers,  and  preferred  to  stay.  The  young  man    strode  impatiently    up 

"Where  is  Miss  Carton,  Bryan  ?  Tell  and  down  the  room,  not  daring  to  speak 
her  to  step  here  a  moment."  lest  he  would  say  too  much. 

"She  has  not  come  in  yet,  sir."  "Well,  will  you  do  as  I  ask?" 

"'Pon  my  word,  I'm  sorry,  Stanton.     I        "No,  I  will  not." 
never  knew  her  to  be  late  before."  "You  won't!    you   won't!"  she    cried  ex- 

"She  looked  very  bad  yesterday.  She  citedly,  her  high,  pitched  voice  almost 
may  be  sick,"  ventured  Bryan.  a  shriek. 

"Perhaps,  perhaps;  if  not,  she  will  be  "You  are  the  one  that's  crazy.  You 
here  before  long,"   replied  Mr.    Mowbray,   are  smitten  with  her." 

"Humph!       I'm    confounded    tired  of       "Ida,  you   forget   yourself.     No,    I  am 
being  continually  tied  to  the  desk,"  mused   not  smitten,  as  you  call  it. 
Guy    Stanton    as  he    walked    up    Kearny        "But,  Ida    Monroe,    I  would    stake  my 
street.  life  on    her    innocerfte.     You    are    angry 

"What  a  deucedly    refreshing  change  it   now  and  will  regret  this.     Remember  how 
would    be   to   have    that    face    near   one,    an  idle,  base  suspicion  can  injure  a  wom- 
"And   have  a  chance,    once  in  awhile,   of  an." 
looking  into  those  eyes.  "No,  I  shan't  regret  it,  no  fear  of  that. 

"Hello,    old   fellow,    take  care,    you're    If  you    don't  do  this  for  me   I  will  do   it 
falling  in  love!     By  Jove,  I'll  blarney   the   myself" 
governor  for  an  assistant.  "I  would  do  a  gre%t  deal  for  you.     But 

"But  whew!  Won't  the  little  Monroe  that  girl  is  as  pure  and  innocent  as  my 
storm!  What  do  I  care?  Time  enough  own  sister,  and  I  shall  not  do  her  this 
for  that  when  she  is  Mrs.  S.  Heigh  ho;  but    wrong." 

don't    that  blissful    state    present  a    most        "Very  well,    sir,"  she  snapped,    turning 
delightful  picture  ?  to  leave  the    room;  but  Guy    stopped  her. 

"I  won't  do  it.  I  won't  marry  that  "Don't,  don't  do  this,  Ida.  Better 
bundle  of  selfishness  and  conceit   for  her  lose    the   pin   than   accuse   an    innocent 


236 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


person."  He  talked  long  and  earnestly 
with  the  irate  Ida,  for,  knowing  her  as  he 
did,  with  all  her  many  faults,  he  yet  be- 
lieved she  possessed  a  woman's  heart,  and 
felt  convinced  that  she  would  go  home, 
and,  after  her  anger  had  cooled  down, 
that  she  would  think  better  of  her  rude- 
ness. 

Opening  his  ledger  he  began  to  work, 
but  he  was  in  no  mood  for  writing,  and 
pushing  his  books  aside  and  putting  on 
his  overcoat  he  left  the  office. 

He  was  restless  and  uneasy  and  finally 
concluded  to  go  down  to  Mowbray's  & 
Co.  's  and  if  the  girl  was  there  to  ask  if  she 
had  found  the  missing  pin.  He  secretly 
hoped  she  had  found  it  and  that  Mr. 
Mowbray  had  it  by  this  time. 

Arriving  at  the  store  he  found  that  Ida 
Monroe  had  fulfilled  her  threat  and  was 
even  now  in  the  store  with  an  officer. 
Miss  Carton  had  not  yet  appeared  and 
Mr.  Mowbray  had  just  sent  to  ask  Mr. 
Stevens  for  her  address. 

"Ton  my  word,  sir,  this  is  too  bad. 
But  I  don't  believe  she  ever  took  it." 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  Guy,  firmly. 

Just  at  that  moment  Ethel  entered. 
Passing  the  group  she  took  off  her  wraps 
and  then  went  toward  them,  supposing 
they  were  customers  aw^aiting  her. 

A  look  of  sympathy  passed  between 
Guy  and  Mr.  Mowbray. 

The  very  appearance  and  manner  of 
the  girl  was  to  them  proof  of  her  inno- 
cence. 

Mr.  Mowbray  would  have  told  her,  as 
gently  as  possible,  and  saved  her  the 
shock,  if  he  could.  But  before  he  could 
speak  the  officer  rudely  laid  his  hand  on 
her  shoulder,  saying:  "You  are  my 
prisoner."  • 

"Sir!"  said  the  girl,  turning  pale  and 
moving  away. 

"Not  so  fast,  my  pretty  bird." 

"Don't  touch  me,  sir,"  said  she,  in  a 
voice  so  rich  and  full  of  firm  command 
that  the  man  obeyed  her. 

"I  have  ,  done  nothing  to  run  from. 
What  is  it,  will  no  one  tell  me  ?  Mr, 
Mowbray,  what  does  he  mean  ?" 

"There  is  an  unfortunate  mistake,"  said 
Mr.  Mowbray,  "you  are  charged  with 
theft." 

"You  are  accused  of  taking  this  young 
lady's  diamond  pin.     Pon  my  word  I — I" 


he  broke  down  and  turned  away. 

Guy  looked  at  the  pale,  quivering  face 
of  the  girl,  and  his  heart  melted  with  pity. 

A  moment  before  her  calm  dignity  had 
won  his  admiration.  But  now  she  seemed 
so  crushed  and  utterly  helpless  that, 
strong  man  though  he  was,  he  could  have 
wept  for  sympathy. 

"Miss  Carton,"  said  he,  offering  his 
hand,  "I  have  never  met  you  formally, 
but  circumstances  must  waive  etiquette. 
Believe  me,  I  do  not,  and  have  not, 
doubted  your  innocence  for  a  moment. 
God  helping  me,  I  will  be  your  friend." 

"Thank  you,  but  who,  then,  is  my  ac- 
cuser ?" 

"I  am,"  said  Miss  Monroe,  stiffly. 

"You!"  Only  a  word;  but  the  infinite 
scorn  in  the  one  syllable.  The  rich, 
young  voice  seemed  to  have  put  its  full 
power  of  derision  into  one  effort,  and 
then  threw  the  seething  stream  full  in  the 
face  of  her  enemy.  She  seemed  trans- 
formed. No  longer  the  helpless  girl,  she 
rose  in  her  proud  womanhood  and  stood 
calmly  indignant  above  her  accusers. 

"Have  you  nothing  to  say  in  your  de- 
fense ?"  asked  Miss  Monroe,  as  Ethel 
signalled  Mr.  Mowbray  to  come  to  her. 

"Don't  address  me  again.  I  have 
nothing  to  say  to  you.  Mr.  Mowbray,  I  wish 
to  tell  you  why    I  was  late  this    morning." 

She  stated  the  reason  briefly,  and  then 
said: 

"Mr.  Mowbray,  do  you  think  I  could 
do  such  a  thing  as  this  ?" 

"I  don't.     'Pon  my  word,  I  don't." 

"Thank  you,  sir,  for  this.  Mr.  Officer 
I  am  ready." 

"No  you're  not.  Pon  my  word  you're 
not,"  blustered  the  old  man.  "I  say, 
Dexter,  you  may  go,  I'll  be  responsible  for 
the  lady." 

"So  will  I,"  said  Guy  heartily. 

"Sure,  sir,  this  is  not  in  the  regular 
way.     I  shall  have   to  take  the   prisoner." 

"I  will  go,  Mr.  Mowbray,  and  save  you 
any  further  trouble." 

Ethel  could  not  have  told  why  she  was 
so  calm.  Despair  and  shame  were  tugging 
at  her  heart-strings.  But  stronger  than 
these  was  the  consciousness  that  inno- 
cence gives  and  this,  with  her  armor  of 
pride,  was  her  shield.  She  was  anxious  to 
get  away  from  the  lynx-eyed  woman, 
watching  her  so  coldly. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


237 


"Call  a  cab,  Stanton,  I  will  go  with 
her." 

When  Guy  reappeared  Mr.  Mowbray 
offered  his  arm  to  Ethel,  and,  as  she  was 
closely  veiled,  no  one  saw  the  white,  agon- 
ized face. 

Ida  Monroe  forgot  her  code  of  polite- 
ness in  her  anxiety  to  see  her  coup  de 
main,  and  stood  in  the  door  of  the  store  as 
Mr.  Mowbray  and  Guy  assisted  Ethel  into 
the  carriage. 

This  was  altogether  a  different  affair 
from  the  one  she  had  planned,  and  her 
cup  of  surprise  slopped  over  when  Guy, 
ignoring  her  entirely,  stepped  into  the 
carriage  and  took  the  seat  opposite  Ethel. 
The  ofificer  closed  the  door  and  mounted 
to  the  seat  beside  the  driver.  The  day 
wore  on,  and  long  before  night  Ethel  had 
been  held  for  bail,  which  had  been 
promptly  given  by  Mr.  Mowbray  and 
Guy. 

"Now,  Ethel,  I  am  going  to  take  you 
home  to  Mrs.  Mowbray.  She  will  know 
better  what  to  do  for  you  than  a  rough 
fellow  like  myself,"  said  Mr.  Mowbray, 
who  had  gone  home  and  told  the  story  to 
his  wife.  The  childless  woman  was  now 
waiting  with  open  arms  to  comfort  the 
sorrowing  girl. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Mowbray,  how  good  you  are," 
sobbed  Ethel,  and  for  the  first  time  since 
she  was  arrested  she  shed  tears.  She 
could  bear  trouble,  but  true  sympathy 
found  full  answer  in  her  own  generous 
heart. 

"I  thank  you,  indeed  I  do,  from  the 
depths  of  my  heart,  but  I  cannot  go." 

"Not  gof  tut!  tut!  But  you  must.  I 
shan't  feel  easy  with  you  out  of  my  sight 
until  you  look  better." 

But  Ethel  was  determined  and  would 
have  her  way.  Besides,  she  told  him  it 
would  be  unjust  to  Mrs.  Wright,  who  had 
been  such  a  good  friend  to  her. 

Mr.  Mowbray,  too,  felt  the  wisdom  of 
her  judgment  for  several  reasons,  and  took 
her  home. 

WTien  Ethel  told  her  story  to  Mrs. 
Wright,  that  worthy  woman  took  her  in 
her  arms  and  caressed  her  tenderly,  and 
then  buried  her  face  in  her  apron  and 
cried  heartily,  after  the  manner  of  her 
sex. 

"I  would  just  like  to  pull  that  vixen's 
hair,"  she  said  wrathfully. 


"To  think,"  said  Ethel,  who  was 
restlessly  pacing  the  floor,  "to  think  of 
that  creature  accusing  me  of  stealing  her 
paltry  pin!  I  never  have  spoken  of  my 
past,  dear  Mrs.  Wright,  but  my  heart  is 
full,  near  to  breaking.  When  I  came  to 
you,  dear,  kind  friend,  I  left  boxes  of 
jewels  near  which  anything  she  owns 
would  be  a  bauble." 

"I  don't  doubt  it  at  all.  Miss  Ethel. 
Poor  girl,  perhaps  it's  the  only  one  she 
ever  had.  That's  the  way  with  these 
people  of  mushroom  aristocracy.  They 
buy  fine  clothes  and  jewels  to  deck  their 
persons,  and  then  they  keep  every  one 
around  them  in  hot  water  for  fear  they 
should  not  be  noticed;  and  when  they  are 
noticed,  they  still  keep  the  kettle  boiling 
for  fear  they  will  be  stolen." 

"True,"  said  Ethel;  "there  is  no  surer 
proof  of  a  coarse  and  common  mind  than 
the  constant  desire  to  exhibit  wealth  by 
our  dress  and  gewgaws." 

Mrs.  Wright  was  astonished  at  the 
seeming  composure  of  the  girl,  and  when 
she  kissed  her  good-night  and  with  her 
motherly  hands  snugly  tucked  her  in  bed, 
she  had  no  fear  but  she  would  sleep 
soundly  in  spite  of  the  cloud  over  her. 

But  she  was  mistaken.  Ethel  allowed 
herself  to  be  put  to  bed  to  humor  and 
comfort  Mrs.  Wright;  but  when  she  was 
alone,  she  put  on  her  wrapper  and  slippers 
and  paced  her  room.  She  dreaded  the 
night,  for  long,  weary,  sleepless  hours 
were  no  strangers  to  her,  and  she  felt  that 
there  was  no  sleep  for  her  that  night. 

Mrs.  Wright  coming  in,  in  the  gray 
dawn  of  the  morning,  found  her  white  and 
and  cold  in  her  chair. 

For  hours  they  thought  her  dead,  but 
the  color  came  back  to  her  lips  slowly,  and 
she  opened  her  great  dark  eyes.  But  there 
was  no  ray  of  reason  in  them,  and  the 
doctor  shook  his  head  and  said  he  would 
return  in  an  hour.  But  she  was  no  better 
in  an  hour.  For  days  and  weeks  she  lay 
tossing  on  her  bed  of  pain,  unconscious  of 
all  around  her. 

The  missing  pin  had  been  found  in  the 
cushions  of  Miss  Monroe's  carriage;  but 
the  girl  who  lay,  now  wildly  denying  its 
theft,  now  begging  them  to  save  her  from 
the  dark  prison  cell,  knew  it  not. 

"Mother,  mother,  put  your  hand  on  my 
head." 


238 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


"Mother!  papa!  papa!"  moaned  the 
sufferer;  but  save  this  she  made  no  allusion 
to  the  past,  although  she  raved  incessantly. 

Lois  Stanton,  like  the  true  woman  she 
was,  came  often  to  see  Ethel,  and  brought 
fresh  flowers  for  the  sick-room. 

Besides  her  flowers  a  bouquet  of  choice 
blossoms  had  found  its  way  each  day  to 
the  door.  But  Guy  Stanton  had  never 
called  to  ask.  She  was  but  a  working-girl 
after  all,  and  he  would  not  subject  her  to 
one  unpleasant  thought. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mowbray  spared  neither 
time  nor  means,  and  spent  hours  at  the 
bedside  of  the  girl  who  had  woven  herself 
into  their  hearts. 

But  at  last  the  reaper  was  despoiled,  and 
when  they  had  almost  given  up  hope  she 
rallied. 

She  was  terribly  changed.  The  long 
braids  of  hair  had  been  shorn  close  to  her 
head,  and  the  great  eyes  looked  like  living 
coals  set  in  lifeless  marble. 

As  the  months  passed  and  spring  came 
with  its  warmth  and  health,  they  hoped 
that  she  too  would  grow  strong;  but  she 
seemed  to  grow  weaker,  and  Mr.  Mowbray 
asked  the  doctor  what  was  to  be  done. 

"I  must  do  something.  Doc,"  said  he. 
"If  that  girl  were  to  die,  I  would  feel  as  if 
I  were  her  joint  murderer.  Ton  my  word, 
I  would." 

"Well,  sir,  there  is  but  one  thing  to  be 
done.  Take  her  away  from  here,  and  the 
farther  away  the  better." 

"I'll  do  that,"  said  Mr.  Mowbray,  as  he 
brushed  away  a  tear,  for  the  helpless  girl 
had  grown  very  dear  to  the  childless  old 
man. 

"If  you  do,  she  may  get  better;  if  not,  it 
is  only  a  matter  of  time." 

"I  have  it,  sir,  I  have  it,  Ton  my 
word,  I  have  it." 

"Well,  sir,"  said  Guy,  who  had  been 
present  during  the  interview,  "What  is 
your  plan?  She  is  as  proud  as  Lucifer 
for  all  her  gentleness,  and  I  don't  believe 
she  will  go." 

"My  wife  has  been  wanting  to  visit  her 
people  in  the  South  for  more  than  two 
years.  We  have  been  putting  it  off  in 
hopes  that  I  could  go,  but  now  she  must 
go  and  take  Ethel  as  her  companion." 

So  it  was  settled.  Ethel  would  have 
demurred,  but  when  she  understood  that 


she  was  to  receive  a  salary  as  a  traveling 
companion  she  readily  consented. 

In  two  short  weeks  Mrs.  Mowbray  and 
Ethel  were  en  route  for  New  York — 
Mrs.  Mowbray  to  visit  her  home  and  her 
people,  and  Ethel  as  her  companion,  to 
forge  one  more  link  in  her  destiny  and  to 
clear  the  mystery  of  her  life. 

But  with  the  perverse  in  real  life  the 
simplest  accidents  were  to  give  her  many 
hours  of  woe  and  regret,  as  well  as  to  lead, 
without  an  effort,  when  least  expected,  the 
revelation  of  the  secret  that  hung  over  her 
heart. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CROSS  PURPOSES. 

"Think'st  thou  I  built  on  woman's  vow, 
Ustable  as  the  tide  ?  " 

"Earle  !  My  God,  can  it  be  possible  ?" 
And  Rae  Carlton  grasped  the  hands  of 
the  astonished  girl  and  looked  keenly  into 
her  face. 

They  were  in and  he   had  been 

wandering  aimlessly  through,  and  recog- 
nized Earle  as  she  sat  examining  her 
guide  book. 

"My  darling,  my  darling,  my  poor,  pale 
lily!  what  have  they  done  to  you  ?  " 

She  raised  her  sad  brown  eyes,  for 
they  had  lost  their  lustre  in  the  long  ill- 
ness that  had  blanched  her  cheeks  and 
robbed  her  of  her  beautiful  hair;  but  no 
word  passed  her  lips. 

"Earle,  tell  me,  you  are  only  a  shadow 
of  yourself.  What  have  they  done  to  you, 
my  darling,  my  darling  ?  "  said  Rae,  kiss- 
ing   her   thin,  white    hands    passionately. 

Forgetting  that  she  had  sent  him  from 
her;  that  those  white  lips  had  pronounced 
his  doom  of  banishment  as  calmly  as  if  bid- 
ding a  friend  good-bye  for  a  day,  for- 
getting all  save  that  she  was  there,  that  he 
saw  her  once  more, 

"Mr.  Carlton,"  said  she,  in  a  voice  she 
tried  in  vain  to  make  steady,  for  she  was 
glad  to  see  him.  Her  whole  being  throb- 
ed  with  joy.  Joy  not  unmingled  with 
pain;  but  nevertheless  joy,  the  first  she 
had  known  since  she  had  left  her  old 
home.  Deny  it  as  she  might,  shut  lips, 
and  eyes  as  she  might,  her  spirit  bowed  to 
him,  her  heart  proclaiming  its  king. 

"Mr.  Carlton,"  you  have  no  right  to  use 
such  words  to  me.     You  do  not  know  my 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA, 


239 


present  position  or  you  would  not  have  so 
far  forgotten  yourself  as  to  refer  to  the 
past  again." 

"Pardon  me;  but  the  astonishment  of 
meeting  you  here,  and  so  changed,  must 
plead  my  excuse,"  said  Rae,  springing  to 
his  feet  as  if  stung  by  an  adder.  ^  He  had 
entirly  misinterpreted  her  words,  and  went 
on  bitterly: 

"Love  makes  a  fool  of  the  wisest  man, 
and  I  am  no  whit  better  than   another." 

"No,  no,  it  is  I  that  should  ask  pardon, 
not  you.  I  did  not  mean  to  be  unkind. 
But  I  have  borne  so  much  and  everything 
is  so  changed  in  the  last  year.  Forgive 
me,  and  bear  with  me  while  I  tell  you  what 
you  must  soon  know. 

"Forgive  ?"  O  Earle  !  Have  you  yet 
to  learn  that  you  are  the  one  woman  of 
the  world  to  me?  that  it  matters  not 
what  you  may  do,  nor  what  the  fates  hold 
in  store  for  you  or  me — I  love  you. 

Though  those  little  hands  held  a  cup  to 
my  lips  and  a  world  said  that  death  lurk- 
ed in  the  bottom,  I  would  drink,  and  if 
betrayed,  would  die  forgiving  and  loving 
you  still.  Love,  my  child,  is  not  based  on 
the  external  nor  the  internal  charms;  'tis  not 
the  virtues  we  love,  however  much  we 
we  admire;  but  with  strange  inconsistency 
we  love  the  whole,  the  weak,  faulty  tanta- 
lizing human  creature.  I  have  lived  in 
the  cities  of  the  world  and  mingled  with 
hordes  of  beautiful  women,  striving  in 
vain  to  become  drunken  with  their  charms, 
and  in  the  stupor  forget  you.  I  have 
wandered  among  the  wild  and  lonely  de- 
files and  rugged  cliffs  of  California,  and 
spent  hours  drinking  the  beauty  of  nature 
in  one  of  its  most  sparkling  goblets.  Tired 
of  that,  I  crossed  the  broad  Pacfic  and 
roamed  over  the  world — all,  all  to  forget 
you.  And  when,  at  last,  I  would  gleave  the 
wild  scenes  of  war,  or  the  gay  one's  mirth, 
your  eyes  would  look  at  me  through  the 
silence  and  woo  me  home;  and  I  have 
come  back.  There  is  no  use  for  a  man  to 
run  from  his  fate,  she, will  follow  him  like 
a  Nemesis,  no  matter  where  he  turns" 

"But,  Rae—" 

"Hush  !  don't  speak,  wait  till  I  have 
done.  You  love  me,  Earle.  Strive  as 
you  may  to  deny  it,  your  heart  is  a  traitor 
and  boldly  asserts  my  claim. 

"O  Earle;  Earle,  better,  far  better, 
that  you  had  forgiven  me  that  one   wrong 


of  my  youth,  and  taken  me,  old  and  ugly, 
though  I  am,  than  to  have  married  Will 
Carew,  with  all  his  beauty  and  youthful 
grace. 

"O  Will,  my  boy.  Well  as  I  loved 
you,  you  might  have  spared  me  this.  No, 
Earle,  your  young  husband  has  not  made 
you  happy  as  I  would  have  done." 

"Rae  Carlton,  are  you  mad  ?  I  have 
no  husband." 

"Thank  God!  It  is  not  true!"  said  he, 
his  voice  broken  and  weak  in  its  joy. 

"How  could  you  think,  that  I  could" — 
she  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  a 
low  cry  broke  from  her  lips. 

"But,  Rae,  there  is  a  worse  trouble  for 
you  to  know." 

"Nothing  could  be  worse  than  to  find 
you  the  wife  of  another.  But  you  are 
pale  and  weak  now.  I  must  not  ask 
you." 

"But  I  must  tell  you  now,  Rae,"  and 
her  whole  soul  went  out  in  the  cry.  "Take 
me  in  your  arms  once,  for,  when  I  tell  you, 
you  will  put  me  from  you,  as  you  would  a 
leper." 

He  clasped  her  closely  to  his  fast  beat- 
ing heart,  kissed  her  lips  with  hot,  passion- 
ate kisses,  and  smiled  to  think  that  any- 
thmg  could  make  him  turn  from  her. 

"Put  you  from  me  !  Never,  my  darl- 
ing." 

"You  don't  know  of  what  you  speak. 

"Listen  while  I  have  strength  to  tell  you. 

"Do  you  remember  an  octoroom-slave, 
your  father  once  owned,  named  Julia  ?" 

"Yes,  perfectly,  though  I  was  but  a 
boy." 

"Rae,  he  had  a  child  by  that  slave-wo- 
man and — I  am  that  child." 

He  could  not  speak,  his  tongue  seemed 
to  cleave  to  his  mouth,  and  his  limbs  shook 
as  if  with  palsy.  Here  was  indeed  trouble, 
darkest,  bitterest,  deepest  trouble.  What 
matter  the  slave-blood  that  ran  in  her 
veins;  but,  oh  horror,   he  was  her   brother! 

"Rae,  speak  to  me.  Don't  look  so. 
Oh  !    Rae,  don't  scorn  me." 

"Scorn  you  !  Earle,  this  is  some  horri- 
ble'night-mare,  some  phantasy  of  a  diseased 
brain.  You  are  not  my  sister,  I  love  you 
to  well.  My  heart  does  not  claim  you 
so." 

"Rae,  it  is  too  true,  there  is  more,  but 
I  must  go,  I  have  been  very   ill.       I    am 


2    40 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


still  weak,  I — I — "  her  trembling  limbs 
failed  her,  and  she  was  unconscious. 

''Am  I  ill?"  she  said,  faintly,  as  she 
became  conscious. 

"Yes,  dear,"  he  said,  gently,  "you  must 
not  talk  now." 

He  called  a  carriage,  and,  placing  her 
in  it,  told  him  to  drive  to  the  Brevoort 
House,  where  she  had  told  him  she  was  stop- 
ping. But  as  she  did  not  wish  it,  he  did 
not  accompany  her,  little  dreaming  that 
this  merest  accident  was  only  assisting 
capricious  fate  to  play  more  pranks  upon 
him. 

"O  Opportunity,  thy  guilt  is  great, 
'Tis  thou  that  execut'st  the  traitor's  treasure, 
The  poor,  lame,  blind,  halt  cry  out  for  thee, 
But  they  ne'er  meet  with  Opportunity." 

Rae  called  at  the  hotel  and  examined  the 
register,  but  the  name  of  Ellerton  was  not 
there.  Leaving  the  hotel  and  sauntering 
down  the  street  he  felt,  for  the  first  time, 
bitterly  toward  the  woman  he  had  loved  so 
hopelessly  for  years. 

Earle  had  forgotten  her  changed  name, 
and  he  did  not  know  that  Ethel  Carton 
and  Earle  Ellerton  were  one  and  the 
same. 

The  next  day  Mrs.  Mowbray  and 
Ethel  started  South,  and,  as  the  train  bore 
them  onward,  the  girl  mused  in  pained 
wonder  over  what  she  thought  was  inten- 
tional neglect. 

Mrs.  Mowbray's  family  was  one  among 
the  first  and  wealthiest  of  Tennessee. 
With  a  tact  all  her  own,  she  had  estab- 
lished Ethel's  position  among  them  as  her 
friend;  and  she  was  a  welcome  guest  in 
the  gay  assemblage  that  gathered  for  pleas- 
ure in  spacious  halls  or  'neath  balmy 
woods.  Often,  as  Ethel  moved  among 
the  haughty  Southern  beauties,  she  could 
not  help  smiling  whenever  she  remembered 
who  she  was. 

What  if  they  knew  she  was  a  slave- 
child?  They  would  have  drawn  their 
silken  robes  closely  around  them,  lest  the 
child  of  Cain  should  touch  them. 

Mrs.  Mowbray  had  been  at  her  brother's, 
Mr.  Renfrew's,  for  several  weeks. 

Ethel  wandered  over  the  large  planta- 
tion, now  marked  by  many  changes,  mus- 
ing over  the  years  that  were  gone,  when 
the  fields  were  bright  with  patches  of  color, 
as  the  bright-hued  dress  of  the  slave 
shone   here   and   there,    and    the   echoes 


rang  with  the  songs  of  the  negroes  as  they 
toiled  in  the  field. 

Mr.  Renfrew  had  grown  strangely 
fond  of  her  and  would  scarcely  let  her  out 
of  his  sight.  Strange,  indeed,  to  the  girl 
who  went  about  so  calmly,  were  the  scenes 
in  which  her  life  had  been  so  strangely 
and  fatally  woven.  She  had  kept  her  vow 
and  made  no  effort  to  unravel  the  mystery. 
And  now,  left  to  itself.  Fate  had  brought 
her  here,  and  then  as  if  tempting  her  to 
break  the  promise  so  sacredly  kept,  had 
left  no  trace  of  the  octoroon,  Julia,  or  her 
child. 

Ethel  had  gone  to  the  grave  of  Grace 
Carlton  and  wept  over  the  poor,  broken 
life  that  lay  there;  but  she  envied  the 
sleeper  her  quiet  rest. 

The  drawing-room  of  the  Renfrew  Man- 
sion was  brilliantly  lighted.  The  family 
and  guests  were  gathered  to  plan  an  ex- 
cursion for  the  morrow. 

"Come  here.  Miss  Ethel,"  said  Mr. 
Renfrew,  placing  a  low  chair  for  her  at 
his  side. 

"Of  course,"  said  some  of  the  young 
men,  "that  means  take  whom  you  will; 
but  I  claim  her.  It's  hardly  fair,  Mr. 
Renfrew." 

"Well,  that's  so,  I'll  admit,"  said  the 
old  man,  pleasantly;  but  I  have  a  friend 
coming  to-morrow  that  I  am  going  to 
trust  her  to,  and,  as  I  don't  want  her  to 
make  other  arrangements,  I'll  keep  her 
here  where  I  can  have  an  eye  on  her. 

"But,  merciful  Providence,  Ethel!"  said 
he,  suddenly,  "what  does  that  mark  on 
your  arm  mean?  Tell  me  quick,  child, 
do  you  hear  ?" 

He  had  been  gently  rubbing  her  hand 
and  arm  as  it  lay  on  his  knee,  and  the 
open  sleeve  had  gradually  fallen  back  ex- 
posing the  rounded  arm. 

Across  the  forearm  there  was  a  singular 
blood-red  mark,  a  tiny  cross,  clearly  and 
perfectly  defined  on  the  delicate  flesh. 

"I  don't  know  that  it  means  anything;  it 
has  always  been  there,"  said  Ethel,  at- 
tempting to  draw  her  sleeve  over  it. 

Mr.  Renfrew  prevented  her,  saying,  ex- 
citedly: 

"Do  you  mean  that  you  were  born  with 
that  cross  there?" 

"I  suppose  so.  I  can't  remember  that 
part  of  it,"  she  replied,  a  little  impatient 
at  what  she  thought  was  idle  curiosity. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


241 


"Emily,"  called  he,  addressing  Mrs. 
Mowbray,  "come  here." 

Pushing  the  sleeve  still  further  back,  he 
held  up  the  arm  and  pointed  to  the  cross. 

"Robert,  God  be  praised,  she  is  your 
daughter!  your  own,  long-lost  child!" 

Reader,  it  would  take  too  long  to  de- 
tail the  story  as  they  told  it  there;  and  now, 
that  our  tale  nears  its  end,  we'll  be  brief 
for  your  sake. 

Mr.  Renfrew  had  owned  one  slave,  a 
mulatto  woman,  who  was  very  eccentric 
and  vindictive.  He  had  her  punished  one 
day,  and  she  swore  vengeance.  They  did 
not  heed  her  threats,  but  one  day  the 
slave  and  Mr.  Renfrew's  youngest  child 
were  missing.  After  searching  for  several 
weeks  they  found  the  body  of  the  woman, 
but,  as  no  tidings  ever  came  of  the  child, 
they  had  given  her  up  as  dead. 

Ethel  could  scarcely  believe  her  great 
happiness  in  being  their  daughter;  that 
shame  was  not  her  birthright;  but  greater 
than  all,  she  was  not  Rae's  sister. 

The  excitement  among  the  guests  over 
the  new-found  daughter  of  the  house  was 
intense.  They  would  have  feted  and 
petted  her  to  death  if  she  would  have  let 
them.  And  now  she  could  write  to  the 
dear  parents  in  California,  and  tell  them 
they  need  not  blush  for  the  race  of  the 
child  they  had  loved  as  their  own ;  tell 
them,  too,  that  even  though  a  father 
claimed  her,  there  was  love  enough  for 
both;  and  since  her  own  mother  slept  near 
her  poor  half-sister  Grace,  there  was  but 
one  mother-love  for  her.  And  she 
signed  her  name  Earle  Ellerton  Renfrew, 
saying:  "At  last  I  have  a  name  justly  my 
own. " 

The  day  of  the  picnic  dawned,  and 
Earle  Renfrew  waited  in  the  library  for  the 
friend  her  father  had  gone  to  the  station 
to  meet.  He  had  not  told  her  who  it  was, 
only  that  it  was  his  dearest,  most  valued 
friend.  Though  she  had  told  him  of  all 
her  life  and  the  wedding  that  never  came, 
she  had  not  told  him  that  it  was  her  own 
sister's  husband  to  whom  she  had  been  so 
nearly  wedded,  at  home  with  her  own 
father,  whom  she  must  learn  to  know  and 
love,  and  now  she  wished  that  there  was 
no  stranger  to  come  and  break  the  charm. 

"My  daughter,  this  is  Mr.  Carlton,  my 
dearest " 


"Earle!  my  darling,  my  darling!  Not 
my  sister,  but  my  wife;  mine  at  last." 

He  clasped  her  close  now,  never  more 
to  part  till  death  take  one  to  dwell  with 
him. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A  THIRD    CHRISTMAS. 

"I  have  lived 
To  see  inherited  my  very  wishes, 
And  the  buildings  of  my  fancy." 

The  wedding-bells  ring  out,  and  again 
the  old  church  is  in  gala  dress,  for  Earle 
would  hear  to  no  other  way  but  to  return 
to  California  and  be  married  at  the  same 
altar  where  nearly  eight  years  ago  she  was 
made  neither  wife,  maid  nor  widow.  But 
now  nothing  happens  to  mar  the  calm  joy 
that  pervades  every  heart  in  that  vast 
assemblage,  as,  with  her  two  fathers,  Earle 
goes  again  to  the  altar  to  plight  her  vows; 
and,  when  all  is  over,  she  leaves  the  church 
amidst  a  shower  of  rice  and  old  shoes: 

It  was  not  hard  to  prevail  on  Mr, 
Renfrew  to  sell  his  property  in  the  South 
and  come  to  our  own  golden  land.  He 
has  not  yet  settled  down,  but  spends  his 
time  at  his  sister's,  in  San  Francisco,  and 
at  his  daughter's,  in  Sacramento.  But 
Dame  Rumor  says  that  a  widow  friend  of 
Earle's,  whom  we  recognize  as  Mrs. 
Wright,  will  keep  his  home  for  him  as 
soon  as  the  autumn  leaves  begin  to  fall. 

Happy  Earle  Carlton,  mistress  of  a 
lovely  home,  and  sovereign  of  the  one 
heart  in  all  the  world  to  her,  and  living  so 
near  mother  and  father  Ellerton  that  not 
a  day  passes  without  seeing  them; 
Dr.  Norton's  buggy  is  at  your  gate  now, 
and  we  can  hear  his  cheery  laugh  as  he 
bids  adieu,  and,  speaking  to  Dates,  drives 
off  on  his  daily  round. 

One  more  scene  and  we  close  the  book. 

It  is  Christmas  Eve,  and  Mrs.  Rae  Carl- 
ton is  giving  her  first  reception.  With  a 
perverseness  unlike  her  usual  good  nature, 
she  determined  to  give  her  fete  on  the 
anniversary  of  the  day  so  memorable  to 
her. 

Rae  Carlton  has  spared  no  pains  nor 
expense  in  the  house  he  has  fitted  for  his 
bride,  and  to-night  the  scene  is  one  to  be 
long  remembered,  for  verily,  California  had 
gathered  there 

"Her  beauty  and  her  chivalry, 
And  bright  the  lights  shone  over 
Fair  women  and  brave  men." 


242 


I'HE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


Will  EUerton,  now  one  of  our  leading 
young  lawyers,  moves  through  the  rooms, 
graceful  and  handsome  as  of  old,  and  at 
his  side  is  sweet  Lois  Stanton. 

Earle  has  been  doubly  anxious  to  throw 
them  together,  for  she  is  now  the  dear 
friend  of  the  lovely  Lois,  and  has  but  the 
one  hope  of  seeing  her  Will's  wife. 

But  Dame  Rumor,  as  usual,  knows  it  all, 
and  insists  that  he  is  going  to  marry  Ida 
Monroe.  But,  as  usual,  she  is  just  as  far 
from  the  truth  as  possible,  and  Lois,  in  the 
happy  consciousness  that  she  need  fear  no 
rival,  now  that  Earle  is  safely  out  of  the 
way,  heeds  not  the  gossip  as  she  leans 
proudly  on  her  young  lover's  arm, 

"Earle,"  said  Rae,  as  they  stood  apart 
a  moment  from  the  crowd,  "have  you  any 
wish,  not  gratified,  that  I  can  grant?" 

"Not  one  that  you  alone  can,  for  the 
only  one  I  have  is  to  see  Lois  my  brother 
Will's  wife." 

"Well,  my  dear,  judging  from  appear- 
ances to-night,  you  need  not  fear  but  that 
your  wish  will  be  fulfilled." 

"I  am  not  so  sure,"  she  replied,  "for 
human  nature  is  weak,  at  best,  and  Will 
yields  readily  to  influence." 

"I  don't  understand  you,  Earle.  To 
what 'influence  is  he  to  yield." 

"To  Ida  Monroe.  She  will  leave  no 
stone  unturned,  no  effort  untried,  to  win 
him.  She  is  winning  in  her  way,  and  she 
is  very  rich." 

"Surely  you  mistake.  Will  has  plenty 
of  his  own,  and  will  not  allow  money  to 
sway  him  in  his  marriage.  If  I  thought 
that,  I  would  send  him  away  at  once." 

"Rae,  leave  it  to  me,  and  I  promise  you 
he  will  not  marry  Ida  Monroe  without 
knowing  her  as  she  is." 

"What!  is  my  little  wife  growing  vin- 
dictive ?" 

"Not  that,  but  just.  And  I  am  only  a 
woman,  after  all,  Rae,  and  it  is  not  our 
nature  to  overlook  such  a  slight  as  she 
would  have  'given  me.     But  come,  let  us 


go  to  the  library,  where  I  have  asked  a  few 
of  our  friends  to  meet  us." 

They  passed  slowly  through  the  rooms, 
and,  being  assured  that  their  guests  were 
all  enjoying  themselves,  they  went  to  the 
library,  where  many  familiar  faces  greet  us. 

Guy  Stanton  is  talking  to  Mrs.  Ellerton, 
and  near,  Lois  is  leaning  on  the  arm  of 
Will  Ellerton,  while  Ida  Monroe  chats 
volubly  with  the  Judge.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mowbray  and  Mr.  Renfrew  are  looking  at 
some  etchings,  and  Ray  and  Earle  enter 
and  form  the  center  of  the  group. 

Will  Carew,  as  Earle  had  said  to  her 
husband,  was  generous  and  impulsive  to  a 
fault,  but  not  a  little  inclined  to  be  fickle 
and  fond  of  show  and  glitter. 

He  loved  Lois  Stanton,  and  admired  as 
well  as  loved  her,  but  Ida  Monroe's  money 
tempted  him. 

But  none  knew  him  as  well  as  Earle,  and 
she  determined  to  make  one  bold  move  for 
Lois,  knowing  full  well  that  no  cut  would 
be  so  deep  to  her  loving  brother  as  one 
given  to  herself. 

Gradually,  and  with  tact,  she  led  them  to 
talk  of  the  past.  Old  scenes,  old  memories, 
other  days  were  discussed,  until  Ida  Monroe 
said  suddenly: 

"Your  face  has  always  seemed  strangely 
familiar  to  me,  Mrs.  Carlton,  though  I  do 
not  remember  meeting  you  until  you  were 
married.      Did  I   ever   meet  you  before?" 

Earle  had  gathered  them  away  from  the 
crowd,  and  had  turned  the  talk  into  the 
present  channel,  for  the  one  purpose  of 
having  Ida  Monroe  ask  that  question. 

"You  are  right.  Miss  Monroe,  my  face  is 
familiar.     You  have  met  me  before." 

"I  was  sure  of  it!     Where  was  it,  pray?" 

"You  had  me  arrested  once  for  stealing 
some  jewelry  from  you.  I  was  Mr.  Mow- 
bray's shop-girl,"  said  Earle  slowly. 

Then,  laughing  merrily,  as  though  it  had 
been  a  joke,  she  dispersed  them,  but  she 
had  taken  her  revenge  and  secured  a  sister 
Lois. 


rHE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


•45 


THE  MONGOL  AND  THE  TRAMP. 


NUMBER  THREE. 

Though  reduced  to  the  level  of  a  tramp, 
Job  Skriddles  was  a  true  Vermonter,  a  real 
live  Yankee,  persistent,  tenacious  and 
plucky;  and  he  assuaged  the  gnawings  of 
hunger  by  a  philosophic  communion  with 
himself  on  the  misadventures  thus  far  en- 
countered. Waking  from  his  musings,  he 
observed  on  his  right  a  farmhouse  of  pre- 
tentious proportions.  A  neat  fence  lined 
the  road  front,  and  a  gate,  having  two 
whole  hinges  and  a  wooden  latch,  opened 
upon  a  flower-lined  walk  that  led  through 
a  well-kept  orchard  to  the  house  beyond. 
A  painted  portico,  festooned  in  flowering 
shrubbery,  and  a  tali  windmill,  flashing  its 
blades  in  the  sun,  told  the  tale  of  taste  and 
hinted  of  affluence. 

The  tramp  compared  the  pretty  picture 
with  the  average  California  ranch-house — a 
redwood  shanty  perched  upon  a  barren 
knoll — and  mentally  argued,  "Now,  here  is 
every  evidence  of  taste  and  refinement;  a 
love  of  the  beautiful  indicates  a  sensitive 
nature  and  a  heart  that  can  feel."  Thus 
reflecting,  he  resolved  to  strike  "the  ranch" 
for  work,  or,  at  all  events,  for  employment 
sufficient  to  pay  for  a  meal.  He  opened 
the  gate,  and  had  already  entered,  when  a 
rush  and  a  howl,  fierce  and  suppressed, 
brought  him  to  a  halt;  and  to  this  day  it 
remains  a  mystery  of  his  life  how  it  was — 
so  like  a  flash — he  managed  to  place  that 
gate  between  him  and  a  brace  of  great, 
red-eyed,  lop-eared  dogs  who  fumed  and 
fretted  on  the  other  side.  In  the  midst  of 
the  doggon'd  affair  a  Chinaman  passed  in 
without  eliciting  any  attention  from  the 
furious  brutes,  and  it  occurred  to  the  terri- 
fied tramp  that  perhaps  dogology,  like 
other  "ologies,"  was  but  a  mere  matter  of 
noise  and  pretense,  and  that  its  votaries — 
like  the  terrors  of  purgatory — simply 
howled,  and  nothing  more.  Emboldened 
by  this  reflection,  Job  Skriddles — dissem- 
bling profound  obliviousness  of  danger  and 
dogs  and  profiting  by  the  Chinaman's 
example — started  again  for  the  house.  But 
the  result  confirms  for  all  time  his  faith  in 
the  sincerity  of  dogs,  whatever  may  be  his 
opinion  of  the  humanity  and  justice  of 
practical  dogology. 


He  turned  reluctantly  away  and  tramped 
slowly  on,  brooding  over  the  new  thesis; 
and  not  far  from  the  dogmatic  scene  came 
upon  a  six-yoke  team  of  oxen  hitched  to  a 
prairie-schooner  laden  with  a  pyramid  of 
wheat.  Aping  the  pyramidal  rule,  the  pyra- 
mid was  at  a  standstill,  and  the  oxen,  if 
not  still,  were  stagnant.  They  were  in  a 
state  of  revolt  and  baffled  all  the  oxonian 
art  of  their  worried  driver,  who,  letting  out 
the  kinks  in  his  body  one  by  one  till  he 
loomed  up  straight,  tall  and  slim  as  a  bam- 
boo pole,  mopped  his  heated  brow  with  a 
red  bandana  and  gave  vent  to  the  follow- 
ing philosophic  reflection:  "Goll  blarst  my 
skin,  I  swow  the  gracious,  and  ding  the 
smash,  the  hull  consmugged  team  on  ye 
don't  know  es  much  es  one  decent  Irish- 
man, by  crumbs!" 

The  Vermonter's  knowledge  of  ox  was 
brought  into  play,  and  when  the  team  was 
"sot  to  rights"  the  following  dialogue  en- 
sued: 

Farmer — "Take  sutfiin?"  A  bottle 
accompanied  the  query.  Both  took — 
"suthin." 

Skriddles — "Do  you  know  -where  I 
can  get  work  around  here  ?" 

Farmer — "No,  plagued  if  I  do.  Men 
er  thicker'n  hops.  Pester  the  fellers,  ye 
can't  trust  'em." 

Skriddh;s — "How  is  that,  sir?" 

Farmer — "Wal — ther  sassy.  An'  they 
drink  whisky,  tu.  I  hire  Chinamen. 
Take  suthin  more  ?" 

Skriddles — "No,  thank  you.  By  the 
by,  I  saw  a  Chinaman  pass  through  yon- 
der orchard,  but  the  dogs  well  nigh  eat  me 
up  when  I  attempted  to  enter." 

Farmer — "Do  tell!  He,  he,  hee!  ha- 
ha!  ha-a-a-a!  Gumdrops  an'  scissors! 
them's  my  dorgs;  old  Fan's  purps;  got  'em 
trained  on  tramps,  blast  'em!  burnt  my 
barn  last  year — smoking;  durn  the  cusses. 
I  hire  Chinamen." 

Skriddles — "Would  you  not  prefer,  for 
the  sake  of  your  family,  to  employ  white 
men?" 

Farmer — "Why,  plague  on  it,  I 
wouldn't  hev  a  tramp  in  my  family  no 
how.  Whenever  a  white  feller  works  fur 
eny  on  us    'round  hyer  he  eats  hisself  and 


244 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


sleeps  out'n  the  straw-stack,  or  in  the  sheep- 
shed,  ef  he  don't  smoke.  He's  alius  a 
stranger  to  the  family;  fact  is  he  never  gits 
acquainted  with  enyone  on  the  place  'cept 
me  an  the  Chinamen.  Dog'd  ef  ever  I 
know  the  fellers  names.  Now  there's 
Brick-top,  worked  fur  me  five  year,  off  an' 
on,  an'  never  know'd  eny  other  name  fur 
him,  'cept  Brick-top,  till  long  arter  he  left 
this  yere  section.  Ye  see,  he  cum  round 
dress'd  ter  smash  an'  a  ridin'  a  peart  mus- 
tang an'  run  off  with  our  Melinder.  I 
foller'd  the  cuss  tu  Eldrado  an'  bust  my 
breeches!  Ef  County  Clark  Busby  didn't 
pan  out  tu  be    Brick-top — fact." 

Skriddles — "Do  you  refer  to  Mr. 
Busby  the  Congressman  ?" 

Farmer —  "Ya-s,  Busby  —  Brick-top, 
that's  him;  smarter'n  lightnin'." 

Skriddles — "What  is  it,  in  particular, 
that  induces  you  to    prefer  Chinese  help?" 

Farmer — "Wal,  in  the  fust  place,  the 
Chinaman  don't  go  a  sneakin'  round  my 
gals.  Then,  agin,  he's  tarnal  useful.  He'll 
pick  fruit  and  berries  and  clean  hen-coops; 
he'l  haul  wood,  spey  hogs  and  sowce  the 
gal's  and  mine  and  the  ole  'oman's  linen; 
he'l  chaw  noss-radish,  wash  scabby  sheep 
an'  help  cook  an'  bake  an'  make  pies.  He 
don't  chaw  my  terbacker,  he  packs  the 
baby  and  eats  ole  Fan's  shemale  purps — 
saves  the  trouble  o'  drownin — then,  agin, 
snails  an'  rats  an'  gophers  an'  cockroaches 
bein'  a  relish  with  him,  he's  a  splended  ex- 
tarminator  of  varmints.  An,'  mind  ye, 
he's  handy  to  cuss  at;  and,  with  all  that, 
he's  cheaper'n  the  white  feller  Them 
white  fellers 's  alius  a-puttin'  on  airs,  a 
sneakin'  round  the  gals — cavortin  and 
courtin',  a  dressin'  on  'emselves  up  fur 
Sundays  an'  saloons,  singing-bees  an' 
churches.  Ther  chuck  full  of  newspaper 
stuff  an'  politics,  an'  fust  thing  ye  know 
ther  a  running  fur  the  legislatur  or  a  run- 
nin'  off  with  the  gal  or  the  ole  'oman.  I 
hire  Chinamen,  I  do.  Haw,  buck,  haw! 
Git-you-Lize!  Gi-e-up,  Buckskin,  g'long!" 
Job  and  the  farmer  parted. 

The  sun  had  long  since  passed  its  me- 
ridian ;  the  grapes,  secured  in  the  morning, 
had  passed  theirs,  and  the  void  in  Job's 
stomach  was  as  loud  and  more  grievious 
than  ever.  Some  three  or  four  miles  from 
the  scene  of  the  confab  with  the  tall  farmer, 
Skriddles  sighted  a  mansion,  the  only  one 
of  its  kind  that  had   thus  far   graced   his 


rural  peregrinations.  As  he  approached 
the  stately  structure,  a  thoroughbrace  drove 
away  and  passed  him  presently  at  a  spank- 
ing pace.  The  rig  contained  a  gay  troupe 
of  ladies,  and  was  driven  by  a  portly  gen- 
tleman, whose  round,  ruddy  countenance 
and  blooming  nose  betokened  good  grub, 
plenty  of  it,  and  a  plenary  indulgence  in 
corn-juice.  Striding  on,  Skriddles  reached 
the  mansion  and  found  a  Mongolian  boy 
seated  upon  the  broad  veranda,  in  charge 
of  a  lovely  baby.  An  elegantly  panneled 
door  bore  a  silver-mounted  knocker,  which 
the  Vermonter  plied  repeatedly  ;  but  no 
one  appearing,  he  abandoned  the  knocker 
and  proceeded  to  interview  the  butter-faced 
boy,  who  sat  ogling  him  with  a  countenance 
as  guiltless  of  expression  as  a  saddlebag, 
and  who  answered,  with  a  clicking  sound, 
resembling  the  snap  of  a  rat-trap:  "No 
sabee  !" 

"Who  lives  here  ?"  inquired  the  tramp, 
and  again  the  new-spawned  mummy 
croaked  :  "No  sabee  !" 

The  Mongol  had  dropped  the  child  on 
the  veranda,  and,  scrambling  in  the  gerani- 
ums, it  had  soiled  its  pretty  face.  With 
kindly  interest,  the  Vermonter  had  watched 
the  pranks  of  the  little  angel,  and  was  hor- 
rified when  he  saw  that  concentrated  fun- 
gus of  scrofula — the  distillation  of  forty 
thousand  centuries — seize  the  little  beauty, 
spread  it  out  upon  his  knees,  and,  with  the 
air  and  manner  of  a  currier  about  to 
scrape  a  green  hide,  deliberately  spit  in 
the  child's  face,  while,  with  a  corner  of  his 
dirty  blouse,  he  scrubbed  the  mould  from 
the  little  darling's  brow. 

The  rudeness  of  the  fellow,  and,  per- 
haps, the  poisonous  slime  of  the  Mongol 
burning  in  its  eyes,  caused  the  babe — a 
little  girl — to  cry  bitterly,  and  Job,  him- 
self a  father,  for  once  blessed  the  poverty, 
that  kept  his  child  in  the  arms  of  its 
mother.  Filled  with  resentment,  mingled 
with  disgust,  he  sharply  reproved  the 
Celestial,  but  was  met  with  the  same  blink- 
less  stare,  and  again  from  behind  the  young 
tartar's  teeth  came  the  sepulchral  echo, 
"No  sabee  !" 

Passing  to  the  rear  of  the  house,  a  full- 
grown  Chinaman  was  found  installed  in 
the  kitchen.  A  table  covered  with  freshlyr 
baked  pies  indicated  one  line  of  the  Mon- 
golian's usefulness,  while  his  present  occu- 
pation (washing  some  linen  of  the  female 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


245 


persuasion)  would  seem  to  indicate  that 
his  capacity  and  duties  were  of  a  varied  or 
general  character.  Job  was  a  "Down 
Easter,"  one  to  whom  pie  was  at  all  times 
a  promise  and  a  lure;  and  now,  what  with 
his  many  rebuffs,  and  what  with  his  long 
fast,  the  pie-table  thrilled  his  being  till  he 
felt  as  though  appetite  and  stomach  were 
Alpha  and  Omega,  and  that  life  was  cen- 
tered solely  in  pie ! 

Just  then  the  Chinese  artist  in  cookery 
drew  from  the  oven  of  a  magnificent  range 
a  huge  pan  of  partially  browned  biscuit, 
and,  plunging  his  beardless  mug  into  a 
bowl  of  tepid  water,  sucked  up  the  liquid 
with  a  gurgling  sound,  such  as  horses 
sometimes  make  in  straining  through  their 
teeth  the  contents  of  a  trough,  and,  with 
body  erect,  lips  strangely  twisted,  and  head 
thrown  slightly  back,  the  acrobatic  baker 
took  deliberate  aim  at  the  bread-pan  and 
let  fly,  showering  down  upon  the  biscuit 
a  feathery  cloud  of  spray  that  moistened 
the  soft  and  forming  crust  until  each  oval 
surface  glistened  like  a  toadstool  on  a 
dewy  morn.  It  was  the  most  artistic 
piece  of  mouthing  that  Job  had  ever  wit- 
nessed, and  though  he  viewed  the  opera- 
tion with  interest,  yet  the  wholesale  suc- 
cess of  the  trick  destroyed  forever  his  in- 
bred predilection  for  biscuit.  Not  having 
witnessed  the  Mongol  modus  operandi  of 
pie-polishing,  however,  he  still  yearned  for 
the  brown  and  glossy  product  of  apple-sass 
and  dough,  spread  out  in  flaky  profusion 
before  him,  and  guarded  by  the  Mongolian 
master  of  culinary  mysteries. 

In  a  patronizing  key  Job  chirruped  : 
"How — de — ^do  !"  and  received  in  answer 
a  blank  Mongolian  stare.  He  ventured 
the  salutation,  "Good-day  1"  But  the 
culinary  creature  was  dumb  as  a  bootjack, 
and  seemingly  oblivious  of  the  Vermonter's 
presence ;  untieing  the  while,  with  his 
teeth,  the  hip  strings  that  were  knotted  in 
the  cleft  of  a  pair  of  dumpy  pantalettes. 

Patience  is  a  virtue  peculiar  to  the  well- 
fed.  It  is  rarely,  if  ever,  found  harnessed 
with  hunger.  Hunger  is  a  wild  beast  and 
is  never  at  rest — never  patient.  Hence, 
while  the  Vermonter's  native  good  nature 
might  dally  with  -the  Chinaman's  reticence, 
his  hunger  longed  for  the  pie-table  and  led 
him  unconsciously  over  the  threshold  in 
that  direction.  He  was  slowly  but  surely 
pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  his  way,  when, 


hearing  the  Chinaman  (whom  he  thought 
to  be  deaf,  dumb  and  blind)  snap  out  the 
sentence,  "What  you  want?"  he  came  to  a 
halt,  and  yelled  in  answer  :  "Pie  !"  "No 
sabee,"  rejoined  the  son  of  heaven. 

"I  want  pie,  durn  ye !"  roared  the 
startled  Yankee,  glaring  at  the  divine 
abortion,  who  stood  barring  his  march  on 
the  pie-table,  with  a  pair  of  striped  stock- 
ings in  one  hand  and  the  left  leg  of  a  lady's 
lace-edged  "what-is-it"  in  the  other,  while 
in  stentorian  tones  he  shouted,  "No 
sabee !" 

"Give  me  something  to  eat !"  screamed 
the  eagle. 

"No  sabee  !"  barked  the  dragon. 

"I  have  fasted  for  thirty-six  hours !" 
shouted  the  bird. 

"No  sabee!"  sullenly  growled  the 
beast. 

"I'll  work  for  what  I  eat !" 

"No  sabee !" 

"I'll  cut  wood,  I'll  draw  water !" 

"No  sab-e-e!!" 

"I'll  chaw  horseradish  !  I'll  wring  out 
those  drawers  !  I'll  spit  on  the  biscuit ! !" 

"No  sa-ab-e-e-e  ! ! !" 

"Durn  you,  I  sabee !"  roared  the 
famished  and  enraged  Skriddles,  and  like 
an  avalanche  he  bolted  for  the  pie-table. 
But  the  Celestial  sturdily  confronted  him, 
flaunting  the  before-mentioned  "what-is-it," 
and  shouting  :   "No  sabee ! !" 

With  a  yell  and  a  wrench,  the  Green 
Mountain  boy  split  the  Chinaman's  ensign, 
and  a  leg  served  each  as  a  banner  of  war. 
The  blood  that  sprung'  from  the  loins  of 
those  who  followed  Stark  to  Bennington 
was  up  and  on  fire  ;  hell  broke  loose  in 
Vermont  and  the  devil  was  to  pay.  At 
least,  so  that  Chinaman  thought  when  he 
came  to  and  crawled  from  beneath  the 
ruins  of  pie-crust,  apple-pulp  and  plates, 
wash-tubs,  stove-covers  and  tables,  soap- 
suds and  biscuit  and  dirty  linen,  and 
painfully  and  slowly  drew  forth  from  his 
throat  his  left-legged  ensign  of  battle.  I 
say  that  Chinaman  thought  so,  and  I  pred- 
icate that  assertion  upon  the  following 
speech,  uttered  in  an  abstract  and  mechan- 
ical manner,  indicative  of  reflection,  and 
peculiarly  Chinese  :  "Ki  yi  yee-e  !  He-ap 
sabee !  Melica  man  allee  same  dleble, 
tunemuchahilo  hoo  ya  way  !  Ki  yi  he-ap 
sabee  ! ! " 

P.  S.    DORNEY. 


246  THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


THE  LITTLE  LAND. 


When  at  home  alone  1  sit 
I  am  very  tired  of  it, 
I  have  just  to  shut  my  eyes 
T*o  go  sailing  through  the  skies. 
To  go  sailing  far  away 
To  the  pleasant  land  of  Play  ! 
To  the  tairy  land  afar, 
Where  the  little  people  are, 
Where  the  clover  tops  are  trees, 
And  the  rain-pools  are  the  seas, 
And  the  leaves,  like  little  ships, 
Sail  about  on  tiny  trips; 
And  above  the  daisv  tree, 

Through  the  grasses. 
High  o'erhead  the  bumble  bee 

Hums  and  passes. 

In  that  forest  to  and  fro 
I  can  wonder,  I  can  go ; 
See  the  spider  and  the  fly, 
And  the  ants  go  marching  by. 
Carrying  parcels  with  their  feet 
Down  the  green  and  grassy  street. 
I  can  in  the  sorrel  sit 
Where  the  ladybird  alit. 
I  can  climb  the  jointed  grass; 

And  on  high 
See  the  greater  swallows  pass 

In  the  sky. 
And  the  round  sun  rolling  by 
Heeding  no  such  things  as  I. 

Through  the  forest  I  can  pass 
Till,  as  in  a  looking  glass. 
Humming  fly  and  daisy  tree 
And  my  tmy  self  I  see. 
Painted  very  clear  aad  neat 
On  the  rain-pool  at  my  feet. 
Should  a  leaflet  come  to  hand 
Drifting  near  to  where  I  stand. 
Straight  I'll  board  that  tiny  boat 
Round  the  rain-pool  sea  to  float. 

Little  thoughtful  creature  sit ' 
On  the  grassy  coasts  of  it ; 
Little  things  with  lovely  eyes 
See  me  sailing  with  surprise. 
Some  are  clad  in  armor  green— 
(These  have  sure  to  battle  been)— 
Some  are  pied  with  every  hue. 
Black  and  crimson,  gold  and  blue; 
Some  have  wings  and  swift  are  gone. 
But  they  all  look  kindly  on. 
When  my  eyes  I  once  again 
Open  and  see  all  things  plain : 
High,  bare  walls,  a  great  bare  floor; 
Great  big  knobs  on  drawer  and  door ; 
Great  big  people  perched  on  chairs, 
Stiching  tucks  and  mending  tears, 
Each  a  hill  that  I  could  climb 
And  talking  nonsense  all  the  time — 

O,  dear  me, 

That  I  could  be 
A  sailor  on  the  rain-pool  sea, 
A  climber  in  the  clover  tree, 
And  just  come  back  a  sleepy  head, 
Late  at  night  to  go  to  bed. 

—Robert  Louis  Stevenson  {Reprint), 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


247 


CIVILIZATION    IN    CHILI. 


Including  the  newly  acquired  territory 
of  Tarrapaca,  Chili  has  an  extreme  length 
of  more  than  2,000  miles,  while  its  average 
width  is  only  about  220  miles.  Its  boun- 
daries mark  the  whole  of  the  western  slope 
of  the  Andes  mountains,  from  summit  to 
sea,  and  from  the  Straits  of  Magellan  on 
the  south  to  its  farther  limit  on  the  north. 
This  great  length  of  coast  line  is  separated 
into  nineteen  provinces,  including  Arau- 
cania;  and  the  most  of  them  reach  from 
the  top  of  the  mountains  of  the  sea,  and 
are  separated  from  each  other  either  by 
mountain  spurs  or  by  rivers.  The  prov- 
inces are  themselves  separated,  into  de- 
partments, some  having  two,  others  three, 
four,  and  even  six.  Coquimbo  has  six; 
Valdivia  and  Lanquihue  only  two;  Santi- 
ago, the  most  densely  populated  province, 
has  five,  and  Valparaiso  four.  The  de- 
partments are  again  divided  into  townships 
which  are  very  numerous,  being  as  many 
as  four  hundred.  These  townships,  or 
sub-delegations,  are  also  divided  into  dis- 
tricts, which  are  the  smallest  political  di- 
visions in  the  country. 

The  political  constitution  of  Chili  re- 
sembles that  of  the  United  States.  There 
are  four  distinct  powers  of  government: 
the  Executive,  invested  in  the  President; 
the  Legislative,  invested  in  the  two  houses 
of  Congress;  the  Judicial,  invested  in  the 
various  judges  of  the  Court;  and  the 
Municipal,  whose  influence  is  confined  to 
the  provinces.  The  President,  however, 
exerts  a  controlling  influence  over  all  of 
these,  so  that  the  great  tendency  is  central- 
ization and  unification  of  power. 

The  chief  executor  is  elected  every  five 
years,  and  since  187 1  4S  not  eligible  to  re- 
election except  after  an  interval  of  one 
term.  He  has  five  secretaries  in  his  cabi- 
net, and.  is  otherwise  assisted  by  a  Council 
of  State,  composed  of  eleven  members, 
five  of  whom  he  names  himself,  the  other 
six  being  named  and  elected  by  Con- 
gress. 

The  President  receives  a  salary  of  $18,- 
000  a  year  in  Chili  currency,  equivalent  to 
about  $12,000  in  gold,  and  also  has  the 
privilege  of  residing  in  the  treasury  build- 
ing.    The  cabinet  officers  each  receive  six 


thousand  dollars  in  the  currency  of  the 
country.  The  members  of  Congress  serve 
for  nothing  and  furnish  themselves. 

The  different  provinces  are  governed 
by  Intendentes,  w^ho  are  appointed  by  the 
President,  and  who  are  the  heads  of  the 
municipal  governments  and  also  mayors  of 
the  cities.  Their  powers  are  limited  al- 
most exclusively  to  the  will  of  the  Presi- 
dent. Their  salaries  are  $4,000  a  year 
each,  with  residence. 

The  diff"erent  departments  are  presided 
over  by  Governors,  named  also  by  the 
President.  Some  of  them  receive  a  salary 
of  $2,500  a  year,  others  receiving  as  low 
as  $T,ooo — owing  to  the  wealth  and  power 
of  the  department.  The  townships  are 
presided  over  by  sub-delegates  appointed 
by  the  Governors,  and  the  districts  by  in- 
spectors appointed  by  the  sub-delegates — 
all  serving  without  pay. 

The  members  of  Congress  are  elected 
every  three  years.  In  the  Senate  there 
are  thirty-seven  members,  elected  by  the 
people  of  the  provinces,  who  can  read  and 
write,  and  who  either  have  property  or  an 
income  of  $200  per  annum — no  other 
person  being  allowed  to  vote.  In  the 
House  of  Deputies  there  are  108  members 
elected  from  the  departments. 

The  six  judges  composing  the  Supreme 
Court  reside  in  Santiago,  and  are  occupied 
in  most  parts  with  cases  of  real  estate, 
war  claims,  and  criminal  off"enses  of  great 
magnitude. 

The  municipal  authority,  composed  of 
the  city  councils  and  Intendenty,  is  so 
limited  that  they  have  not  the  power  to 
expend  more  than  $100  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  President. 

,  Each  department  has  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  dignified  with  the  title  of  Judge — 
and  some  have  as  many  as  five  or  six — 
owing  to  the  population. 

In  all  the  land  there  are  four  Courts  of 
Appeal,  two  of  which  are  in  Santiago,  one 
in  Conception,  and  one  in  Serana. 

The  Government  is  expending  large 
sums  of  money  to  encourage  European 
laborers  to  colonize  in  its  frontier,  and 
become  citizens.     Each  head  of  a  family 


248 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


is  given  200  acres  of  land,  lumber  to  build 
a  house,  a  yoke  of  cattle,  a  cart,  a  plow, 
a  quantity  of  seed,  and  $15  per  month  for 
the  first  year — the  latter  as  a  loan  for 
eight  years  without  interest.  Large  num- 
bers of  energetic,  industrious  German 
peasants  are  taking  advantage  of  this  great 
liberality.  In  twenty  years'  time  it  will 
effect  great  changes  in  the  statistics  of  this 
country;  and  it  is  destined  to  revolutionize 
the  labor  question  and  make  it  honorable. 
The  total  income  of  the  nation  in  1883 
was  $44,007,752;  the  outlay  was  $40,- 
037,073 — a  saving  of  nearly  $4,000,000. 
On  the  first  of    January   there    was  in  the 


and  dogmas  of  Rome,  and  the  country 
was  in  a  deplorable  condition  of  ignorance 
and  vice.  Very  happily,  however,  a  few 
rich  men  penetrated  the  overshadowing 
gloom,  and  sought  and  found  the  light  of 
liberty;  and  it  was  but  natural  that  they 
should  become  the  rulers  of  the  land. 
Happily,  also,  they  were  all  men  of  great 
honor,  who  held  the  welfare  of  the  nation 
far  above  their  individual  interests;  and 
the  wonderful  improvements  throughout 
the  land,  with  "a  schoolhouse  on  every 
hill,"  bear  witness  to  their  loyalty  and 
devotion.  So  that  it  can  well  be  said  that, 
if   Chili  is  an  oligarchy,  then  the  oligarchy 


CHILIAN     RANCHMAN, 


treasury  the  sum  of  $13,820,616.  The 
national  debt  is  being  reduced. 

It  has  been  charged  by  foreigners 
residing  there,  that  Chili,  instead  of  being 
a  republic,  is  an  oligarchy,  which,  to  a 
certain  extent,  is  true.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  what  the  Government  has  been  for  a 
number  of  years  in  the  hands  of  a  com- 
paratively few  rich  and  influential  men. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  one  cannot  shut 
his  eyes  to  the  fact  that  they  are  the  only 
men  capable  of  holding  the  reins  of 
government. 

For  a  great  many  years — over  three 
hundred — education  was  confined  almost 
exclusively  to  a  knowledge  of  the  doctrines 


has  been  a  vast  improvement  on  wider 
principles  of  Democracy,  in  the  present 
instance. 

CLIMATE. 

In  point  of  temperature,  a  surface  so 
rugged,  and  having  such  extreme  length — 
about  29  deg.  of  latitude — and  an  altitude  of 
four  miles  within  2  deg.  30  min.  longitude, 
must  present  a  great  variety.  The  combined 
action  of  the  trade  winds  and  the  Andes 
mountains  graduates  the  rainfall  from  the 
parching  skies  of  the  north  to  the  drench- 
ing clouds  of  the  south.  North  of  Val- 
paraiso it  rarely  ever  rains — in  fact,  one 
good  rainfall,  continuing  for  twenty-four 
hours,  would  destroy  untold  wealth  of  salt- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


249 


petre  and  other  minerals.  At  Valparaiso 
showers  of  rain  fall  frequently  during  the 
winter  months ;  while  about  one  hundred 
miles  further  south  there  is  an  abundance 
of  rain  for  agricultural  purposes.  From 
the  beginning  of  this  agricultural  district, 
extending  southward  for  a  distance  of 
four  hundred  miles,  the  climate  and  the 
productions  are  similar  to  those  of  Califor- 
nia. At  Concepcion,  less  than  four  hun- 
dred miles  south  of  Valparaiso,  the  rainfall 
is  so  great  and  the  climate  so  cool  that 
corn  does  not  mature  well.  Still,  in  the 
same  district,  figs,  lemons,  oranges  and 
pomegranates    mature    every    year,     and 


inches;  at  Valdivia  it  is  100  inches, 
which  is  the  greatest  on  the  whole  Pacific 
coast  of  South  America. 

PRODUCTIONS. 

Agriculture  in  Chili  is  in  its  infancy- 
There  are  more  miles  of  railway  than  o^ 
good  wagon  roads.  The  country,  how- 
ever, is  rapidly  being  developed,  and  a 
few  years  since  thousands  of  broad  acres 
that  are  now  lying  idle  will  be  in  cultiva- 
tion. In  1883  there  were  20,000,000 
bushels  of  wheat  grown.  In  the  same 
year  the  country  produced  40,000  tons  of 
copper  and   15,000,000    quintals    of  salt- 


^^^^^skJ  1 ',^W^m^^^MK'////fj//Milli'  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^BHB^^^PWHPi^^^^^^^^K>iiii^BS li^vIiL^atiiiiiilHiffli 

^•m^          ];™T^    .  ■  .w^^^M 

^^^^^«,  J 

it?Pi*^^w 

^^^^^^tt 

A     COUNTRY     CARRIAGE. 


make  good  crops,  and  wheat  is  sure  and 
very  profitable.  Southward  the  rainfall, 
as  well  as  the  cold,  gradually  increases  to 
the  almost  constant  storms  of  sleet  and 
rain  on  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  All 
this,  of  course,  applies  only  to  the  level 
ground ;  almost  any  variety  of  climate  can 
be  had  as  we  gradually  ascend  the  moun- 
tains. The  extreme  heat  in  the  agricult- 
ural district  is  92  deg.  Fahrenheit,  while 
the  extreme  cold  is  only  24  deg.,  giving  a 
mean  temperature  of  58  deg. 

The  annual  rainfall  north  of  Valparaiso 
is  nothing  ;  at  Valparaiso,  about  1 9  inches ; 
at  Santiago,  2  2  inches ;  at  Talca,  40 
inches;  at  Concepcion,    from    48    to  68 


petre.  The  exports  that  year  were  $79-, 
000,000  in  currency  value,  and  the  im- 
ports were  $54,000,000,  gold  value.  Only 
one-seventh  of  all  the  exports  are  agricultu- 
ral productions ;  five-sevenths  are  the 
product  of  the  mines — gold,  silver,  cop- 
per, saltpetre,  guano  and  iodine — the  re- 
maining one-seventh  being  made  up  of 
hides,  lace  (made  by  hand)  and  woolen 
fabrics. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Chili  has  1,800  miles  of  railway,  and 
two  other  lines  in  process  of  •  construction. 
There  are  5,000  miles  of  telegraph,  and  a 
cablegraph    from   Valparaiso    connecting 


250 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


ARAUCANIAN'S     HOME. 


with  the  United  States  and  Europe  by 
way  of  Panama.  There  are  twelve  daily 
papfers,  250  postoffices,  and  telephones 
and  electric  lights    in  Valparaiso  and  San- 


tiago. The  population  of  Chili  is  2,250,- 
000,  of  whom  only  47,000  are  allowed  to 
vote. 

J.  M.  Spangler. 


UNANSWERED. 


O  dear,  dark  eyes,  now  shut  to  sight  and  sense. 
White  folded  hands,  at  rest  for  evermore; 

Can  you  not  give  me  back  one  look  from  thence  ? 
Can  you  not  ope,  just  once,  that  silent  door? 

If  I  could  have  one  glimpse  beyond  it  given, 

To  know  you  live,  and  love,  and  blame  me  not; 

My  mad,  mad  soul  would  give  its  hopes  of  heaven, 
And  die,  and  be  forgot. 


You  do  not  come;    God  does  not  heed  my  grief. 

No  voice  will  ever  answer  back  from  there. 
My  longings  die  in  their  own  unbelief — 

I  perish  in  my  prayer. 

Madge  Morris. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


RAMBLES  IN  THE    NORTHWEST. 


251 


THE  PUGET  SOUND  COUNRY.  The  Sound  is  not  merely  a    narrow  pass- 

Travelers  passing  through  this  country  age  of  water,  having  regular  and  parallel 
on  steamboats  and  stopping  only  a  day  or  banks  all  the  way  from  this  Strait  of  San 
two  in  the  towns  and  ports,  get  a  very  Juan  to  headwater,  but  here  and  there 
poor  idea  of  the  rich  resources  other  than  a  small  bay  extends  out  to  where  a  pure, 
timber.  They  see  the  large  saw  mills  and  deep  flowing  river  empties  its  steady 
are  told  of  their  capacities  for  turning  out  streams  noiselessly  into  it.  The?e  rivers 
lumber.  They  see  the  towns  and  are  sur-  abound  with  red  and  silver  speckled  trout, 
prised  to  see  how  large  they  are,  and  some  of  them  weighing  three  pounds, 
wonder  how  such  a  country  can  support  Oysters  are  also  plentiful  on  the  shores  of 
them.  Nearly  all  of  the  shore  line,  both  several  of  the  bays.  On  this  Sound  are 
sides  of  the  Sound,  is  heavily  timbered  situated  thriving  towns  and  cities  already 
with  tir  and  cedar,  and  at  times  gives  one  bidding  for  the  commerce  of  the  world,  of 
the  impression  that  this  country  is  a  which  Seattle  occupies  the  most  import- 
wild  and  uninhabited  forest.  ant  portion  at  the  present  time.  It  is  the 
Nothing  can  surpass  the  beauty  of  these  largest,  having  a  population  of  12000, 
waters  all  the  way  from  Port  Angelas  to  and  is  the  commercial  center  for  many  of- 
Olympia.  There  is  not  a  shoal  in  them  the  surrounding  and  northern  towns.  Ta- 
and  a  74-gun  ship  can  take  its  way  coma  is  the  next  town  in  size  and  is  situ- 
uninterruptedly.  The  most  delightful  trip  ated  on  Commencement  Bay.  It  has  been 
I  ever  made  on  water,  was  on  June  8, 1885,  made  the  western  terminus  of  the  North- 
from  Seattle  to  Tacoma,  a  distance  of  for-  ren  Pacific  railroad.  The  railroad  com- 
ty  miles.  It  was  in  the  morning.  The  pany's  shops  are  located  here,  besides  other 
sun  was  shining  cheerfully  and  the  day  interests,  and  is  the  point  from  which  coal 
was  fair.  White,  fleecy  clouds  hung  is  shipped  for  the  south  and  Colorado.  The 
about  the  sides  of  Mt.  Rainier  like  the  town  has  now  a  population  of  7000,  and 
locks  of  the  three-score  years  and  ten,  has  the  appearance  of  a  steady,  prosper- 
while  his  crown  was  seen  above  them  in  ous  growth.  It  is  beginning  to  assume, 
colors  of  old  gold  and  blue.  (Mt.  Rainier  in  a  crude  way,  the  air  of  a  city.  That  it 
is  14,444  feet  high.)  Our  steamer,  the  is  intended  for  a  gre^t  city  can  easily  be 
"  Zephyr,"  moved  along  gracefully  and  seen  by  its  broad  avenues  and  substantial 
silently,  save  the  dash  of  the  wheel  at  the  business  blocks.  The  public  school,  the 
stern.  Far  behind  us  we  could  trace  our  Annie  Wright  seminary,  the  Tacoma  hotel 
path,  on  either  side  of  which  waves  by  the  Frye  Opera  House,  the  Sisters'  Acad- 
tens  and  fifties  could  be  counted  chasing  emy,  the  Central  and  Western  Hotels  are 
each  other  to  the  shore.  In  the  spray  of  among  the  most  important  buildings.  Ta- 
water  we  could  see  the  colors  of  the  rain-  coma  has  had  several  disastrous  fires, 
bow.  Now  and  then  we  passed  a  lone  burning  down  whole  blocks.  But  this 
cabin  or  post  where  the  eteamer  exchanged  seemed  only  to  add  more  interest  to  the 
little  freight  and  light  mail  bags.  The  building  enterprise,  and  new  structures 
hardy  lumberman  and  the  jolly  landlord  have  taken  their  places  and  still  others 
were  also  tliere  to  exchange  a  smile  and  a  are  in  the  course  of  erection 
good  word  with  the  captain  and  the  pilot.  The  town  is  most  beautifully  located. 
Then  as  we  sailed  away,  it  was  interest-  There  is  a  gradual  ascent  from  the  shore 
ing  to  see  everybody  follow  the  man  that  of  the  bay,  back,  giving  a  clear  view  of 
carried  the  mail  excepting  him  who  tod-  the  bay  from  every  point.  There  are  good 
died  off  with  a  few  groceries  on  his  arm.   chances  here  at  the  present  time  to  buy  a 


252 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


home.  Property  is  at  a  stand  now,  neither 
falUng  nor  rising,  but  the  prospects  are 
brightening.  The  indications  are  that 
both  city  and  country  property  will  soon 
rapidly  advance  in  price ;  so  those  who 
wish  to  invest  should  call  on  Geo.  W. 
Traver  whom  we  ean  cheerfully  and  hearti- 
ly reecommend.  He  is  well  posted  and 
will  show,  free  of  charge,  any  property 
you  want  to  see. 

The  trades  and  professions  are  crowded 
but  there  are  good  openings  for  manufact- 
ories. The  country  around  is  waiting  for 
the  farmers  and  the  dairyman.  A  new 
flouring  mill  began  manufacturing  flour 
about  the  first  of  June.  Tacoma  has  the 
promise  of  becoming  the  largest  city  in 
the  Territory.  Whether  this  promise  will 
be  realized  or  not,  the  future  will  tell. 

As  we  continued  our  way  towards  head- 
water, we  pass  Stilacoom  city  or  village, 
and  finally  arrived  at 

OLYMPIA. 

We  stopped  at  the  long  wharf  about 
twelve  miles  from  town,  where  we  were 
handed  with  our  goods  and  chattels  down 
into  a  skiff.  The  steamers  are  obliged  to 
stay  here  when  the  tide  is  out.  But  when 
the  tide  is  in  they  can  go  in  to  the  city 
wharves.  The  people  of  Olympia  expecpt 
the  Government  to  make  an  appropri- 
ation for  the  cutting  of  a  canal  so  that 
vessels  can  land  at  the  city  wharves  irres- 
pective of  tides.  A  bill  for  this  purpose 
was  intoduced  at  the  last  Legislature  but 
too  late  to  pass. 

It  is  quite  natural  for  a  stranger  to  look 
for  the  capitol  when  he  arrives,  and  even 
before,  as  the  city  comes  in  sight  some 
time  before  reaching  it.  Usually,  citizens 
of  these  law  centers  ask :  '•'  Have  you  seen 
our  capitol  yei?"  But  here  this  important 
question  is  overlooked.  However,  before 
I  left,  I  succeeded,  with  the  assistance  of 
Dr.  B.,  in  capturing  the  object  of  my 
search.  It  was  a  hot  chase,  and  one  that 
lasted  three  days.  I  never  saw  such  a 
wild  capitol.  I  guess  we  would  not  have 
run  it  in  yet  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
bay,  which  stopped  it  at  the  edge  of  the 
woods. 


Olpmpia  is  a  town  of  many  happy  homes. 
It  never  experienced  the  mushroom 
growth,  and,  therefore,  is  built  on  solid 
foundations.  It  has  grown  slow  and  sure. 
What  it  was  ten  years  ago,  it  is  now ;  and 
what  it  is  now,  it  will  be  ten  years  hence. 
But  tben  it  will  be  a  capitol  city  of  larger 
proportions.  Nearly  every  home  has  its 
fruit  and  vegetable  garden.  There  are 
two  weekly  papers  here,  which,  in  the 
most  fitting  terms,  set  forth  the  advantages 
of  their  town  and  country.  Business  and 
professional  men  are  fully  represented. 
Olympia  is  the  healthiest  town  on  the 
Sour\d,  and  I  may  say,  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  Here  man  lives  beyond  his 
allotted  time,  unless  he  meets  an  un- 
timely death. 

There  is  a  railroad  connecting  Olympia 
with  the  south  at  Tenino,  a  station  on  the 
Northern  Pacific. 

Parties  desiring  to  buy  homes  or  land, 
should  address  or  call  on  Anderson  &  Op- 
penheimer.  These  gentlemen  will  answer 
all  inquiries  pertaining  to  real  estate. 
There  is  considerable  land  about  this  city 
under  cultivation ;  but  most  of  the  land  is 
yet  in  timber,  which  requires  a  great  deal 
of  hard  work  to  prepare  it  for  the  plow. 
But  when  cleared,  no  finer  land  can  be 
found  for  either  fruit  or  grain ;  and  it  has 
the  purest,  sweetest,  clearest  water  to  be 
found. 

One  and  a  half  miles  from  Olympia  is  a 
small  town  named  Turnwater,  situated  on 
a  river  that  has  a  fall  of  eighty  feet  from 
half  tide  to  headwater.  An  old  miller 
said  that  he  considered  it  the  finest  water- 
power  in  the  United  States.  There  are 
now  two  grist  mills,  two  sash  and  door 
factories  and  several  sawmills,  located  here. 
One  of  the  dams,  put  in  fourteen  yedlrs 
ago, -has  never  been  repaired.  Part  of 
this  property  is  for  sale  at  a  bargain,  as 
the  party  owning  it  wants  to 'retire  from 
business.  Here  is  a  splendid  opening  for 
some  man  who  wants  to  go  into  the 
milling  business.  Although  Turnwater  is 
now  dreaming  and  sleeping,  it  will  wake 
up  some  day  to  find  itself  in  the  hands  of 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


2^3 


some  capitalist,  who  will  make  it  redeem 
its  long  years  of  slumber. 

CHEHALIS 

Is  located  102  miles  northwest  of  Portland, 
and  33  miles  southwest  of  Olympia,  on 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  It  has  the 
finest  wheat  I  saw,  not  excepting  the 
Willammette  Valley.  Its  prairie  land 
was  settled  as  early  as  1847.  Chehalis  is 
the  county  seat  of  Lewis  county.  It 
supports  two  weekly  newspapers.  There 
are  three  hotels  here,  besides  a  number  of 
stores,  several  mills,  etc. 


SOUTHERN  OREGON. 

This  section  of  the  State  is  unsurpassed 
for  three  things — healthful  climate,  good 
weather  and  shiftless  farmers.  It  is  a 
country  where,  on  account  of  its  hearty 
people,  the  undertakers  are  few,  and  those 
that  are  here  have  turned  their  attention 
to  repairing  old  furniture  for  a  livelihood. 
It  is  considered  dangerous  to  enter  an 
undertaker's  ei?tablishment,  but  this  I  did 
not  know  until  after  snaking  a  narrow 
escape  from  one  of  them .  Men  and  women 
live  to  a  good  old  age.  The  country  is  a 
healthy  one. 

Good  weather  always  prevails.  There  is 
good  weather  for  all  the  crops,  which  have 
never  failed ;  good  weather  there  is  for 
harvest  and  seed-time ;  good  weather  for 
Sundays  and  legal  holidays  ;  good  weather, 
enough  of  good  weather  for  everything  and 
everybody. 

Fruit,  more  beautiful — apples,  plums, 
pears  and  cherries — can  not  be  found  on 
the  coast.  It  is  entirely  free  from  insects, 
and  no  trouble  to  grow  it. 

Most  of  this  section  is  rolling  and 
mountainous  land,  principally  adapted  to 
cattle  and  sheep  raising,  excepting  the 
small  valleys.  These  are  very  fertile,  and 
produce  large  yields  of  hay  and  grain. 
The  mountains  are  generally  covered  with 
a  fine  growth  of  timber,  consisting  of  sugar 
pine,  yellow  pine,  white  and  yellow  fir  and 
cedar.  The  mineral  wealth  is  almost  un- 
developed. Gold  has  been  mined  for 
thirty     years.       Copper,  cinnabar,     iron. 


marble  and  coal  are  waiting  for  capital  to 
develop  them. 

There  is  a  variety  of  soils  in  this  section. 
Along  the  foothills  it  is  a  decomposed 
granite.  The  valleys  are  part  sandy  loam, 
and  part  adobe.  The  latter  must  be  worked 
at  the  right  time,  for  it  is  decidedly  sticky 
in  the  rainy  season. 

The  products  are  stock,  wheat,  wool, 
fruit,  chiefly.  Corn,  oats,  barley,  hay, 
hops,  potatoes  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables 
do  well.  Wheat,  this  year,  stands  thin  on 
the  ground,  but  what  there  is  will  be  of 
excellent  quality.  Hay  is  short.  Stock 
is  looking  fine. 

ASHLAND. 

This  town  is  located  at  the  terminus  of 
the  Oregon  &  California  Railroad,  345 
miles  south  of  Portland.  It  was  founded 
some  thirty  years  ago,  but,  owing  to  its 
isolation,  it  made  slow  progress  until  the 
railroad  was  built.  It  has  now  some  1500 
inhabitants.  Among  the  natural  gifts 
bestowed  on  Ashland,  are  the  creek,  with 
its  strong  water  power,  and  two  white 
sulphur  springs.  The  springs  are  begin- 
ning to  attract  considerable  attention  for 
the  wonderful  cures  effected.  The  waters 
cure  rheumatism,  of  the  most  aggravating 
sort,  salt  rheum,  scald  head,  chronic  liver 
ailments,  asthma  and  internal  and  external 
sores  of  the  skm.  Mr.  J.  H.  May  field  has 
fitted  up  a  number  of  bathrooms,  which 
are  both  convenient  and  comfortable,  for 
all  invalids.  No  one  should  go  there 
without  testing  them.  Hotel  accommoda- 
tions and  bathrooms  are  in  the  same 
establishment. 

While  the  mountain  creek  comes  dash- 
ing through  the  center  of  the  town,  it 
brings  health  jn  a  different  way  from  that 
of  the  springs ;  and,  as  it  passes  along,  it 
does  its  customers  a  good  turn.  First,  it 
turns  the  wheel  of  a  sawmill;  next,  it 
turns  the  wheel  to  grind  the  wheat  for 
Ashland ;  then,  it  turns  the  wheel  to  spin 
the  wool,  to  weave  the  thread  that  makes 
the  clothes  of  Ashland ;  and  then  it  turns 
the  wheel  of  the  mill  that  saws  the  log 
that  makes  the  doors  that  builds  the  house 
of  Ashland.     It  is  a  good  little  creek,  and 


254 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


'tis  quite  happy  in  its  song  Mr.  W.  H.  R.  Between  these  two  towns  there  are 
Atkinson  joins  in  its  praise,  for  if  it  were  quite  a  number  of  small  places  strug- 
not  for  the  creek,  his  woolen  mill  would  gling  for  existence,  and  as  my  time  was 
soon  stop  its  present  active  manufacturing,  limited  I  did  not  stop  at  any  of  them. 
Here  the  farmer  receives  the  cash  for  his  Roseburg  is  the  county  seat  of  Douglas 
wool  at  home,  which  saves  the  trouble  and  county.  It  supports  two  weekly  papers, 
expense  of  shipping,  although  these  mills  the  Review  and  Plaindealer.  The  United 
do  not  begin  to  Tise  all,  the  wool  raised  in  States  Land  Office  is  located  here,  and  is 
the  county.  Mr.  Atkinson  is  also  Presi-  under  the  superintendance  of  Mr.  W.  F. 
dent  of  the  Bank  of  Ashland.  Benjamin,  who  has  filled  the  official  chair 

Messrs.  Youle  &  Gilroy  have,  also,  kind  most    honorably    and    creditably.      This 
feelings  toward  the  creek,  as  it  keeps  their  to:vn  has  two  flouring  mills,  a  number  of 
sash  and  door  factory  in  delightful  tune,   stores,  engine  round  house,  etc. 
These   gentlemen   are    both    young   and  Oakland. 

enterprising,  and  are  doing  good  work  This  small  town  is  where  the  south- 
with  their  well-equipped  mill.  Besides  bound  train  stops  "  20  minutes  for  sup- 
manufacturing  lumber,  moulding,  brack-  per !  "  Mr.  Thomas  has  the  reputation  of 
ets,  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  they  keep  in  giving  the  best  meals  on  the  road,  and  he 
stock  builders'  materials,  such  as  glass,  can  rest  assured  that  as  long  as  he  insists 
paints  and  oils,  nails,  putty,  etc.  They  on  serving  chicken  pot-pie,  he  will  be 
are  prepared  to  do  all  kinds  of  mill  work,  praised  by  tourists  and   envied   by   hotel 

The  Ashland  Tidings,  edited  by  Mr.  proprietors.  In  1872  Oakland  was  sim- 
W.  H.  Leeds,  is  a  fine  little  paper  pub-  ply  a  farm  owned  by  Mr.  A.  F.  Brown, 
lished  weekly.  And  he  has  also  praised  This  was  when  the  railroad  was  first  put 
the  creek  for  it  turns  a  wheel  for  him  too.  through.  Mr.  Brown  donated  five  acres 
I  think  Mr.  Leeds  has  dedicated  a  vol-  to  the  company  for  a  depot  and  side 
umne  of  poems  to  it.  That  good  little  tracks.  He  then  laid  out  his  farm  in 
creek  is  truly  a  model  of  industry  for  town  lots  and  invited  the  business  meii  of 
those  who  live  on  its  banks.  the  old  town,  a  mile  distant,  to  come  out 

ROSEBURG.  and  help  develop  the   new.     They  came 

Roseburg  is  over  a  hundred  miles  north  willingly,  and  many  of  them  are  here  yet. 
of  Ashland,  on  the  hne  of   the  O.  &  C.  R.  J.  D.  Wagner. 


ALBERTUS  MAGNUS. 


Thy  yearning  soul  for  knowledge  sought  in  vain 
To  quench  its  thirst  from  font  of  ancient  lore, 
And  in  despair  resolved  to  search  no  more 
Among  the  dull  old  books,  with  aching  brain ; 
But  in  the  forest's  solemn,  deep  domain. 
In  quiet  soHtude  didst  thou  adore 
Thy  God.     Thy  soul  to  higher  flights  would  soar 
But  still  not  reach  the  height.      •'  Shall  I  remain 
In  darkness  ever  here  on  earth?"  —  Behold  ! 
A  vision  angelic  appeared  and  spake : 
Hast  thou  so  little  faith '  to  doubt  forsooth, 
God  may  not  grant  thy  prayer  a  hundred  fold  ! 
Go  forth,  the  fetters  of  thy  mind,  I  break  ! " 
Thus  knowledge  came,  and  wisdom  to  the  youth. 
McMinnville,  Or.,  July,  1885.  Charles  Grissen. 


a  I 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


255 


LITERATURE  AS  A  PROFESSION    FOR  WOMEN, 


Woman  may  be  appropriately  termed 
"The  Peaceful  Invader,"  for  without  war, 
or  even  a  flag  of  truce,  she  has  silently 
.crept  into  all  the  places  from  which, 
formerly,  by  common  consent,  she  was  ex- 
cluded. Even  Masonry,  her  sworn  ene- 
my, has  widened  its  circle  and»  taken  her 
in,  as  well  as  other  secret  societies;  while 
but  lately  the  order  known  as  Patriotic 
Sons  of  America,  in  California,  missing 
her  presence,  has  of  its  own  accord  pro- 
vided a  new  ritual  and  organized  auxilliary 
lodges  to  be  known  as  the  Patriotic 
Daughters  of  America. 

It  is  a  curious  state  of  affairs  by  con- 
trast to  the  olden  days,  but  whether  it  will 
result  to  her  ultimate  advantage  or  not, 
will  be  known  only  to  the  philosopher  of 
the  future. 

As  to  the  origin  of  this  peaceful  inva- 
sion, we  may  trace  its  first  impetus  when,  a 
hundred  years  ago,  Frances  Burney  in- 
vaded the  realm  of  literature  with  the  first 
novel  written  by  a  woman.  All  London 
was  taken  by  storm,  and  "  Evelina"  was 
the  entering  wedge  of  woman's  invasion. 
Preceding  that  event,  the  novel  had  laid 
up  for  itself  condemnation  and  reproach 
enough  to  last  a  century,  the  very  word,  to 
some  people  to-day,  being  a  synonym  for 
coarseness  and  vulgarity.  "Evelina"  was 
a  revelation  to  the  sated  dwellers  in 
"A^anity  Fair."  It  was  a  bright,  humor- 
ous picture  of  London  life,  which,  though 
tinged  with  caricature  rather  than  charac- 
ter painting,  yet  was  free  from  any  taint 
or  touch  of  coarseness  whatever.  And 
though  the  author  never  equalled  her  first 
effort,  through  falling  into  imitations  of  the 
learned  Dr.  Johnson  and  others  of  that 
didactic  coterie,  yet  in  that  one  produc- 
tion she  taught  the  world  of  literature  a 
lesson,  and  made  a  path  for  her  sisterhood 
to  follow.  Shortly  after,  Mrs.  Radcliff  fol- 
lowed and  became  the  true  founder  of  the 
English  School  of  Romance  with  her 
"Mysteries  of  Udolpho,"  that  forbidden 
delight  of  our  grandmothers.  Maria 
Edgeworth,  Jane  Austin  and  Jane  Porter 
came  in  turn;  then  the  poetic  school  of 
Cook,  Landon  and  Hemans,  culminating 


in  Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning;  then  the 
Bronte  sisters  and  George  Eliot,  both  poet 
and  novelist,  and  the  later  school  of  to- 
day. 

Prior  to  this  epoch  introduced  by  Miss 
Burney,  Elizabeth  Elstob  had  written  an 
Anglo-Saxon  grammar,  but  it  was  not  a 
natural  field  for  woman's  occupation,  and 
with  Frances  Burney,  afterwards  Madame 
D'Arblay,  rests  the  first  honor  of  leading 
the  way. 

In  all  the  womanly  list  of  novelists  and 
poets,  it  seems  strange  that  there  should 
not  be  one  successful  dramatist.  Mrs. 
Inchbald  was  the  writer  of  two  or  three 
comedies,  but  they  are  not  of  the  kind  that 
live,  and  though  the  name  of  Maria  Lovell 
is  given  as  the  author  of  that  most  charm- 
ing* play  of  "Ingomar  and  Parthenia,"  yet 
investigation  shows  that  it  was  written  by 
a  German  dramatist,  and  that  she  is 
merely  the  translator. 

Our  own  Frances,  Mrs.  Hodgeson  Bur- 
nett, has  been  more  successful  than  others 
of  her  sisterhood  in  this  line,  with  her 
charming  "Esmeralda"  and  '"That  Lass 
o'  Lawrie's,"  but  they  have  been  drama- 
tized novels  rather  than  pure  dramatiza- 
tions, and  had  to  be  passed  through  the 
playwright's  hands  to  be  thus  prepared. 

So  that  much  remains  to  be  done  by 
woman  in  the  field  of  literature  before  she 
can  lay  claim  to  actual  rivalry  with  man. 

But  it  is  not  of  the  past,  nor  of  great 
writers  and  achievements  that  I  wish  to 
speak, — rather  of  the  small,  well-beaten 
paths  that  lie  within  our  reach  to-day, 
\Vhere  there  is  one  woman  who  achieves 
success  in  a  single  well-written  book,  there 
are  thousands  who  earn  a  modest  income 
by  hard,  dogged  work  in  literature  as  a 
profession,  and  this  is  the  point  which  I 
bring  to  your  notice.  Frances  Burney 
opened  the  way  for  her  sisterhood,  who 
were  not  long  to  take  the  hint,  and  to-day, 
a  hundred  years  after,  they  have  invaded 
the  fields  iDy  the  thousands,  gleaning  right 
and  left  for  all  the  stray  sheaves  that  may 
have  been  overlooked,  but  by  whom  there 
will  be  no  individual  impress  made  upon 
present    literature,   and  of  whom  posterity 


256 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


will  never  hear.  And  this  will  be  because 
their  life-work  is  absorbed  in  the  daily 
press,  in  long  columns  of  ephemeral  writ- 
ing suited  to  the  hour,  but  without  name 
or  even  initial  to  identify  the  writer. 

To  understand  this  we  must  remember 
that  there  are  many  kinds  of  writing,  and 
to-day,  the  old-fashioned  idea  that  a  mortal 
must  be  inspired  in  order  to  make  the  pen 
fly,  is  relegated  to  the  shelf  with  the  an- 
tiquities of  the  past.  Most  of  the  writing 
to-day  is  done  to  order — what  is  rudely 
known  as  "hack  work" — although  it 
sometimes  requires  a  great  amount  of  ed- 
ucation and  a  fine  bram  to  produce  what 
is  desired. 

This  is  a  hard  age. 

It  has  reduced  the  science  of  supply 
and  demand  to  a  fine  point.  An  editor 
of  a  journal  or  a  magazine  may  despise 
the  provender  upon  which  he  feeds  his 
subscribers,  but  he  has  made  a  study  of 
the  desires  of  the  greatest  number,  and 
merely  supplies  the  stuff  suited  to  this  "de- 
mand in  order  that  he  may  continue  in 
business. 

A  new  assistant  editor  was  taken  on  the 
staff  of  a  certain  Western  magazine,  and 
immediately  started  in  to  begin  a  com- 
plete reformation.  Said  she:  "I  want  this 
publication  to  be  a  credit  to  all  concerned, 
and  the  first  thing  is  to  bounce  all  this 
silly  trash  and  poetry,  and  bring  it  up  to  a 
high  standard." 

The  editor,  who  had  made  a  number  of 
experiments,  and  knew  all  about  such  a 
course  of  procedure,  simply  smiled,  and 
said:  "Yes,  it  would  be  very  nice.  If  I 
should  let  you  have  your  way,  in  six 
months  I  wouldn't  have  a  subscriber  left." 
And  in  a  short  time  the  would-be  re- 
former discovered  that  a  certain  trashy 
story  (at  least  from  her  point  of  view) 
brought  in  ten  subscribers  of  their  own 
accord,  while  a  silly  little  poem,  utterly 
weak  and  watery,  according  to  her  idea, 
brought  out  letters  from  people  in  every 
direction,  who  were  inexpressibly  touched 
by  its  refrain. 

And  so  the  fault  lies  not  with  the  editor 
or  manager  of  a  publication  in  what  he 
publishes,  but  in  the  defective  taste  of  the 
public.  Sometimes  it  happens  that  the 
most  valuable  and  critical  article  passes 
unnoticed,  save  by  a  very  few,  while  a 
simple   little  tale   awakens  the  interest  of 


the  many.  It  is  the  greatest  and  most 
wonderful  study — this  of  keeping  the 
finger  upon  the  popular  pulse — and  the 
most  successful  editor  is  he  who  is  master 
of  the  art.  To  accomplish  his  purpose, 
he  introduces  special  departments,  each 
attractive  to  a  certain  class — a  theatrical 
department,  a  fashion  department,  sport- 
ing, secret  societies,  and  even  a  gossip 
department.  These  kinds  of  writing 
have  afforded  many  opportunities  for 
the  invasion  of  women,  who  have  shown 
special  aptitude  for  certain  of  these  posi- 
tions, notably  the  theatrical,  the  artistic, 
the  fashion  and  gossip  departments.  A 
quick,  bright  humor  and  readable  style  are 
the  chief  requisites  to  these  writers,  and 
render  them  valuable  in  their  special  lines. 

Thus  we  must  make  a  distinction  right 
here  between  this  writing  to  order,  which 
is  to  fill  this  demand  of  the  popular  press, 
and  the  creative  writing,  which  is  born  of 
a  human  soul  who  feels  she  has  a  tale  to 
tell — a  tale  she  must  tell  whether  the  world 
will  hear  or  not.  She  may  give  to  the 
world  a  masterpiece — a  mono-poem — one 
which  brings  the  tears  to  the  eye,  a  throb 
to  the  heart,  one  which  will  still  live  long 
after  she  is  resting  upon  the  breast  of 
Mother  Earth,  but  which  will  not  bring  to 
her  the  bread  to  keep  her  alive.  Litera- 
ture as  a  profession  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  this.  For  a  well-conducted 
theatrical  department,  a  woman  may  earn 
sufficient  to  keep  herself,  and,  in  some 
cases,  her  fatherless  children,  nicely  fed 
and  clothed,  varying  in  peculiar  cases  from 
ten  to  twenty-five  dollars  a  week.  For  the 
supervision  of  a  periodical,  editing  and 
contributing,  some  women  receive  from 
two  to  three  and  four  thousand  dollars  a 
year.  This  highest  sum  is  received  by 
Miss  Mary  L.  Booth  of  Harpers'  Bazar, 
and  a  similar  sum  by  Mrs.  Mary  Mapes 
Dodge  of  St.  Nicholas,  while  Mrs.  Ella 
Farran  receives  three  thousand  as  part 
owner  of  Wide-Awake.  These  are  excep- 
tional cases,  however,  and  in  each  one  the 
position  has  been  created  by  the  incum- 
bent. 

In  the  same  way,  those  who  obtain  large 
sums  for  novel-writing,  or  the  producing  of 
books  of  travel  or  essays,  or  even  Sunday 
School  literature,  each  one  has  had  to 
create  her  own  demand  before  she  has 
obtained    her    place    among    the    ranks. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA, 


257 


Publishers  do  not  publish  books,  or  carry 
on  their  business  for  the  fun  of  it,  any 
more  than  any  other  business  man.  A 
thorough,  earnest  student,  once  prepared 
himself  for  a  professorship,  and  wrote  to  a 
prominent  professor  to  ask  how  it  would 
be  possible  to  secure  such  a  position, 
finally.  The  professor  was  a  man  of 
brains,  rather  than  heart.  He  was  per- 
fectly safe  in  his  reply,  "  Get  a  reputation 
and  personal  influence."  And  this  is  a 
life-work  in  itself. 

So  in  literature,  a  reputation  stands  as 
the  first  requisite  for  those  who  wish  to 
write  books,  or  gain  large  sums  of  money. 

Lesser  positions,  however,  are  to  be 
found  in  every  city  of  a  similar,  though 
smaller,  nature,  every  journal  of  any  im- 
portance having  two  or  more  women 
employed  in  these  special  lines  of  literary 
work,  already  mentioned.  In  San  Fran- 
cisco, there  are  some  eight  or  ten  ladies 
specially  engaged  in  department  work, 
notably,  Mrs.  Joseph  Austin,  the  "  Betsey 
B,"  of  the  Argonaut,  Mrs.  Unger,  of  the 
Chronicle  and  San  Franciscan,  Mrs.  Flora 
Haines  Apponyi  of  the  Chronicle  and 
Alta,  as  well  as  San  Franciscan,  Miss 
Millicent  Shinn,  editor  of  the  Overland 
Monthly,  Mrs.  Annie  Lake  Townsend, 
the  Misses  Lake  of  the  Call  and  Argonaut, 
Mrs.  Avery  of  the  Rural  Press, 
Mrs.  Chretien  of  the  Examiner,  and  Mrs. 
Fronia  Waite  of  the  San  Franciscan, 
most  of  whom  have  no  special  identity, 
but  the  greater  portion  of  whose  work  is 
daily  and  weekly  swallowed  up  in  the  per- 
sonality of  the  paper,  upon  which  they  are 
engaged. 

Some  very  remarkable  writing  has  been 
done  in  these  special  lines.  It  has  been 
said  of  Mrs. Unger,  "She  has  lifted  a  fashion 
department  up  to  a  dignity  it  never  pos- 
sessed before,  while  as  an  art  critic  she  is 
not  surpassed." 

It  is  conceded  by  those  who  know,  that 
Mrs.  Austin's  department  of  theatrical 
criticism  is  handled  in  a  masterly  manner. 
Mrs.  Apponyi  is  particularly  happy  in  a 
descriptive  articles  of  libraries,  art-collec- 
tions and  in  local  sketches,  besides  possess- 
ing a  gift  in  story-writing.  The  Lake 
sisters  are  all  gifted,  and  bring  to  the 
finish  of  their  work,  whatever  it  may  be, 
either  art  or  musical  criticism,  or  the  realm 
of  story-writing,  the  results    of  the  highest 


cultivation.  One  of  the  latest  additions 
to  the  number,  is  Mrs.  Fronia  Waite,  who 
in  her  department,  "Woman's  Realm," 
in  the  San  Franciscan,  has  shown  that  the 
peaceful  invader  believes  that  women 
should  be  fed  on  something  beside  husks. 
And  an  Eastern  magazine,  called  "Good 
Houskeeping,  "published  at  MountHolyoke 
has  reprinted  a  column  containing  the 
pearls  culled  from  this  particular  depart- 
ment as  worthy  of  special  notice,  besides 
addressing  her  personally  to  become  a 
contributor  to  their  publication. 

This  is  the  bright  side  to  the  picture, 
but  there  is  another  as  well.  A  woman 
with  a  clever  gift  in  character-writing,  with 
humorous  and  refined  flashes  of  wit,  is 
pressed  into  service,  writing  up  a  fashion 
department  or  theatrical  gossip,  in  one  of 
our  daily  journals,  where  for  a  good 
salary,  she  grinds  out  the  stuff  required,  so 
much  per  week,  without  regard  to  the 
after-effects  or  even  dangerous  conse- 
quences. The  result  is  a  tired  brain — 
forced  work— and  a  hatred  for  the  realm 
of  literature.  A  most  charming  little  wo- 
man thus  engaged,  said  to  me  the  other 
day,  ^  I  wish  I  could  see  my  way  out  of  the 
writing  business.  The  first  luxury  I  should 
treat  myself  to,  would  be  to  buy  a  gallon 
of  ink,  for  the  pleasure  of  pouring  it  into 
the  Bay." 

And  in  no  profession  is  there  such  ner- 
vous prostration,  and  breaking  down  of  the 
system,  as  that  which  makes  ceaseless  de- 
mand upon  hand  and  brain.  Sometimes  the 
hand  weakens  with  pen-paralysis,  and  with 
loss  of  situation  staring  her  in  the  face, 
she  must  learn  a  new  method  of  using  the 
pen,  perhaps  become  left-handed.  Some- 
times the  brain  refuses  to  be  coaxed  into 
considering  the  frivolities  and  caprices  of 
the  world  of  fashion  or  of  the  drama  or  of 
gossip,  and  it  must  be  forced  and  goaded 
by  such  means  as  make  dish-washing 
appear  to  be  a  species  of  fancy  work,  and 
by  comparison,  a  positive  pleasure  and 
delight. 

These  modern  cases  where  it  becomes  a 
burden — where  the  writer  is  denied  the 
opportunity  of  expansion  and  compelled  to 
remain  in  restricted  limits — show  a  certain 
similarity  to  the  fate  of  the  original  invader 
into  the  realm  of  literature. 

Macaulay  inveighs  against  the  short- 
sighted policy  which  led  Miss   Burney  to 


258 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


accept  the  position  of  waiting  maid  to  the 
queen  as  a  great  honor — to  spend  years  of 
her  life  in  tying  the  bows  and  caring  for 
the  laces  of  her  majesty,  and  standing  by 
the  hour  in  her  presence — a  course  which 
not  only  ruined  her  health,  but  dwarfed 
and  ruined  her  natural  powers.  And  so 
with  these  of  her  talented  sisters  in  jour- 
nalism. 

They  are  doomed  to  the  tying  of  the 
bows  and  caring  for  the  laces  of  fashion, 
than  whom  exists  no  more  imperious 
queen.  They  are  condemned  to  a  con- 
stant bowing  and  curtesying  to  the  public, 
to  keep  in  her  good  graces,  and  they  come 
out  from  it,  broken  and  jaded  in  spirit  and 
health,  receiving  nothing  more  than  did 
poor  Miss  Burney  in  exchange  for  all  this 
fine  work  of  brain  and  hand  ;  merely  food, 
clothing  and  lodging  and  an  ungracious 
dismissal. 

These  are  some  of  the  defects  of  the 
'  department  system.  It  reduces  a  human 
being  to  a  mere  machine,  through  which 
the  required  thoughts  are  ground  out.  Not 
long  ago  I  met  such  an  individual,  and  he 
did  not  seem  a  human  being,  to  such  per- 
fection had  he  come  under  this  system.  He 
had  no  knowledge  of  anything  not  relating 
to  his  special  line.  He  had  ceased  to  think 
upon  anything  except  the  subjects  for 
which  he  was  paid  to  think.  His  hand 
trembled,  his  eyes  were  weak ;  he  repeated 
my  words  with  an  aimless  repetition.  I 
referred  to  some  writing  he  had  done  in 
his  youth,  a  story  I  had  seen  in  the  old 
files  of  the  Golden  Era  away  back  in 
i860.  An  inane  smile  lighted  up  his  in- 
distinct countenance  for  an  instant.  Then 
a  look  of  fear  followed. 

"  Sh  ! — "  he  whispered,  looking  around 
him,  "  I — I  don't  do  that  kind  of  work  any 
more.  I  have  charge  of  such  and  such  a 
department.  It  is  too  late — too  late.  The 
dreams  of  my  youth — what  I  once  hoped 
— "  He  seemed  dazed.  Then  recovering 
himself,  said,  "  Have  you  seen  my  last 
criticism  on  the  "History  of  Diction- 
aries ?  " 

It  was  pitiful.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
there  was  a  railroad  track  through  his  brain 
on  just  one  subject,  and  that  all  else  was 
either  desert  or  brambles.  But  there  is 
something  in  a  woman's  nature  that  would 
make  her  either  die  or  go  insane  before 
reaching  such  a  condition  as  this,  and  in- 


stead of  an  end,  I  believe  that  many  of 
them  can  make  these  department  positions 
merely  stepping  stones  to  something  higher. 
Another  galling  point  in  literature  as  a 
profession  for  woman  is  the  limitation  with 
which  all  attempts  to  do  enthusiastic  work 
is  surrounded.  At  first  a  woman  writes 
with  her  whole  soul,  and  throws  in  many 
beautifying  touches.  She  views  her  work 
as  a  labor  of  love.  Now,  space  is  the 
criterion  of  modern  literary  prowess,  and 
she  soon  finds  that  her  article  is  chopped 
off  in  the  middle  without  regard  to  reason. 
An  ordinary  descriptive  sketch  will  stand 
this  sort  of  treatment,  and  no  one  will  be 
the  wiser  ;  but  a  story-writer  has  to  become 
philosophical,  and  measure  out  her  paper 
before  she  begins,  if  she  does  not  want  to 
be  astonished  when  it  appears  in  print. 

Another  point  still  more  serious  is  the 
absolute  power  of  editor  or  publisher  in 
the  changing  of  a  writer's  plot  to  suit  his 
particular  ideal.  It  is  said  that  authors  of 
prominence,  even  those  who  have  scored  a 
success  in  literature,  cannot  give  free  utter- 
ance to  their  artistic  conceptions  in  the 
books  they  write,  without  fear  of  their  pub- 
lishers. 

In  her  novel,  entitled,  "  Through  One 
Administration,"  it  is  said  that  Mrs.  Fran- 
cis Hodgson  Burnett  was  compelled  to 
re-write  the  conclusion  three  times  in  order 
to  please  the  editor  of  the  Century,  and 
when  her  readers  reached  the  end,  they 
felt,  one  and  all,  that  some  jugglery  had 
been  done,  it  was  so  inartistic  and  un- 
worthy of  the  opening  chapters.  The  same 
thing  was  done  in  the  otherwise  noble 
book,  entitled  "Anne,"  by  Constance 
P'enimore  Woolsen.  Fresh  and  bright  as 
it  originally  stood,  it  was  a  charming  story 
of  a  young  girl,  but  the  powers-that-were 
thought  the  pages  required  a  sensation,  so 
returned  it  to  her,  with  the  result  of  having 
a  murder  introduced  which  jarred  upon 
every  one,  it  seemed  so  terribly  forced,  and 
ruined  the  artistic  quality  of  the  book  as  a 
pleasant  study. 

In  this  we  see  the  same  spirit  at  work 
that  ruined  Frances  Burney's  later  works. 
She  was  surrounded  by  a  learned  coterie 
who  were  unpleasantly  wise,  and  set  a 
fashion  of  their  own  of  using  a  Latinized- 
English  dialect,  which  they  considered  the 
acme  of  elegant  diction,  but  which,  in  his 
day,  Macauley  pronounced  to  be   "  simply 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


259 


detestable."  She  became  infected  with  the  in  comment  upon  the  three-volume  novel 
mannerism  of  the  day,  and  lost  the  delight-  he  had  just  written,  "  If  I  had  had  the  time 
ful  simplicity  of  language  which  was  her  I  should  have  made  it  a  short  story." 
chief  charm,  and  took  on  this  "  detestable  Mrs.  Harriet  Prescott  Spofford  has 
dialect "  which  so  obscured  the  sense  that  stood  at  the  head  of  short  story  writers  for 
her  subsequent  books  were  almost  unread-  twenty  years,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  one 
able.  has   arisen   to  compete  with  her.     Upon 

While  there  is  much  to  be  gained  from  our  own  coast  we  have  a  school  of  short 
contact  with  intellectual  giants,  their  story  writers  coming  to  the  front,  among 
methods  are  not  always  the  best  adapted  whom  are  the  Lake  Sisters,  Flora  Haines 
to  mortals  under  their  size,  who  may  be  Apponyi,  Mrs.  Emma  Frances  Dawson, 
much  swifter  and  quicker  in  smaller  cir-  and  others,  who  all  write  Yda  Addis  and 
cles,  and  the  compiler  of  a  dictionary  who  with  great  strength  and  clearness, 
may  be  successful  enough  in  his  field  is  There  needs  to  be  a  certain  brightness, 
scarcely  fitted  to  advise  a  woman  who  is  compactness  and  crystallization  of  purpose 
writing  a  novel,  nor  is  the  editor  of  a  sue-  in  a  short  story  which  cannot  be  achieved 
cessful  periodical,  merely  because  he  is  a  by  an  amateur  at  the  trade, 
successful  editor,  any  better  adapted  to  Good  short  stories  find  a  market  at 
know  what  is  the  real  artistic  finish  to  the  Christmas  time  on  our  coast  at  from  ten 
plot  and  characters  conceived  by  the  busy  to  twenty-five  dollars,  according  to  desir- 
brain  of  a  woman  who  loves  her  work.  ability  and  the  fame  of  the  writer.     And 

Imagine  Dr.  Johnson  advising  our  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  that  the  new 
Louisa  Alcott  how  to  write  her  delightful  fashion  is  to  write  under  one's  own  name, 
stories — I  am  afraid  we  should  have  had  retaining  one's  individuality,  for,  in  course 
no  delicious  "J°"  with  all  her  crudities  and  of  time,  a  name  comes  to  have  a  commer- 
naive  expressions,    while  "the  little   wom-  cial  value. 

en  "  would  have  strutted  around  in  their  With  a  limited  amount  of  experience  in 
grandfather's  coats  and  wigs  and  specta-  journalism,  a  coming  in  contact  with  type 
cles.  and  printer's    ink,  a    woman    gains   more 

Each  writer  should  have  a  tale  of  her  thorough  education  in  practical  methods  of 
own  to  tell,  fresh  and  uncontaminated  by  writing,  in  terseness,  and  the  realities  of 
any  other  spring.  The  imitating  of  books  life  than  in  a  whole  lifetime  studying 
and  characters  already  in  existence,  is  books.  And  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why 
an  unnecessary  task.  Originality  is  the  MSS.  sent  in  by  fairly  intelligent  people 
ring  that  tells  the  counterfeit  from  the  real  are  so  often  unavailable,  they  are  uncon- 
gold  or  silver  in  literature.  scionably  long,  didactic,  and  without    one 

x\t  the  same  time  the  woman  who  is  en-  touch  of  human  nature, 
dowed     with      the    artistic    quality,    with        The  amateur  who  longs  for   the  bitters 
brightness  of  style  and  analysis  of  charac-  and  sweets  of  a  literary  life,  had  best  make 
ter  may    find  many  opportunities    for  the   friends  with  an  editor  or  the  friend  of  an 
development   of  her  powers  in    common, 
ordinary  newspaper  work,  and  in  the  learn- 
ing of  her  art,  provided  it  is  not  made  a 
burden. 


editor,  and  obtain  permission  to  practice 
on  his  paper.  If  no  other  way  opens,  it 
might  be  a  good  idea  to  save  the  editor's 
life  in  order  to  obtain  the  coveted  permis- 


The  short  story  writer  occupies  a  charm-  sion.     Nothing  less  will  open  the  columns 

ing  field — one  which  is  the  most  attractive  of  some  of  our  papers  and  magazines  to  a 

in  all  the  literature  of  the  present.     There  new-comer. 

is  a  certain  demand  for  short  stories  which        An  extraordinary  woman   may  be  able 

makes  them-  seem  all  the  more  attractive,  to  write  well  without  this    process,  but  the 

and  leading  many  to  take  up  the  pen  who  average,  ordinary  woman  of  promise,  with 

vainly  imagine  that  it  must  be  the  easiest  some  liftle  talent,    and    a    great   desire  to 

thing  in  the  world,   and  this  accounts  for  achieve  fame,  will   find   that  there    is   no 

much  of  the  stuff  we  see  in  print.     But  on  other  road  to  the  charmed  circle.     She  will 

the  contrary,  short  story  writing  is  as  sure-  even  find  that  personal    influence  is  more 

ly   a  gift    as  verse    writing    or    any  other  powerful  than  positive    genius,  and  will  be 

species  of  literature.     A  certain  man  said  enabled  by  means  of  it  to  snatch  many  a 


26o 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


little  crumb   away  from    the  more    gifted. 

George  Eliot  passed  through  a  long  and 
arduous  experience  of  magazine  editing 
and  writing,  and  did  not  produce  her  first 
novel  till  she  was  thirty-seven  years  of  age. 
The  roses  of  fulfillment  were  long  in  com- 
ing, but  they  were  far  more  finished,  per- 
fected roses  than  those  that  bloom  on  the 
early  developed  tree. 

There  are  many  things  a  woman  dis- 
covers in  a  newspaper  life.  The  greatest 
is  that  two  things  are  necessary  to  becom- 
ing a  writer — the  first :  to  have  something 
to  say,  next:  to  know  "how  to  say  it,  and 
sometimes  she  discovers  that  the  latter  is 
considered  the  more  important  of  the  two. 

And  it  is  true,  also,  of  oratory.  How 
often  we  have  been  charmed  by  the  man 
who  speaks  with  a  silver  tongue,  and  after- 
wards have  wondered  what  it  was  all 
about,  while  often  the  man  who  has  some- 
thing great  to  say,  obscures  and  dims  it  all 
by  not  knowing  how  to  say  it.  But  the 
joining  of  the  two  makes  the  finished  ora- 
tor as  well  as  the  finished  writer. 

Another  great  lesson  is  that  which  wo- 
men do  not  easily  learn — the  lesson  of 
brevity,  the  lesson  of  silence  even.  This 
is  one  of  the  chief  obstacles  to  woman's 
success  in  invading  the  territory  of  man. 
Whatever  her  instincts,  her  artistic  quali- 
ties, her  intuition's,  she  does  love  to  talk! 
and  sometimes  selects  the  busiest  hour, 
when  each  sixty  seconds  represent  a  dia- 
mond moment. 

Woman  is  naturally  undisciplined,  and 
cannot  see  why  she  should  not  take  prec- 
edence of  business  matters,  merely  because 
she  is  a  woman.  It  is  not  her  fault ;  she 
has  been  trained  to  expect  it;  but  the  fact 
is,  that  while  the  literary  work  of  many  of 
our  women  is  desirable  and  greeted  with 
pleasure  by  the  expectant  editor,  their 
presence  is  not  always  so. 

Consequently,  for  a  woman  to  be  re- 
ceived with  real  pleasure  by  an  editor, 
she  ought  to  have  saved  his  life,  or  have 
done  him  some  tremendous  favor  in  order 
that  he  may  not  be  wishing  to  Heaven 
that  she  would  take  an  early  departure. 
However,  as  a  rule,  editors  and  newspaper 
men  are  the  most  courteous,  the  kindest, 
most  obliging  of  all  classes  of  men,  espec- 
ially when  we  take  into  consideration  the 
awful  trials  they  are  compelled  to  endure. 
An  editor's  office   is   the    natural    rendez- 


vous for  all  the  wild  cranks  and  partially  in- 
sane creatures  in  the  community. 

Think  of  a  wild-eyed  poet  bringing  in  a 
thousand  lines  of  poetry,  entitled,  "  To 
the  Universe,"  and  insisting  on  reading  it 
to  the  unfortunate  editor  in  his  den,  and 
assuring  him  that  he  has  still  two  thousand 
more  to  read  when  he  has  finished  the  first 
installment.  It  is  not  much  wonder  that 
an  editor  gets  to  viewing  each  newcomer 
with  a  doubtful  expression  of  countenance, 
not  knowing  what  sort  of  new  human  being 
is  about  to  spring  upon  him. 

In  this  personal  contact  with  type  and 
printer's  ink,  women  also  learn  that  they 
cannot  take  precedence  of  all  things  else, 
that  the  printing  press  waits  for  no  woman, 
and  only  the  other  day,  a  bright  young 
woman,  who  has  worked  her  way,  sLep  by 
step,  from  the  type-font  to  the  editing  of  a 
department,  said  tonie:  "Oh,  yes!  I  find 
that  the  more  obscure  I  make  myself,  the 
better  it  is  for  me.  Men  don't  like  to  feel 
that  a  woman  is  around  when  they  are 
busy  at  their  work,  and  so  I  dress  plainly 
and  keep  all  the  rustle  oiit  of  my  skirts 
that  I  possibly  can." 

A  woman  soon  learns  that  her  natural 
exactions  in  regard  to  drawing-room  eti- 
quette in  a  printing  office  are  very  decidedly 
in  the  way  of  acquiring  business  methods, 
and  without  business  sagacity  in  this  day 
and  generation,  women  might  as  well  real- 
ize that  their  invasion  will  not  be  a  suc- 
cess. 

Common  sense  is  at  the  root  of  all  the 
success  of  to-day,  and  without  it  we  are 
left  behind  in  the  race. 

The  need  of  woman  preparing  herself 
for  the  profession  of  literature  cannot  be 
doubted,  but  there  is  another  form  that 
presents  itself  as  a  goddess  that  has 
touched  the  earth  lightly.  It  is  that  of  the 
extraordinary  woman,  who  shall  develop 
in  the  darkened  silence  of  her  own  four 
walls,  who  shall  feel  in  her  own  soul  throes 
of  mental  agony  in  the  tale  she  has  to  tell, 
the  offspring  born  of  her  soul  and  brain, 
and  arrayed  in  classical  garments — why 
should  we  not  look  forward  to  producing 
one  such  woman  in  all  our  glorious  fruit- 
age of  this  fair  land  of  ours — why  should 
we  yield  to  this  hard  age  and  refuse  her 
even  an  ideal  existence?. 

Inspiration  still  lives,  far  and  above  all 
this  machinery  and  study  of  supply  and  de- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


261 


mand;   the  creative    instinct    still    exists,        She  will  need  no   other    aids    or    helps 

lofty  and  pure  of  heart,  not  caring  for  food  than  her  own  heaven-born  genius,  and  lit- 

or   drink;  and  some   day.  Inspiration   and  erature  will  be  to  her,  not  a  profession,  but 

Creative  Instinct  will  arise  and  from  some  merely  a  voice! 
woman's  tongue  speak  forth.  Ella  Sterling  Cummins. 


THE  SILK  WORM  DISEASE. 


Louis  Pastuer  made  many  investigations, 
during  his  life  into  the  various  forms  of  the 
disease  of  the  silk  worm.  In  a  book  upon 
his  life  and  labors,  occurs  this  experiment : 

One  of  the  first  cares  of  Pasteur  was  to 
settle  the  question  as  to  the  contagion  of 
the  disease.  Many  hypothesis  had  been 
formed  regarding  this  contagion,  but  few 
experiments  had  been  made,  and  none  of 
them  were  decisive.  Opinions  were  also 
very  much  divided.  Some  considered 
that  contagion  was  certain ;  the  majority, 
however,  either  doubted  or  denied  its  ex- 
istence ;  some  considered  that  accidental. 
It  was  said,  for  example,  that  the  evil  was  not 
contagious  by  itself,  but  that  it  became  so 
through  the  presence  and  complications  of 
other  diseases  which  were  themselves  con- 
tagious. This  hypothesis  was  convenient, 
and  it  enabled  contradictory  facts  to  be  ex- 
plained. If  some  persons  had  seen  healthy 
worms,  which  had  been  mixed  up  either  by 
mistake  or  intention  with  sickly  ones,  per- 
ish, and  if  they  insisted  on  contagion,  others 
forthwith  replied  by  diametrically  opposite 
observations. 

But  whatever  the  divergence  of  opinion 
might  be,  every  one  at  all  events  believed 
in  the  existence  of  a  poisonous  medium 
rendered  epidemic  by  some  occult  influ- 
euce.  Pastuer  soon  succeded,  by  accurate 
experiments,  in  proving  obsolutely  that  the 
evil  was  contagious. 

•  One  of  the  first  experiments  was  as  fol- 
lows. After  their  first  moulting,  he  took 
some  very  sound  worms  free  from  corpus- 
cles, and  feed  them  with  corpusculous  mat- 
ter, which  he  prepared  in  the  following  sim- 
ple manner.  He  pounded  up  a  silkworm 
in  a  little  water,  and  passed  a  paint-brush 
dipped  in  this  liquid  over  the  whole  sur- 
face of  the  leaves.  During  several  days 
there  was  not  the  least  appearence  of  dis- 


ease in  the  worms  fed  on  those  leaves; they 
reached  their  second  moulting  at  the  same 
time  as  the  standard  worms  which  had  not 
been  infected.  The  second  moulting  was 
accomplished  without  any  drawback.  This 
was  a  proof  that  all  the  worms,  those  in- 
fected as  well  as  the  standard  lot,  had  taken 
the  same  amount  of  nourishment.  The 
parasite  was  apparently  not  present.  Mat- 
ters remained  in  this  state  for  some  days 
longer.  Even  the  third  moulting  was  got 
through  without  any  marked  difference 
between  the  two  groups  of  worms.  But 
soon  important  changes  set  in.  The  cor- 
puscles, which  had  hitherto  only  showed 
themselves  in  the  integuments  of  the  intes- 
tines, began  to  appear  in  the  other  organs. 
From  the  second  day  following  the  third 
moulting — that  is  to  say,  the  twelfth  after 
the  infection — a  visible  inequality  distin- 
guished the  infected  from  the  non-infected 
worms.  Those  of  the  standard  lot  were 
clearly  in  much  the  best  health.  On  ex- 
amining the  infected  worms  through  a 
magnifying  glass,  a  multitude  of  little  spots 
were  discovered  on  their  heads,  and  on  the 
rings  of  their  bodies,  which  had  not  before 
shown  themselves.  ^Phese  spots  appeared 
on  the  exterior  skin  when  tha  interior  skin 
of  the  intestinal  canal  contained  a  consid- 
erable number  of  corpuscles.  It  was  these 
corpuscles  that  impeded  the  digestive 
funtcions,  and  interferred  with  the  assimil- 
ations of  the  food.  Hence  arose  the  in- 
equality of  size  of  the  worms.  After  the 
fourth  moulting,  the  same  type  of  disease 
was  noticed  as  that  which  was  breaking  out 
everywhere  in  the  silkworm  nurseries,  es- 
pecially the  symptoms  of  spots  on  the  skin, 
which  had  led  to  the  disease  being 
called  pebrine.  The  peasants  said  that  the 
worms  were  peppered.  The  majority  of 
the  worms  were  full  of  corpuscles.  Those 
which  spun  their  cocoons  produced  chry- 


262 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


salides  which  were  nothing  but  corpuscul- 
ous  pulp,  if  such  a  term  be  allowed. 

It  was  thus  proved  that  the  corpuscules, 
introduced  into  the  intestinal  canal  at  the 
same  time  as  the  food  of  the  worms,  con- 
vey the  infection  into  the  intestinal  canal, 
and  progressively  into  all  the  tissues.  The 
malady  had  in  certain  cases  a  long  period 
of  incubation,  since  it  was  only  the  twelfth 
day  that  it  became  perceptible.  Finally, 
the  spots  of  pebrine  on  the  skin,  far  from 


being  the  disease  itself,  were  but  the  effect 
of  the  corpuscles  developed  in  the  interior; 
they  were  but  a  sign,  already  removed  from 
the  true  seat  of  the  evil.  "If  these  spots 
of  pebrine,"  thought  Pastuer,  "were consid- 
ered in  conjunction  with  certain  human 
maladies  in  which  spots  and  irruptions  ap- 
pear on  the  body,  what  interesting  induc- 
tions might  present  themselves  to  minds 
prepared  to  receive  them  !" 


THE  GOLDEN  GATE. 


Down  by  the  side-  of  the  Golden  Gate 

The  city  stands; 
Grimly,  and  solemn,  and  silent,  wait 

The  walls  of  land, 
Guarding  its  door,  as  a  treasure  fond; 
And  none  may  pass  to  the  sea  beyond, 
But  they  who  trust  to  the  king  of  fate, 
And  pass  through  the  Golden  Gate. 
The  ships  go  out  through  its  narrow  door, 
"White -sailed,  and  laden  with  precious  store — 
White-sailed,  and  laden  with  precious  freight, 
The  ships  come  back  through  the  Golden  Gate. 
The  sun  comes  up  o'er  the  Eastern  crest, 
The  sun  goes  down  in  the  golden  West, 
And  the  East  is  West,  and  the  West  is  East, 
And  the  sun  from  his  toil  of  day  released, 
Shines  back  through  the  Golden  Gate. 

Down  by  the  side  of  the  Golden  Gate — 

The  door  of  life, — 
Are  resting  our  cities,  sea-embowered. 
White-walled,  and  templed,  and  marble-towered- 

The  end  of  strife. 
The  ships  have  sailed  from  the  silent  walls, 
And  over  their  sailing  the  darkness  falls. 
O,  the  sea  is  so  dark,  and  so  deep,  and  wide! 
Will  the  ships  come  back  from  the  further  side? 
"Nay;  but  there  is  no  further  side," 
A  voice  is  whispering  across  the  tide, — 
**  Time,  itself,  is  a  circle  vast. 
Building  the  future  out  of  the  past; 


For  the  new  is  old,  and  the  old  is  new, 
And  the  true  is  false,  and  the  false  is  true, 
And  the  West  is  East,  and  the  East  is  West, 
And  the  sun  that  rose  o'er  the  Eastern  crest, 
Gone  down  in  the  West  of  his  circling  track, 
Forever,  and  ever,  is  shinmg  back 

Through  the  Golden  Gate  of  life." 

O  soul!  thy  city  is  standing  down 

By  its  Golden  Gate; 
Over  it  hangs  the  menacing  frown 

Of  the  king  of  fate. 
The  sea  of  knowledge  so  near  its  door. 
Is  rolling  away  to  the  further  shore — 

The  orient  side, — 
And  the  ocean  is  dark,  and  deep,  and  wide! 
But  thy  harbor,  O,  Soul!  is  filled  with  sails, 
Freighted  with  messages,  wonder  tales. 
From  the  lands  that  swing  in  the  sapphire  sky. 
Where  the  gardens  of  God  in  the  ether  lie. 
If  only  thy  blinded  eyes  could  see, 
If  only  thy  deaf-mute  heart  could  hear. 
The  ocean  of  knowledge  is  open  to  thee, 
And  its  Golden  Gate  is  near! 
For  the  dead  are  the   living — the  living  the  dead, 
And  out  of  the  darkness  the  light  is  shed; 
And  the  East  is  West,  and  the  West  is  East, 
And  the  sun  from  his  toil  of  day  released, 
Shines  back  through  the  Golden  Gate. 

Madge  Morris. 
[Reprint  from  Golden  Gate.] 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


263 


THE  RIGHTS  OF  MARRIED  WOMEN  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


To  ask  a  lawyer  to  write  something  on 
a  legal  subject  is  to  request  him  to  do , 
what  is  presumably  very  easy,  namely  "  to 
talk  shop,"  but  it  is  not  always  agreeable 
to  the  talker  or  entertaining  to  the  audi- 
ence. It  seems,  however,  in  this  instance, 
that  something  of  the  kind  is  required  as  a 
correlative  to  the  essay  on  the  rights  of 
married 'women  in  last  month's  issue  of 
this  magazine  :  hence  this  article. 

Law  is  a  dry  subject,  but  the  facts,  to 
which  it  is  applied,  are  ever  new,  ever  vary- 
ing and  the  most  interesting  thing  in  the 
practice  of  the  profession  is  the  adapta- 
tion of  the  various  remedies  afforded  by  the 
laws  of  a  highly  civilized  and  complex 
state  of  society  to  the  wrongs  complained 
of,  and  nothing  is  more  essential  than  that 
there  should  be,  so  nearly  as  may  be  pos- 
sible, uniformity  of  application,  and  of  de- 
cision. Hence  the  necessity  for  the  con- 
sultation of  a  line  of  decisions  or  authori- 
ties, in  order  to  apply  to  the  case  in  hand 
the  garnered  wisdom  of  the  ages. 

It  was  a  beautiful  conceit  of  the  an- 
cient Norsemen  that  the  god  of  justice, 
who  was  the  son  of  the  deity  of  light,  used 
to  hear  causes  by  the  fountain  of  Urda, 
which  signifies  the  Past. 

He  is  very  naturally  the  offspring  of  Light, 
because  justice  proceeds  from  illumination 
and  from  the  fountain  of  Urda — that  is, 
by  consulting  the  records  of  the  past — he 
acquires  experience. 

In  reference  to  the  matter  which  gives 
title  to  this  essay,  however,  the  Golden 
State  has  found  or  considered  that  there 
was  much  less  of  wisdom  and  justice  than 
there  was  of  oppression  and  wrong  in  the 
legal  ethics  of  our  ancestors. 

By  the  common  law  the  husband  ac- 
quired, by  virtue  of  the  matrimony,  the 
absolute  ownership  and  control  of  all  the 
wife's  personal  property,  when  once  re- 
duced to  possession.  He  was  entitled  to 
the  use  of  her  real  property  during  the  ex- 
istence of  the  marriage,  whether  acquired 
by  her  before  or  after  wedlock.  She  had 
merely  a  naked  ownership  of  it,  but  the 
husband,  if  he  survived  her,  had  a  life  es- 
tate therein,  provided  that  there  were  liv- 
ing issue  born  of  the  marriage. 


A  married  woman's  contracts  were  utter- 
ly void  ;  she  could  not  even  make  a  valid 
will. 

As  Mr.  Piatt  says  in  his  work  on  "The 
Property  Rights  of  Married  Women,"  "As 
the  cold  blasts  of  winter  stripped  the  trees 
of  their  fruit  and  the  branches  of  their  fo- 
liage, leaving  naught  but  a  naked  tree,  its 
life  dormant,  its  growth  arrested,  so  did 
the  marriage  ceremony  with  its  cold,  com- 
mon-law doctrines,  take  away  from  woman 
her  goods  and  chattels,  her  jewels,  her 
clothes,  her  earnings  and  the  rents  and 
profits  of  her  lands,  paralyze  her  power  to 
dispose  of  her  own,  by  will  or  by  deed, 
and  convert  her  from  a  being  that  could 
reason  into  a  legal  imbecile." 

This  was  done,  if  not  with  malice,  at 
least  with  intention  prepense. 

Lay  it  not  all  to  the  rudeness  and  harsh- 
ness of  our  ancestors ;  do  not  objurgate 
them  for  their  mjustice.  It  was  intended 
to  be  for  the  best.  Different  epochs  re- 
gard governmental  and  even  moral  prob- 
lems from  different  points  of  view. 

It  was  entirely  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  if  blame  is  due  to 
anything,  it  is  due  to  a  religion  which  had 
only  the  most  conscientious  ends  in  view ; 
it  considered  marriage  as  a  sacrament, 
and  in  order  to  render  it  indissoluble 
struggled  earnestly  to  merge  the  individu- 
ality of  the  wife  in  that  of  the  husband, 
and  to  constitute  of  them  the  social  unit ; 
it  was  its  intention  to  make  the  wife  com- 
pletely dependent  on  the  husband  and  to 
put  him  on  his  honor  and  tenderness  to- 
ward the  gentle  being  whose  life,  love,  and 
destiny  were  committed  to  his  hands. 
Where  there  was  not  equality  there  could 
not  be  competition  or  contest,  and  let  the 
records  of  the  ages  tell  if  it  did  not  con- 
duce to  marital  felicity  ! 

But  we  have  new  lights  now.  Under 
the  laws  of  California,  Texas  and  Nevada, 
marriage  is  merely  a  legal  partnership, 
virtually  dissoluble  at  will. 

It  is  a  new  experiment;  we  are  trying  it ; 
the  result  is  one  divorce  to  every  three  or 
four  weddings.  This  may  be  for  the  best ; 
at  all  events  we  shall  see  if  we  live  long 
enough. 


264 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


For  the  introduction  of  this  we  are  in- 
debted to  the  Spanish-Mexican  system  of 
law.  Like  the  Northern  conquerors  of  the 
dismantled  Roman  Empire  the  pioneers 
of  our  State  in  this  respect  adopted  the 
laws  of  the  conquered,  because  they  ac- 
corded so  thoroughly  with  that  spirit  of 
chivalry  which  characterized  our  Argo- 
nauts, causing  them  to  consider  woman 
as  very,  very  little  lower  than  the  angels, 
and  prompted  them  to  fall  in  with  a  sys- 
tem which  seemed  so  thoroughly  imbued 
with  a  high  spirit  of  courtesy  towards  that 
gentle  and  amiable  sex.  These  laws  would 
certainly  commend  themselves  to  anyone 
for  their  equitable  and  humane  features, 
so  far,  apparently,  in  advance  of  the  pro- 
visions of  the  common  law.  The  people 
from  whom  we  borrowed  them,  however, 
escape  all  evil  consequences  by  favoring 
in  every  way  the  formation  of  the  legal 
partnership  and  then  entirely  forbidding 
its  dissolution. 

The  common  law  frowned  upon  the  idea 
of  a  partnership,  effected  a  complete  mer- 
ger and  also  forbade  disunion. 

We  have  rejected  the  merger,  accepted 
the  partnership,  and    allowed  dissolution. 

It  will  take  time  to  ascertain  which 
plan  embraces  the  greatest  good  for  the 
greatest  number. 

It  has  been  the  singular  fortune  of  the 
Civil  Law  of  Pagan  (Roman)  origin  to 
introduce  into  the  rigid  system  of  our  fore- 
fathers— like  homoepathy  into  the  science 
of  medicine — almost  everything  that  has 
rendered  it  merciful  and  humane.  From 
it  the  "better  half "  of  the  science,  our 
system  of  Equity  Jurisprudence,  was  trans- 
planted. It  breathed  the  soul  of  life  into 
it,  and  then,  and  then  alone,  did  it  attain 
to  the  statue  and  dignity  of  a  complete  sys- 
tem, one  that  was  worthy  of  a  race  which 
is  hereafter  to  control  the  destiny  of  man- 
kind. 

Let  us  try  briefly  to  sum  up  without  go- 
ing too  extensively  into  details,  some  of  the 
ramifications  of  the  California  marital  par- 
nership. 

The  Constitution  provides  that  "all 
property,  real  and  personal,  owned  by 
either  husband  or  wife  before  marriage, 
and  that  acquired  by  either  of  them  after- 
wards by  gift,  devise  or  descent,  shall  be 
their  separate  property,"  and  the  Code 
adds,   "  with  the   rents,  issues,  arid  profits 


thereof.  The  wife  may,  without  the  con- 
sent of  her  husband,  convey  her  separate 
property."     (Civ.  Code,  sec.  162.) 

"All  other  property  acquired  after  mar- 
riage is  community  property."  (Civ.  Code, 
sec.  164.) 

All  property  acquired  or  held  by  the 
husband  under  similar  circumstances  is 
his  separate  property. 

Of  this  the  husband  has  the  manage- 
ment and  control  except  that  he  can  only 
dispose  of  half  of  it  by  will,  the  other  half 
descending  regularly  to  the  wife.  • 

The  presumption  is,  with  respect  to  all 
property  acquired  by  either  spouse  after 
marriage  that  it  is  community  property, 
so  that  if  the  wife  has  acquired  after  mar- 
riage anything  in  such  a  way  as  to  con- 
stitute it  hers  alone,  she  should  take  im- 
mediate means  in  one  of  the  ways  allowed 
by  law,  (which  it  would  occupy  too  much 
space  to  detail  here)  to  have  it  put  on 
record  as  such,  otherwise  it  can  be  seized 
for  the  debts  of  the  husband. 

As  such  facts  and  means  as  these  are 
peculiarly  within  the  power  of  the  pro- 
perty owners,  the  law  throws  upon  them 
the  burden  of  rebutting  the  presumption 
of  common  ownership. 

The  world  cannot  know  what  the  in- 
dividual and  separate  rights  of  the  spouses, 
are  unless  notified  thereof  by  the  record 
means  which  the  laws  provide. 

"Either  husband  or  wife  may  enter  into- 
any  engagement  or  transaction  with  the 
other,  or  with  any  other  person,  respect- 
ing pro])erty  which  either  might  if  unmar- 
ried, subject  in  transactions  between  them- 
selves, to  the  general  rules  which  control 
the  actions  of  persons  occupying  confiden- 
tial relations  with  each  other  as  defined  by 
the  Title  on  Trusts. "  (Civil  Code,  sec.  1 5  8). 

The  following  provisions  of  our  law,  so 
unlike  those  of  the  Common  Law,  are  of 
interest: 

"The  earnings  of  the  wife  are  not  liable 
for  the  debts  of  the  husband. 

The  earnings  and  accumulations  of  the 
wife  and  of  her  minor  children  living  with 
her  or  in  her  custody,  while  she  is  living 
separate  from  her  husband,  are  the  separ- 
ate property  of  the  wife."  (Civil  Code, 
sees.  168  and  169). 

The  following  is  a  provision  conceived 
in  the  highest  spirit  of  humanity  and  equity, 
and  should  be  generally  known,  (sec.  174.) 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


265 


"If  the  husband  neglect  to  make  ade- 
quate provision  for  the  support  of  his  wife, 
except  in  those  cases  mentioned  in  the  next 
section  (which  includes  cases  of  her  being 
in  fault  for  leaving  him)  any  other  person 
may,  in  good  faith,  supply  her  with  the 
articles  necessary  for  her  support,  and  re- 
cover the  reasonable  value  thereof  from  the 
husband." 

A  married  woman  may  sue  alone  when 
the  action  concerns  her  separate  property, 
or  her  right  or  claim  to  the  homestead 
property ;  when  the  action  is  between  her- 
self and  her  husband  she  may  sue  or  be 
sued  alone,  so  also  when  she  is  living  sep- 
arate and  apart  from  her  husband  by 
reason  of  his  desertion  of  her,  or  by  agree- 
ment in  writing  entered  into  between  them. 

A  married  woman  can  become  a  sole 
trader  by  making  proper  application  to  the 
Superior  Court,  but  it  must  be  only  in  case 
of  insufficient  support  from  her  husband, 
and  in  her  petition  -she  must  explain  why 
she  does  not  demand  a  divorce  from  him. 
She  can  say,  if  she  wishes,  that  she  is  too 
fond  of  him  for  that,  or  anything  of  the 
kind,  but  she  must  set  up  business  upon 
her  own  separate  means,  except  that  she 
may  have  $500  from  the  community  prop- 
erty, or  from  her  husband.  These  provis- 
ions are  for  the  protection  of  the  creditors 
of  the  family. 

A  married  woman  cannot  be  an  admin- 
istratrix or  executrix.  That  would  be 
practically  to  appoint  her  husband. 

Marriage  divests  her  of  those  functions, 
if  she  exercises  them  before:  it  also  revokes 
her  will;  if  she  desire  to  have  it  valid  she 
must  execute  it  anew. 

The  wife   retains    perfect   control    over 


the  incumbering  or  conveyance  of  the 
homestead,  when  once  set  apart,  because 
the  husband  cannot  control  it  in  these  re- 
spects without  the  co-operation  of  the  wife, 
executing  and  acknowledging  with  him  the 
proper  instrument. 

These,  then,  are  the  principle  legal 
rights  of  married  women  in  California. 

They  constitute  an  attempt  to  effect  per- 
fect equality  between  husband  and  wife,  in 
the  matter  of  property  rights. 

They  put  woman  upon  her  mettle  and 
upon  her  honor.  With  enlarged  rights 
and  perfect  equality  come  additional 
duties — the  duty  of  not  attempting  to  set 
herself  up  as  a  competitor  to,  and  a  rival 
of  man ;  the  duty  of  forbearance  and  self- 
control,  so  that  the  marriage  state  in  which 
the  whole  community  is  deeply  interested, 
may  not  go  to  ruin.  Our  Constitution 
and  laws  will  need  and  receive  reconstruc- 
tion if  it  prove  that  the  parties  individually 
interested  are  not  alive  to  their  duties  and 
grave  responsibilities,  as  well  as  to  their  le- 
gal rights. 

Our  system  is  on  trial  and  if  the  out- 
come shall  be  that  it  is  ruinous  to  that  re- 
lation upon  which  the  home  is  founded 
and  society  is  constituted,  then  with  that 
practical  intelligence  which  has  never  yet 
allowed  a  civilization  founded  by  it  to  go 
to  decay,  our  race — even  as  it  exists  here 
on  the  Golden  Coast,  will  take  the  prob- 
lem in  hand,  and  its  solution  will  involve 
the  destruction  of  whatever  is  injurious  to 
society  and  the  substitution  in  its  place  of 
some  system  which  will  be  conducive  to 
the  purity  and  integrity  of  the  social  state. 
Adley  H.  Cummins. 


MY    NASTURTIUM. 

In  thy  little  dress  of  red, 
Thou'rt  a  fairy  princess  bred. 

Every  movement  of  the  wind. 
Sends  thee  dancing,  swaying, — 

Like  the  princes  of  the  Ind, 
Bending  lowly,  praying. 
I  could  watch  thee  all  the  day, 
While  you  softly  swing  and  sway; 
Merry,  little  dancing  fay. 


A.  A.   Devine. 


266 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


ART    IN    CALIFORNIA. 


Realizing  by  this  time  that  Art  in  Cali- 
fornia is  rather  a  serious  subject  for  consid- 
ation,  I  resolved  to  get  ideas  from  another 
point  of  view — that  of  an  art-dealer,  of  un- 
doubted taste  and  judgment. 

Mr.  Morris,  of  the  firm  of  Morris  & 
Kennedy,  has  for  fifteen  years  acted  as  a 
sort  of  art-missionary  in  our  city,  having 
had  a  free  art  gallery  for  that  length  of 
time,  which  is  the  favorite  resort  of  picture 
lovers.  Here  have  been  exhibited  the 
works  of  some  of  the  finest  artists,  M.  F. 
H.  De  Haas,  the  celebrated  marine  painter, 
Eastman  Johnson,  the  leading  genre 
painter  of  America,  Bongoureau,  Adolph 
Schryer,  Jacobedes  and  others,  beside 
those  belonging  to  our  best  local  talent. 
The  standard  has  been  up  to  Eastern  gal- 
leries, no  picture  having  been  admitted  for 
exhibition  that  was  meretricious  or  ama- 
teurish, but  there  has  been  no  charge  in 
the  whole  fifteen  years.  Whether  this  has 
been  appreciated  or  not,  remains  to  be 
seen ;  but  it  must  have  had  its  influence 
upon  the  public  'taste,  which  grows  so 
slowly.  As  the  popular  round  of  shopping 
or  a  visit  down  town  always  includes  a 
look  in  at  Morris  &  Kennedy's  to  see  what 
they  have  new,  it  continues  to  keep  up  a 
lively  interest  all  the  year  round  in  the 
realm  of  art,  whether  the  public  purchase 
or  not. 

Having  handled  many  fine  paintings, 
and  living  in  the  very  atmosphere  of  artj  it 
seemed  that  Mr.  Morris  could  give  a  prac- 
tical view  of  art  matters  as  they  now  exist 
in  our  midst. 

The  ideas  gleaned  in  reply  to  the  ques- 
tion, "  What  do  you  think  of  art  in  Cali- 
fornia ?  "  were  as  follows  : 

"Art  in  California  is  crude.  We  com- 
mend ourselves  too  highly  when  we  say 
that  the  art  patronage  is  very  generous. 
It  is  not  true.  Real  art  is  not  encouraged. 
The  class  of  art  that  sells  in  this  commun- 
ity, is  made  by  inferior " artists  for  $i8  a 
dozen,  copied  from  other  paintings  in  vile 
style,  framed  and  sold  by  auctioneers  at 
ten  times  their  value.  They  are  dear  at 
any  price,  however  cheap.  It  is  such  stuff 
as  no  one  with  intelligence  would  sell  an- 
other.    It  is  the  lowest  class  of  pot-boilers. 


and  bears  the  same  relation  to  real  art  that 
sham  jewelry  does  to  real  gold  and  silver. 
It  is  just  as  bad  to  decoy  people  into  the 
purchase  of  the  one  as  the  other.  The 
trouble  is  that  the  general  tendency  of  the 
town  is  to  cheapness,  even  with  people  who 
can  afford  to  buy  good  pictures.  San  Fran- 
ciscans are  a  bargain-loving  people,  and 
carry  the  training  of  their  trades  into  mat- 
ters of  art  and  sentiment. 

"It  has  sometimes  happened  here,  that 
the  very  best  pictures  have  been  the  least 
appreciated,  remaining  on  my  hands  long 
after  the  sale  of  many  inferior  works.  We 
have  a  limited  number  of  people  here  who 
have  a  real  appreciation  of  art,  but  the 
trouble  is  that  there  is  too  much  presump- 
tion of  art-knowledge.  And  then,  too, 
there  are  the  oracles  on  art — everybody 
knows  them — they  pose  before  the  pic- 
tures and  run  over  a  number  of  glib  say- 
ings and  actually  have  no  knowledge  after 
all.  As  for  true  art-critics,  they  are  scarce 
on  this  coast.  We  might  almost  say  we 
have  none.  If  Mrs.  Unger  would  always 
write  from  her  convictions,  and  not  allow 
her  sympathies  to  become  enlisted,  she 
would  make  a  first-class  art  critic.  About 
the  finest  critic  and  judge  of  real  art  is  the 
Rev.  Joseph  Wooster,  the  Swedenborgian 
minister.  He  is  as  modest  as  he  is  tal- 
ented, and  sees  with  an  exquisitely  artistic 
eye.  Dan  O'Connell  writes  a  nice  little 
thing  occasionally  and  is  very  nearly  cor- 
rect in  his  ideas  generally.  The  famous 
art  critic  of  New  York,  Willie  Winter,  is  of 
course,  magnificent. 

"  Our  art  collections  are,  comparatively, 
very  inferior — can  be  counted  on  one 
hand.  The  School  of  Design  is  very  good, 
but  suffers  a  little  from  over-praise. 

"As  for  our  artists,  I  consider  that  there 
is  more  real  talent  among  the  women  than 
the  men.  Miss  Strong,  who  is  now  in 
Europe,  has  done  some  very  fine  work — 
she  has  the  artistic  spirit  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word.  I  consider  her  superior  to 
Miss  Lotz,  though  the  latter  is  remarkable 
in  her  special  style.  Mrs.  Evans  is  also 
very  talented. 

"Among  the  younger  members  of  the  pro- 
fession, there  are  many  who  have  no  con- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


267 


ception  of  the  dignity  of  art  whatever,  and 
never  rise  above  the  imitative,  and  what  is 
worse  never  seem  to  be  likely  to.  It  would 
seem  as  if  they  had  a  receipt  made  up  from 
the  palettes  of  our  different  artists — a  little 
of  Tavernier,  Rix,  Brooks  and  others,  and 
so  go  to  work,  without  any  original  ten- 
dency of  their  own.  This  younger  school 
ought  to  be  severely  rebuked,  for  after  a 
man  has  worked  a  lifetime  to  form  his 
style  and  has  made  his  reputation  on  it,  he 
ought  to  be  rewarded  by  having  the  bene- 
fit of  his  work  without  having  a  host  of 
crude  workers  placing  imitations  of  his 
work  on  sale.  It  is  all  wrong.  Such  a 
course  of  art-education  amounts  to  nothing 
more  or  less  than  a  mill,  from  which  they 
are  ground  out,  so  many  at  a  time,  and  is 
deserving  of  the  most  severe  condemna- 
tion. 

"There  are  some,  however,  who  are 
earnest  students  working  in  the  right  way, 
carefully  and  conscientiously,  and  from 
them  alone  is  something  to    be  expected. 


But  the  whole  summing  up  of  the  matter  is 
that  San  Francisco  is  provincial  in  art 
matters. 

"  I  commend  this  department  in  the 
Golden  Era,  for,  whatever  else  it  is  de- 
ficient in,  it  seems  to  be  honest  and  trying 
to  get  at  the  truth,  and  as  long  as  this  prin- 
ciple is  strictly  maintained,  it  will  accom- 
plish a  good  work,  and  will  have  my  best 
wishes.  But  I  hope  there  will  be  no  inor- 
dinate flattery  or  praise  where  it  is  not  de- 
served, or  its  purpose  will  be  worse  than 
useless. " 

The  advice  given  above  is  exactly  in  accord- 
ance with  the  profound  desire  of  the  editor  of  this 
department — to  give  each  artist  his  due — pleas- 
ant praise  for  his  excellencies,  and  gentle  criticism 
lor  his  deficiencies — knowing  that  it  is  the  only 
way  to  approach  truth  in  art. 

But  being  decidedly  human,  and  apt  to  be  in- 
fluenced by  personal  prejudice  and  personal  sym- 
pathy, the  editor  feels  that  the  only  safe  way  is 
that  heretofore  pursued — merely  to  give  sketches 
of  artists  and  their  ideas  on  art,  their  struggles 
and  accomplishments,  and  let  the  moral  point  it- 
self. 


THE  MUSEUM. 


A  Casket  of  Jewels. 


It  is  about  time  that  I  had  something 
rare  and  precious  in  the  Museum  among 
its  other  curios  and  oddities,  and  so,  for 
this  purpose  I  present  a  casket  of  jewels, 
gathered  at  Shreve's  famous  jewelry  store 
cor.  Montgomery  and  Sutter  streets. 

WTiat  though  they  are  ours  only  in  a 
spiritual  sense?  Still  we  may  delight  in 
their  sparkle  and  exquisite  workmanship, 
even  more  so,  perhaps,  than  the  fair  wearer 
of  these  gems  in  the  future  ;  for  she  will 
see  less  of  the  brilliancy  of  the  diamonds 
she  wears,  than  the  poorest  far-away  be- 
holder. Indeed  it  may  be  considered  as 
an  unselfish  act  to  place  these  rainbow 
gems  upon  the  lobe  of  the  ear,  for  there 
they  glitter  and  flash  for  the  pleasure  of 
any  one  but  the  wearer. 

You  may  say  that  she  so  rejoices  in  the 
added  charm  to  her  own  personal  appear- 
ance that  she  does  not  regret  the  loss  of  its 
intrinsic    beauty,  being  thereby  more  than 


recompensed.  This  is  not  always  true. 
I  have  often  had  my  eye  attracted  from 
the  play,  or  from  the  pulpit  by  one  of  these 
fitful  flashes  of  rainbow  light,  as  if  coquet- 
ting with  me,  and  yet  have  seldom  seen, 
and  never  remembered,  the  face  it  was 
fondly  thought  to  adorn.  Although  in  my 
soul  I  have  felt  kindly  to  the  wearer  for 
sharing  her  treasure  with  the  world  so  un- 
selfishly, and  have  some  way  pitied  her 
that  she  could  not  enjoy  that  dainty  sort 
of  a  flirtation,  or  indeed,  even  know  any- 
thing about  it. 

Thus  we  may  enjoy  the  treasures  in  this 
casket,  the  prismatic  colors  mysteriously 
blent  in  the  heart  of  the  diamond,  the 
rich,  dark  lustre  of  the  emerald,  the  vari- 
ous mingled  gems  of  quaint  and  curious 
workmanship,  the  odd  devices  in  silver 
and  gold,  bronze  and  brass,  and  set  apart 
in  our  spiritual  Museum  the  living  image 
of  every  one  of  these  for  our  own  special 
ownership. 

"  It    is    a    credit    to  our  city,"  said  an 


2  68 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


aesthetic  young  lady,  the  other  day,  "that 
we  have  such  a  royal  display  as  this  in  our 
midst."  And  surely  the  secret  treasure- 
house  of  the  Rajah  of  the  Bombay  Prov- 
inces, could  scarcely  reveal  more  wonders 
to  the  bewildered  eyes  of  beholders. 

Upon  one  side  is  a  separate  apartment, 
richly  carpeted  and  adorned,  set  about 
with  mirrors,  and  sweet  with  the  sound  of 
musical  clocks  chiming  in  harmonious  uni- 
son. This  is  the  Art  Department,  and  full 
of  a  thousand  things,  each  more  interest- 
ing than  the  other.  Here  are  curiously 
wrought  plates  of  finest  China,  painted 
and  gilded,  representing  a  value  of  $135 
a  dozen.  Here  is  a  solid  silver  book  of 
prayer  for  some  delicious  young  creature 
to  carry  to  church,  and,  when  she  loses  it, 
may  console  herself  that  it  cost  $50.  Be- 
side it  is  another,  just  as  lovely,  but  it  is 
plated,  costing  less  than  a  third  as  much, 
so  that  she  may  replace  the  treasure  at  less 
cost,  and  no  one  be  the  wiser.  An  oxid- 
ized-silver  set  of  carvers  in  most  beauti- 
ful chased  work,  fit  for  the  use  of  a  king, 
is  in  reality  merely  of  plate,  and  may  be 
secured  for  the  comparatively  low  sum  of 
$19. 

Remarkably  beautiful  is  some  work  in 
brass  and  bronze,  graceful  vases  and  urns, 
the  production  of  a  Philadelphia  firm. 
Nothing  is  lovelier  than  the  many  orna- 
mentations made  of  hammered  brass, 
many  of  which  are  also  made  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  therefore  within  the  reach  of 
many  who  gaze  upon  them  vaguely,  long- 
ing for,  yet  not  daring  to  wish  to  possess. 
A  plate  mirror  handsomely  framed  in  this 
unique  manner  may  be  had  for  $8. 
Others  for  the  wall  have  a  candelabrum 
attachment,  most  graceful  in  effect.  Choice 
brass  candlesticks,  suitable  for  gift  pur- 
poses and  mantel  decoration,  may  be  had 
for  $2.50. 

A  wonderful  dressing  case  for  my  lady, 
has  many  sliding  drawers  and  secret  panels, 
filled  with  dozens  of  articles  of  every  im- 
aginable kind  and  purpose,  mounted  in 
ivory,  pearl  and  solid  silver. 

Some  Rrussian  bronze  ware  is  exceed- 
ingly reahstic  in  design,  showing  a  faithful 
copy  of  the  customs  and  animals  of  the 
country.  A  deer  made  of  this  material, 
lies  in  that  peculiarly  helpless  plight  so  ob- 
servable in  dead  animals,  thus  serving  as 
a    paper   weight;    a  wolf  caught  in  a  net, 


crouches  down  in  his  terror;  while  a 
Russian  scene  of  pastoral  life  shows  re- 
markable fidelity  to  the  rudest  wagon  and 
harness,  while  the  horse  is  a  tired-out  look- 
ing animal,  and  the  peasant  by  his  side  is 
a  match  for  him. 

Odd  bowls  and  dishes  of  hammered 
and  frosted  silver  attract  the  eye  by  turn, 
and  yet  $10  and  $12  represent  their  value, 
for  they  are  not  solid,  though  they  seem 
so.  The  silver-workers  have  showed  them- 
selves to  be  gnomish  creatures  in  skill,  for 
there  seems  to  be  nothing  that  they  can 
not  do.  For  those  of  more  royal  blood 
who  are  willing  to  undertake  the  responsi- 
bility, there  are  solid  sets  of  silver,  orna- 
mented with  silver  berries  and  garlands 
wreathed  in  relief  around  the  circumfer- 
ences, representing  $1,000.  Like  the 
world  outside,  this  emporium  represents 
all  classes,  all  values,  down  to  the  smallest 
or  up  to  the  highest. 

Very  delicate  is  some  Royal  Worchester 
ware  made  at  On-The-Trent,  England,  a 
sort  of  ivory  ware  with  fine  tracery,  $7  for 
a  tiny  vase.  Beside  it  stands  a  fac  simile 
(to  the  untutored  eye,  at  least)  and  just  as 
fine  and  delicate  as  the  other,  but  with  the 
difference  that  this  latter  is  made  in  Trent- 
on-New Jersey,'    and  may  be  had  for  $3. 

More  gorgeous  are  the  Cloissonnee  and 
Royal  Satsuma  ware,  both  of  which  are 
exhibited  in  the  Chinese,  French  and  En- 
glish makes.  The  difference  between  na- 
tions is  singularly  shown  in  the  handling 
of  the  decorative  designs  of  these  beauti- 
ul  wares,  a  subject  for  an  essay  all  by 
iself. 

Passing  down  the  stairway  through  a 
stained-glass  atmosphere,  a  noble  old  Eng- 
lish clock  fully  six  feet  high,  attracts  both  the 
eye  and  ear.  Its  intonation  is  sweet,  and 
the  quarter  chimes  fall  like  charming  music 
upon  the  senses.  If  everything  else  fades 
away  in  our  Museum,  this  beautiful  voice 
of  time  shall  still  remain. 

Below  are  shelves  and  tables  covered 
with  exquisite  china  of  various  grades. 
Here  are  gifts  of  mouchoir  cases,  writing 
tablets,  traveling  cases,  all  made  of  alligator 
skin  and  fancy  leathers  ;  satchels  also  of 
the  rough  yet  beautiful  skin  of  the  hideous 
beast,  discovered  at  last  for  the  purpose  he 
was  created,  and  if  there  are  those  who 
cannot  afford  the  real  thing,  the  imitation 
stands  by  its  side,  made  of  the   most  dur- 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA.  269 

able  leather,  and  to  be  distinguished  only  new    blade    setting    similar  to    the    sharp 

by  close    scrutiny.     One    scarcely    knows  edge  of   a    knife,    showing    it  off    to    its 

which  to  admire  the  most,  the  cunning  of  finest    advantage  ;     then    rows     of     dia- 

Nature  in  originating  such  a  peculiar  skin,  monds,  groups  of  diamonds    and  at    last 

or  the  cunning  of  man  in  making  such  a  a  perfect  incrustation  of  diamonds.    These 

faithful  imitation.  are    brilliant    owls'    heads,    shells,    stars. 

Upstairs  in  the  emporium,  with  its  long  and  crescents,  large  beetles  and  butterflies, 

glass    cases    and    polite    attendants,  but  a  one  solid  blaze  of  light,  fascinating  the  eye. 

dearth  of  resting  places,  are  to  be   found  Of  all  the  gems,  beautiful  and  varied  though 

the  jewels  proper.     A  new  chain  bracelet  they    may  be,    rubies,    emeralds,  topazes, 

that  links  so  loosely  that  it  may  be  clasped  opals,  amethysts,  pearls  and  garnets,  there 

in  the  closed  hand,  is    set    in    every  link  is  none  so  dazzling  as  the  diamond — that 

with  rubies,  emeralds,  diamonds  and  other  rainbow  crystallized   in    a   stone,  that   fire 

precious    settings.     Enamelled  jewelry  in  flashing  from  ice. 

flowers  has  here  reached  its  highest  per-  For  the  time  being  all  these  precious 
fection,  forget-me-nots  and  marguerites  be-  things  are  ours,  and  we  may  gloat  over 
ing  represented  in  daintest  delicacy.  Here  them,  delighting  in  their  intrinsic  beauty 
are  velvet  neckbands  with  a  savage  scimi-  and  gorgeousness,  and  then  without  a  sigh, 
tar  sparkling  with  jewels,  to  clasp  at  some  relinquish  them  to  the  care  of  the  jewel- 
fair  throat.  Brought  forth  from  its  long  keepers,  glad  that  their  responsibility  is 
retirement,  here  gleams  the  string  of  gold  not  ours,  and  rejoicing  that  their  responsi- 
beads  worn  so  long  ago  by  our  grand-  bility  is  not  ours,  and  rejoicing  that  their 
mothers, — now  the  latest  freak  of  fashion,  counterparts  are  laid  away  in  the  casket  of 

And  here    are  diamonds — diamonds  in  memory,  safe  from  fear  of  loss    or   theft, 

all  their  translucent  splendor  and  magnifi-  And  this    is  the    casket    I    place    on    the 

cence.     First  appear  single  stones  in  the  shelves  of  Time. 


THE  EDrrOR'S  OFFICE. 

BUSINESS  CAPACITY  OF  WOMEN.  Women  do  not  have  the  immoral  courage  neces. 

It  is  difficult  to  write  upon  a  question  that  we  sary  to  make  them  noticeable  as  thieves  and  em- 
know  so  much  about.  The  question  of  the  capa-  bezzlers.  Women  are  not  rascals  in  business, 
city  of  women  to  transact  business  has  been  set-  They  are  worse,  being  troublesome  flies  on  the 
tied  adversely  for  the  opposite  sex.  *^^e  of  trade. 

It  must,   however,  be  conceded   that  a  woman  "  It  may  sound  ill-natured,"  said  a  prominent 

can  conduct  successfully  a  boarding  house,  a  mil-  merchant,  one  whose  business  brought  him  con- 

linery  shop,  a  lodging  house,  a  small  select  school,  stantly  in    contact  with  women,   "but  I    consider 

a  coffee  saloon,  a  candy  store,  a  bakery,  a  flower  that  there  are  very  few  women  who  can  appreciate 

stand,  and  two  kinds  of  nurseries.     As    practical,  the  etiquette  of  a  business  transaction." 

enterprising  commercial  tradeswomen  they  are —  God  built  them  on  a  different   plan  from  man, 

butwhy  mention  it — failures.   They  have  been  sue-  and  we  do  not  propose  to  dispute  the  wisdom  of 

cessful  in  a  few  instances,   but  it  has  been  at   the  omnipotence.     We  know  of  one  weak,  sickly  man 

expense  of  their   womanhood.     A  writer  in   the  who  supported  a  wife  and  six  children  by  his  daily 

Ladies  Home  Journal  says  :  "  Where  is  the  woman  schemes   and   labor.     We   also  know  a    strong, 

who   has  been  an  embezzler  ?  "     The   history   of  healthy  woman,  who  cannot  support  herself.     The 

banks  record  but  one  banking  institution  founded  man  has  business  capacity,   the  woman   has  not. 

by   women,   and  the  cashier  and  president,  both  The  same  is  true  in  general.     Our   wits  have  been 

women,  stole  the  funds  of  the  depositors  and  hid  sharpened .  lately  by  being  on  the  grindstone  of 

themselves.     A  woman  does  not   understand  the  practical   experience,    and    we  have  noticed,  and 

word  honor,  as  connected  with  a  promise  to  pay.  called  to  recollection,    all  the   praise  a  chivalrous 

Yet  she  is  doubly  gifted  with  that  keener  sense  of  constituency  would  demand,   and,  alas  !  it  is   the 

uprightness — the     honor    of    a    virtuous    name,  same  old  story,  women  prove  failures  in  business. 


270 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


Fish  are  well  adapted  to  water,  but  the  toad  gets 
along  better  on  dry  land.  Women  are  delightful 
in  the  parlor,  pleasant  in  the  kitchen,  and  often- 
times'coquettishand  entertaining  over  a  wash-tub; 
but  in  business  they  lack  poise,  assurance,  reliance 
and  experience,  and  when  they  get  the  experience 
they  lack  the  subtle  gift  that  made  them  women. 
There  is  no  establishment  of  any  importance  con- 
trolled by  women  in  our  country  that  is  successful 
unless  the  business  relates  especially  to  women. 
That  women  are  equal  to  men  we  do  not 
dispute,  but  we  cannot  admit  that  they  are  iden- 
tical. There  are  some  things  a  woman  can  do 
well, — yes,  perfectly,  but  not  business.  A  house- 
wife is  the  noblest  of  all  women.  The  recent 
tendency  is  to  place  woman  at  the  head  of  the 
household  and  make  man  her  servant.  In 
America  the  woman  of  the  better  classes  has  come 
to  regard  her  husband  as  a  useful,  but  rather 
imferior  being,  whose  place  in  life  is  to  work  hard 
all  day,  and  devote  himself  to  her  entertainment 
during  his  leisure  hours.  Fate  (for  which  we  are 
thankful)  has  written  a  decree  against  women  en- 
tering commercial  and  professional  life.  She  is 
built  on  a  plan  to  bear  children;  many  have 
ruined  the  structure,  but  woman  it  is  thy  destiny, 
be  content  ! 


THE  VIRILITY  OF  WRITERS. 

A  man  who  is  effeminate  by  nature  cannot  write 
a  successful  book  on  political  economy.  There 
can  be  no  passionate  sweep  or  whirl  in  the  writ- 
ings of  a  man  who  is  tied  to  the  apron  strings  of 
effeminancy.  The  virility  of  writers  belong  to  the 
virility  of  men  and  of  women.  By  virility  we  mean 
strength,  charming  strength,  the  strength  of  pent  up 
passion,  sinews  and  grace,  juice  and  muscle.  Vic- 
tor Hugo  had  virility,  N.  P.  Willis  had  grace. 
The  one  drew  the  drapery  lor  his  writings  from 
the  couch  of  God,  the  other  from  the  lace  of  a 
woman's  dress.  The  one  was  thunderous  in  the 
torrent  of  his  masterful  thoughts,  the  other  pleas- 
ing in  his  coquettish  conceits.  Victor  Hugo  is 
great,  N.  P.  Willis  is  quaint ;  the  former  is  for  all 
time,  the  latter  for  yesterday. 

Women  have  the  necessary  virility  for  successful 
writing  if  they  consider  the  limitations  of  their 
sex.  A  woman  has  the  power  to  define  the  subtle 
sentiments  of  half  of  the  race,  and  to  describe  the 
refined  and  gentler  actions  of  the  other  half.  She 
ought  to  create  a  marvelous  woman,  and  make 
such  delineations  that  the  world  would  wonder  ; 
she  feels,  she  knows,  she  understands,  she  has 
visions  of  womanhood  from  the  inner  spring  of 
creation  that  men  do  not  have.  A  woman  will 
yet  give  us  the  greatest  creation  of  a  heroine  ;  but 


it  remains  unexplainable  that  to  this  day  men  sur- 
pass women  in  the  delineations  of  female  charac- 
ters. Men  exhaust  their  vitality  in  the  creation  of 
heroines  and  heroes.  Women  are  not  yet  so  intro- 
spective in  their  productions.  The  world  would 
read  a  woman's  biography  if  it  drained  the  nectar 
from  the  lips  of  life  to  write  it.  Strength  and 
grace  must  adorn  a  book.  No  woman  has  the 
virility  to  write  Hugo's  description  of  Waterloo, 
though  the  circle  of  her  mind  is  complete  it  does 
take  in  its  sweep:  "The  perspective  of  the  human 
race  is  changed,  and  Waterloo  is  the  hinge  of  the 
nineteenth  century  ";  or,  "  Napoleon,  the  immense 
somnambulist  of  a  shattered  dream." 

But  a  woman  is  superior  to  Victor  Hugo  in 
this.  He  can  describe  a  woman's  impulse,  but 
she,  and  she  alone,  can  describe  what  created  the 
impulse.  Hugo  himself  said  that  the  virility  of  a 
man's  mind  is  equal  to  a  woman's,  but  not  identi- 
cal. Aaron  Burr  could  have  written  a  wonderful 
novel,  full  of  passion  and  dilapidated  pulsations  of 
feminine  hearts,  while  men  like  James  and  Howells 
do  not  approach  nearer  a  woman's  heart  in  the 
delineations  of  heroines  than  a  chest  protector. 

The  virility  of  a  writer  of  fiction  depends  large- 
ly upon  the  vigor  of  his  constitution.  Very  young 
men  write  trash  in  fiction,  very  old  men  write 
from  the  memory  of  the  past;  but  the  great 
American  novel  will  be  written  by  a  man  in  the 
prime  of  life,  full  of  passion,  vigorous,  gentle  ! 


GRANT. 


Since  i860  Grant's  public  life  has  belonged  to 
the  extraordinary  in  human  events  The  kind 
hand  of  destiny  lead  him  to  the  hights  in  war, 
politics  and  literature.  He  was  more  than  a 
soldier — a  true  husband.  He  was  more  than  a 
politician — a  loving  father.  He  was  more  than  an 
author — a  faithful  friend;  soldier,  statesman  and 
writer,  father,  husband  and  friend — a  dual  trio 
of  excellencies  which  call  forth  justly  eloquent 
eulogies.  He  was  an  American  full  of  ardor,  yet 
one  who  will  never  be  accused  of  fanaticism.  To- 
day his  weaknesses  and  mistakes  are  changed  ob- 
stacles and  embarrassments.  Grant's  failures  in 
time  of  peace  awakens  a  feeling  of  remorse  in  the 
nation.  Certain  it  is  that  if  danger  should  again 
threaten  the  country  there  will  be  a  regret  that 
there  is  no  Grant  to  meet  it. 

Grant's  personal  character  has  always  been 
above  reproach.  Napoleon,  Wellington  and 
Washington  had  greater  j^ersonal  weakness  than 
the  dead  hero  of  Appomatox.  It  is  pleasant 
to  record  a  stainless,  private  life  of  a  great  man. 
Herein  Grant  will  ever  be  an  illustrous  example 
to  American  youths. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


271 


He  was  a  clean-mouthed,  pure-minded  man, 
full  ol  gentleness  and  strength.  Let  others  ap- 
plaud his  military  genius,  and  civic  honors  To 
us  his  moral  character  will  ever  shine  resplendent. 
The  silent  man  of  destiny  is  mirrored  on  the  face 
of  the  nation  in  the  hour  of  his  death  as  a  moral 
as  well  as  a  military  hero.  Let  us  write  upon  his 
monument:  "  A  faithful  friend;  a  military  hero  ; 
an  honest  man  ;    a  patriot." 


REALISM  IN  LITERATURE. 

WRONG  ONCE   MORE. 

The  latest  number  of  the  Golden  Era  con- 
tained the  following  from  the  pen  of  its  editor  : 

"The  opinion  prevails  to  a  great  extent,  that 
realism  in  literature  is  growing  more  popular. 
We  dissent.  It  is  merely  a  trade  to  write  things 
as  they  are  ;  it  is  an  art  to  imagine  them  as  they 
might  be.  A  reporter  can  write  a  vivid  romance 
of  scenes  he  witnesses,  but  it  requires  a  genius  to 
create  a  panorama  of  life.  It  is  only  the  novices 
in  literature  who  write  under  the  title  of  the  story 
— '  a  true  tale.'  Those  who  write  of  scenes  and 
incidents  of  their  own  experience  prove  the  poverty 
of  their  ideas  by  so  doing." 

This  style  of  reasoning  is  wholly  fallacious,  but 
emanating  as  it  does  from  such  an  etherial,  lofty 
and  star-gazing  brain  as  that  of  Mr.  Wagner,  it 
does  not  surprise  us  much.  Mr.  Wagner  is  one 
of  those  gentlemen  who  would  fall  in  love  with  a 
beautiful  girl  but  would  give  little  heed  to  a  plain, 
sensible  one.  He  is  a  poet,  who  has  an  eye  for 
the  beautiful,  but  is  blind  to  all  else  but  symmetry 
and  fair  outline. 

Realism  in  literature  is  its  life  blood,  and  with- 
out a  sulhciency  of  this  life  blood,  a  literary  crea- 
tion will  soon  die.  The  creations  of  the  best 
novel  writers  are  based  on  facts  and  these  facts 
are  embellished  in  an  artistic  manner.  The  best 
writers  of  fiction  blend  fact  and  fancy  so,  that 
they  are  not  distinguishable  from  each  other.  A 
true  artist  will  simply  employ  art  to  dress-up  or 
embellish  nature,  but  he  will  not  ignore  nature 
and  employ  art  altogether.  Creations  that  are 
wholly  evolved  from  the  imagination  may  please 
a  shallow  reader  but  they  will  have  no  interest  for 
a  reader  of  sense.  Some  authors  write  to  amuse 
and  some  to  instruct;  and  some  readers  read  to  be 
amused  and  some  to  be  instructed.  An  author 
who  writes  to  amuse  simply,  does  not  need  to  em- 
ploy realism  or  solid  fact,  but  a  writer  who  likes 
to  convey  something  to  his  reader,  will  tell  him  of 
things  that  are,  and  not  of  things  that  exist  in  his 
mind  only.  If  Mr.  Wagner  will  try  to  write 
things  that  will  amuse  and  instruct  his  readers,  he 
will  come  much  nearer  being  an  artist  than  he  is 
now.  Be  true  to  life  in  the  first  place  and  true  to 
art  afterward.     Realism  first,  art  afterward. 

—  IVillianis  Rc7'ic-u<. 

Mr.  Ben.  Goodkind  is  the  writer  of  the  above 
considerate  criticism. 

"  Realism  in  Literature  is  its  lite  blood."  Then 
Homer's  Iliad  and  Odyssy  will  soon  die  ;  Virgil's 
.^nied  will  soon  be  forgotten,  and  Dante's  Inferno 
is  already  entombed. 


"The  best  writers  of  fiction  blend  fact  andtancy 
so  that  they  are  not  distinguishable  from  each 
other."  Then  Hawthorne's  creation  in  Marble 
Faun  places  him  among  second  grade  writers. 
Then  Utopia  did  really  exist,  or  Sir  Thomas 
More  has  written  only  to  please  shallow  readers. 

"Creations  that  are  wholly  evolved  from  the  im- 
agination may  please  a  shallow  reader,  but  they 
will  have  no  interest  for  a  reader  of  sense."  So 
Mr.  Goodkind,  you  are  not  an  admirer  of  Bacon's 
Atlantis,  Don  Quioxte,  Atala,  A  Trip  to  the 
Moon,  Lallah  Rookh,  and  a  large  number  of  im- 
aginative and  romantic  works  that  have  been 
popular  and  standard  tor  years. 

We  regret  that  you  are  not  influenced  by  "sym- 
metry and  fair  outline."  Suppose  you  try  your 
own  advice.  There  is  really  more  imagination 
than  realism  in  your  charge,  that  the  editor  of  this 
journal  is  given  up  to  the  "  love  of  the  beautiful." 

It  is  the  extreme  ugliness  of  the  world  that  at- 
tracts. The  picturesque  is  beautiful,  because  it  is 
art  broken  up.  Admiration  is  challenged  when 
ever  we  approach  the  uncommon,  the  unreal. 
Realism  is  simply  eating,  drinking,  sleeping,  night 
and  day,  seed-time  and  harvest,  birth,  marriage, 
death.  Realism  is  the  eternal  commonplace-cycle 
of  the  ages  and  the  world  going  round,  and  round, 
and  round.  What  is  the  use  ?  Let  us  have  some- 
thing new.  We  are  tired  of  reading  the  same 
thing  over  and  and  over  again.  We  pray  thee 
give  us  an  awful  imagination — even  like  unto 
Poe's. 


OPEN  LETTERS. 

Editor  Golden  Era. — Dear  Sir  :  The  edi- 
tor of  the  Overland  has  referred  to  me  Mr.  Steell's 
criticism  of  my  criticism  of  his  poems.  I  gather 
from  it  that  possibly,  upon  a  hasty  reading,  Mr. 
Steell  misunderstood  my  comment  on  the  Garfield 
Ode.  I  had  supposed  I  guarded  entirely  against 
any  such  misunderstanding  as  that  I  accused 
the  gentleman  of  plagiarism  from  Tennyson, 
or  any  one  else  in  that  I  referred  ex- 
pressly to  his  own  acknowledgement  of  in- 
debtedness for  an  occasional  phrase  throughout 
his  verses.  It  is  true  that  he  has  not,  in  every 
instance,  detected  his  own  use  of  another  poet's 
words  ;  but  that  these  have  been  perfectly  honest 
oversights  no  one  can  possibly  question. 

In  the  Garfield  Ode  for  instance  : 

"  And  voice  the  universal  woe, 
Our  noble  ruler  lieth  low." 

And  elsewhere  : 

"  And  to  the  sound  of  martial  music  breathing  low, 
Let  the  long,  long  procession  go." 

could  not  have  had  inspiration  other  than  : 

"  Lead  out  the  pageant,  sad  and  slow. 
As  fits  an  universal  woe. 
Let  the  long,  long  procession  go. 
And  let  the  mournful,  martial  music  blow. 
The  last  great  Englishman  is  low." 

I  did  not,  however,  'refer  to  any  such  special 
passages  as  this  in  my  review,  for  no  reader  of 


272 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


verse  is  ignorant  of  the  way  in  which  a  mind  be- 
comes filled  with  bits  and  echoes  that  float  un- 
recognized. To  say  that  the  ode  was  "modeled 
after  "  Tennyson's  is,  of  course,  saying  no  such 
thing  as  that  individual  passages  are  taken  there- 
from, and  that  the  Laureate's  ode  was  his  model, 
I  understand  Mr.  Steell  himself  to  admit.  One 
poem,  however,  is  frequently  used  as  a  model  for 
another  entirely  unconsciously. 
Very  Respectfully, 

The  Reviewer. 

The  above  very  courteous  reply  to  my  criticism 
of  the  Overland's  review  of  my  little  volume  of 
verse  has  been  referred  to  me  by  the  editor  of  the 
Era.  While  readily  acknowledging  the  evident 
lack  of  malice  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  I  cannot 
think  myself  mistaken  in  the  supposition  that  the 
comparison  between  my  Garfield  Ode  and  Tenny- 
son's "Ode  on  the  death  of  the  Duke  of  Welling- 
ton," was  made  without  a  careful  reading  of  the 
two  compositions  an  almost  inexcusable  piece  of 
carelessness  on  the  part  of  a  reviewer. 

I  cannot  see  any  room  for  misunderstanding  on 
my  part,  the  error  seems  to  me   to  be  all   on  the 


otherside.  I  expressly  disclaimed  in  my  preface 
the  necessity  of  giving  credit  to  any  writer  for 
mere  combinations  of  words,  having  no  distinctive 
character.  I  have  as  good  a  right  to  use  such  ex- 
pressions as  "universal  woe,"  or  "let  the  long 
procession  go,"  as  has  Tennyson  ;  but  even  had 
these  been  considered  plagiarisms  it  could  scarcely 
be  said,  on  that  account,  that  my  ode  was 
modeled  with  amusing  fidelity  on  that  of  the 
Laureate. 

A  work  cannot  be  said  to  be  modeled  on  another 
unless  there  be  some  resemblance  in  form  as  well  as 
a  reproduction  of  the  spirit.  Had  the  critic  really 
sought  a  model  for  my  ode,  a  much  closer  likeness 
both  in  versification  and  mode  of  expression  would 
have  been  noticeable  to  some  of  Schiller's  poems 
than  to  anything  Tennyson  has  written  . 

As  my  ode  was  written  on  so  very  similar  a 
subject  to  that  of  Tennyson's,  it  is  only  natural 
that  there  should  have  been  some  slight  resem- 
blance between  the  two,  but  my  poem  certainly 
could  in  no  sense  be  said  to  have  been  modeled 
on  the  Laureate's. 

T.  D.  Steell. 


THE  THEATERS. 


"Led  Astray"  is  drawing  good  houses  at  the 
California.  Miss  Wilton  plays  Atmande  well. 
The  character  is  in  her  line  to  the  fullest  extent. 
McKee  Rankin,  who  took  part  in  the  original  pro- 
duction at  the  Union  Square  and  used  to  be  a 
notable  De  Lesparre,  now  changes  the  key  and 
plays  Rudolph.  "The  Power  of  Money"  follows 
"Led  Astray."  The  scenery  for  this  piece  has 
long  been  in  preparation  and  will  equal  that  of 
any  production  yet  given  at  the  California. 

The  Baldwin  is  undergoing  many  extensive 
alterations  which  will  be  very  effective.  The  en- 
trance will  be  as  handsome  as  any  theatre  in  the 
country.  Mr.  Hayman  is  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  give  his  theatre  a  very  elegant  appearance. 
Everything  will  be  completed  and  ready  for  the 
opening  of  Haverly's  Minstrels  on  Monday  the 
lOth.  Mr.  J.  H.  Haverly  will  personally  super- 
intend this  company,  which  is  said  to  be  the 
strongest  he  has  ever  had. 

The  Grand  Opera  House  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  Stevens,  is  drawing  good  houses. 
Mr.  Stevens  is  entitled  to  the  respect  of  theatre- 
goers for  the  pluck  and  enterprise  he  is  displaying 
in  the  management  of  his  theatre.  "  A  Celebrated 
Case"  has  been  doing  a  good  business.  On  Mon- 
day, Aug.  3rd,  Henry  J,  Byron's  successful  melo- 
drama, entitled    "Tried  and  True,"  will  be    pro- 


duced. The  re-appearance  of  Mr.  Theo  Hamilton 
in  the  company  will  take  place  on  Monday,  Aug. 
loth,  when,  after  weeks  of  careful  preparation, 
with  all  the  effects  and  scenery,  "  Monte  Cristo  " 
will  be  produced  with  John  A.  Stevens  supported 
by  the  Grand  Opera  House  stock  company. 

The  Panorama  of  the  Battle  of  Waterloo  stilt 
continues  to  draw  good  houses,  and  is  one  of  the 
leading  attractions  in  the  city. 

The  Tivoli's  latest  piece  is  "  Nell  Gwynne." 
It  has  several  very  pretty  numbers,  and  they  were 
well  rendered  by  Helen  Dingeon  and  the  Tivoli 
company.  Linda  Brambilla  Sordells  late  of 
Milan,  will  appear  as  Violetta  in  "La  Traviata.' 
She  has  an  excellent  reputation  and  is  expected  to 
make  quite  a  hit. 

The  Circus  is  unanimously  voted  the  best  show 
seen  here  in  a  long  time.  Barrett  has  gathered 
together  an  unusually  large  number  of  good  per- 
formers, and  everything  is  in  first-class  style. 

Dr.  J.  D.  McLellan.  who  has  been  so  long  and  favorable 
known,  has  fitted  up  new  offices  at  1410  Octavia  Street,  and 
is  now  receiving  his  patients.  He  has  spent  the  last  six 
months  in  study,  and  with  his  wealth  of  experience  he  is  pre- 
pared to  accomplish  better  results  than  any  other  physician 
by  the  magnetic  treatment. 


Poor  man's  soap  is  a  great  success.  Try  it.  If  you  send 
for  a  box  direct  to  Smith's  Cash  store  and  mention  this 
paper  you  will  get  the  "  Ranch,  Field  and  Fireside"  for  one 
year  free. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


273 


THE    LIBRARY  TABLE. 


The  New  York  Nation  printed  in  its  issue  of 
June  25th  a  retrospect  of  the  twenty  years  of  its 
existence  which  were  completed  with  that  num- 
ber. The  Nation  was  founded  in  July,  1865,  in 
recognition  of  the  new  order  of  thmgs  which 
was  sure  to  follow  the  end  of  the  war  and  the 
abolition  of  slavery.  It  at  once  espoused  the 
cause  of  pure,  unpartisan  administration  of  the 
National  Government  ;  and  the  present  condi- 
tion of  civil-service  reform  is  owing  to  it  more 
than  to  any  other  instrumentality.  It  has  been 
conducted,  in  its  two  leading  departments. 
Politics  and  Literature,  by  the  same  editors 
from  the  first  number,  and  holds  to-day,  as  for 
the  past  twenty  years,  the  first  rank  in  each.  It 
is  the  medium  of  the  m.ost  thoughtful  and  culti- 
vated disscussion  in  the  country — is,  in  fact,  the 
only  nationa/  jourmVistic  forum.  Its  foreign  cor- 
respondence is  unrivalled.  Its  book  reviews  (by 
the  leading  scholars  of  the  country)  possess  the 
highest  authority.  Each  number  contains  a  care- 
ful news  summary,  and  the  bound  volumes  are 
prized  as  the  best  obtaihable  chronicle  of  current 
history,  [24  pp.,  quarto.  10  cents  a  number;  $3 
a  year.     210  Broadway,  New  York.] 

A  Red  Letter  Day,  and  other  Poems,  by 
Lucius  Harwood  Foote.  Boston;  A.  Williams  & 
Co. 

The  verse  of  Gen'l  Foote  touches  the  high-water 
mark  of  poetry  written  upon  the  Pacific  Coast. 
Graceful,  fanciful  and  thoughtful,  it  combines  the 
beauties  of  the  West  with  those  of  the  far  East. 
Side  by  side  with  local  sonnets  we  find  Provencal 
tensons  and  Oriental  verse.  The  volume  will 
well  repay  perusal,  rife  as  it  is  with  graceful  fancy 
and  cultured  thought. 

The  Art  Interchange,  Midsummer  number, 
has  come  to  hand. 

It  is  ever  a  welcome  visitor  in  every  house 
where  it  is  taken,  being  replete  with  beauty,  and 
again  with  valuable  hints  and  suggestions  upon 
themes  suggested  by  its  title. 

The  Magazine  of  Art,  August,  1885,  has  the 
following  noteworthy  features  :  A  delicately  illus- 
trated poem  by  Austin  Dobson,  entitled,  "A  New 
Song  of  Spring  Gardens  ; "  a  pitiful  picture  of  a 
young  mother,  who  has  come  out  in  the  twilight 
to  beg,  the  picture  being  entitled,  "On  the  Appian 
Way  ;  "  a  reproduction  of  Hogborg's  vigorous  pic- 
ture, "  A  Cry  from  the  Deep,"  and  a  startlingly 
vivid  representation  of  the  Martyred  St.  Eulalia. 

Our  Little  Ones,  for  August,  an  excellent 
periodical  for  very  little  folks,  is  very  charmingly 
illustrated,  and  full  of  entertainment  for  its  juven- 
ile "constituency." 

The  North  American  Review,  for  August, 
is  very  heavy,  five  papers  being  upon  the  topic, 
"  Can  Cholera  be  Averted  ?  "  The  other  numbers 
include  "  The  Animal  Soul,"  by  Dr.  Felix  L.  Os- 
wold  ;"  "A  Profane  View  of  the  Sanctum/'  M.  J. 


Savage  ;  "  Temperance  Reform  Statistics,"  Prof, 
Willis  J.  Beecher  ;"  "The  Price  of  Gas,"  C.  H, 
Botsford  ;  "The  Spoliation  of  the  Public  Lands," 
Geo.  W,  Julian,  and  Comments. 

St.  Nicholas  for  August,  does  not  lall  below 
its  high  standard.  A  noteworthy  illustration 
appears  on  page  760,  entitled,  "The  King  Drinks," 
representing  a  lion,  in  the  moonlight,  lapping  up 
water  from  a  brook.  The  figure  is  so  admirably 
drawn,  and  everything  is  so  justly  represented, 
even  down  to  the  ripple  on  the  water  caused  by  the 
lapping  of  his  hot  and  thirsty  tongue,  that  one 
almost  fancies  himself  an  actual  and  fascinated 
spectator  of  the  scene. 

"Among  the  1-aw-makers"  is  interesting  to 
adults,  as  well  as  children,  while  Lieut. 
Schwatka's,  "Children  of  the  Cold,"  is  very  en- 
tertaining. 

The  remainder    of  the    number  is  mostly  taken 


up  by  continued  stories. 

Lippincott's  Magazine  for  August,  is 
anxiously  awaited  each  month  by  many  who  are 
desirous  of  reading,  "  On  This  Side,"  a  story  or 
rather  a  chronicle  of  events,  which  possesses 
marked  merits  and  glaring  defects.  It  is,  in  many 
particulars  a  very  acute  story  of  character,  but 
there  are  so  many  characters  upon  the  stage,  and 
such  a  lack  of  sequence  in  events,  that  everything 
and  everybody  will  not  "stay  put"  in  one's  mind. 
To  be  concluded  next  month. 

"The  Primitive  Couple,"  a  short  story  of 
dramatic  power  and  idyllic  beauty,  by  M.  H. 
Catherwood,  is  an  additional  proof  of  the  asser- 
tion that  America  is  the  land  where  the  short 
story  flourishes  in  all  its  glory.  It  is  alone,  worth 
the  price  of  the  magazine.  The  other  articles  do 
not  call  for  special  mention. 

The  Quiver,  Cassel  &  Co.,  (Limited),  for 
August  is  an  illustrated  magazine  for  Sunday  and 
general  reading,  which  is  principally  concernd  with 
religious  subjects.  A  good  serial  entitled,  "Mol* 
lie's  Maidens,"  is  running  in  its  columns. 

The  Nation  still  lives.  Its  most  distinctive 
characteristic  is  its  Book  Review  column. 

The  critiques  are  by  able  writers — mainly 
specialists — and  whatever  can  run  their  gauntlet 
ought  to  live.  In  politics  the  journal  is  obnoxious 
to  the  charge  of  being  what  is  inelegantly  termed 
"Mugwump."  It  is  an  education  to  take  and 
read  this  paper.     Terms  $3  per  annum. 

Students  Songs  edited  and  compiled  by  W^m» 
H.  Hills,  a  young  Harvard  graduate,  has  been 
received.  It  is  handsomely  printed  and  contains 
60  songs  with  their  music.  They  have  a  peculiar 
breeziness  and  mirth  making-capacity  that  will 
make  them  enjoyable  on  all  occasions.  Price  50 
cents.     Moses    King,  publisher,  Cambrige,  Mass. 

Luck  of  a  Wandering  Dane,  by  Hans  Lyk- 
kejager,  is  a  true   history  of  the   early   portion  of 


274 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


his  life.  It  is  filled  with  adventures,  mishaps, 
incidents  and  details  which  are  actual  experiences 
and  are  very  amusing  and  interesting.  Price  25 
eents.     Address,  box  754,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

The  following  songs  have  been  received  from 
the  publishers,  Oliver,  Ditson  &  Co.,  Boston: 

Our  Gallant  Fireman,  (30  cts.)  Song  by  ].  P. 
Skelly. 

Ay  de  mi,  my  Bird,  (30  cts.)  Song  by  Sullivan. 

Near  the  old  Garden  Gate,  (35  cts.)  Song  by 
F.  C.  Turner. 

Sweet  Hope,  (35  cts.)  Reverie  for  Piano  by 
Graziani. 

Ben  Bolt  March,  (30  cts.)  by  Louis  Meyer. 

Merry  Life  Polka,  (35  cts.)  by  Lesseps. 

Nocturne,  (35  cts.)  by  Biehl. 

Under  the  Flowers  our  Soldiers  Sleep,  {30  cts.) 
Song  by  J.  W.  Wheeler. 

Sam  Davis,  the  man  who  can  write  a  better 
sketch  than  Brete  Harte,  is  arranging  to  publish 
a  book  of  his  poems  and  stories. 

Madge  Morris  has  a  thrilling  novel  in  prepar- 
ation.    It  will  be  the  sensation  of  the  day. 

Henry  Curi^az,  well  known  in  musical  circles, 
has  composed  music  for  the  words  of  Clarence 
Urmy's  poem,  "Twilight."  The  song  will  un- 
doubtedly be  very  popular.  It  will  l)e  on  sale  at 
the  book  stores. 


H.  H.  Richmond,  the  author  of  "Monte- 
zuma," has  been  in  the  city  completing  arrange- 
ments for  the  publication  of  a  volume  of  poetry. 

Col.  Peter  Saxe  of  this  city,  correspondent 
of  the  New  York  World,  and  the  most  noted 
dealer  in  fine  stock  in  the  West,  is  a  brother  of 
John  G.  Saxe,  the  poet. 

Miss  Alice  Denison  has  recently  written 
some  very  excellent  poetry.  Whatever  she  does 
is  well  done. 

Ella  Sterling  Cummins  has  completed  her 
novel,  the  "Child  and  the  City.''  .  It  will  be 
published  by  the  GoLDEN  Era  Co. 

B.  P.  Moore's  novel  will  be  ready  for  sale 
about  Sept.  ist.  It  has  awakened  great  interest 
in  literary  and  social  circles. 

Nature's  By-Ways  in  California,  by  Harr 
Wagner,  will  not  be  issued  until  November. 

St.  Louis  Magazine,  for  August,  as  usual 
contains  a  full  installment  of  De  Menil's  bright 
paragraphs. 

The  Overland,  for  August,  shows  consider- 
able improvement.  It  has  an  excellent  table  of 
contents,  with  the  exception  of  editorial  depart- 
ments. 


PUBLISHERS'  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  MELBOURNE  RANCH. 


Editor  Ranch  B^ield  and  Fikksidk: 

A  short  time  ago  I  received  an  invitation  to  visit  the  elegant 
ranch  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melbourne,  in  Solano  county.  I  was 
so  agreeably  surprised  with  the  beauty  and  improvements  of 
the  place,  that  I  thought  it  might  be  well  to  let  your  readers 
know  what  can  be  done  by  pluck  and  energy,  in  making  a 
home  in  the  county.  I  took  the  four  o'clock  train  for  Sacra- 
mento, and  after  a  delightful  ride  of  two  hours  and  a  half,  I 
alighted  at  Cannon's  Station,  fifty-five  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. Mr.  Melbourne  was  at  the  train  to  meet  me,  and 
drove  me  to  his  residence  behind  a  beautiful  span  of 'horses. 
We  were  received  by  Mrs.  linger  and  Mrs.  Halsey,  both  of 
San  Francisco.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melbourne  have  displayed 
exquisite  taste  in  the  building  and  furnishing  of  their  hand- 
some country  home.  Everything  is  of  the  latest  design  and 
pattern,  and  rivals  our  city  mansions  in  elegance  and  com- 
forts, Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melbourne  entertained  me  royally.  I 
cannot  give  an  idea  of  the  delightful  manner  with  which  they 
entertain  their  friends.  After  resting  awhile,  I  was  shown 
the  fine  selections  of  stock  on  the  ranch —  handsome  blooded 
horses,  Devonshire,  Jersey  and  Durham  cows,  and  other  im- 
proved stock.  Mr.  Melbourne  never  allows  an  animal  to  be 
beaten,  and  the  animals  seem  to  know  and  appreciate  his 
kindness.  I  have  never  seen  a  cleaner,  neater  and  better 
arranged  place  anywhere.  This  is  all  the  more  remarkable 
when  it  is  known  that  all  the  improvements  have  been  made 
within  a  few  years.  The  ranch  is  now  worth  .^100,000,  is 
one  mile  square,  well  fenced,  and  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion.- The  place  is  a  real  California  paradise,  and  to  visit 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melbourne  is  a  rare  treat  that  will  always  be 
kindly  remembered  by  me. 

Franklin  N.  Ci.ark. 

No.  8  Montgomery  street.  San  Francisco. 


Read  the  advertisement  of  Dr.  Pierce  &   Co.'s 
issue. 


this 


San  Francisco,  Feby  17,  '85. 
C.  MuLLER,  No.  135  Montgomery  St., 

Dear  Sir — Actuated  by  the  debt  of  gratitude  I  owe 
you  for  services  rendered — which.  I  am  compelled  to  confess, 
you  did  not  only  scientifically,  but  morever,  conscientiously 
as  well — the  undersigned  has  penned  these  lines  as  a  token 
of  recognition.  Having  naturally  a  defective  vision,  which 
is  mainly  due  to  incorrect  refraction  or  extreme  near- 
sightedness. I  was  first  noticeably  annoyed  when  I  attend- 
ed school,  and  although  permitted  to  occupy  front  seats  it 
availed  but  little.  My  eyes  were  periodically  irritated  and 
at  times  inflamed;  and  the  fact  that  one  is  weaker  than  the 
other  made  me  look  cross-eyed  when  reading.  Having  had 
no  one  to  advise  me  1  indifferently  let  matters  go  from  bad 
to  worse,  under  the  impression  that  nature  would  ultimately 
remedy  the  defect,  until  about  six  months  ago  when  I  was 
irresistibly  impelled  to  act  for  myself  or  suffer  the  conse- 
quences of  my  negligence;  and,  as  fate  would  have  it,  I 
fortunately  sought  your  advice  and  assistance.  I  rejoice  to 
inform  you  that  since  I  am  wearing  glasses  my  eyes  are 
greatly  relieved  and  the  feeling  of  melancholy  has  vanished, 
for  I  now  behold  the  world  in  a  different  light  than  former- 
ly. I  am  enabled  to  distinguished  objects  infinitely  better 
than  before,  while  colors  come  out  with  wonderful  brillian- 
cy. Now  I  realize  how  much  has  escaped  my  observation, 
and  what  a  blessing  perfect  vision  is.  In  conclusion  I  which 
to  say  that  I  shall  do  all  in  my  power  to  induce  others,  who 
may  be  similarly  affected  by  defective  vision,  to  seek  your 
aid,  and  in  so  doing  I  «m  not  only  helping  to  pay  off  the 
debt  of  gratitude  I  owe  you,  but  at  the  same  time  assisting 
others— who  may  be  too  skeptical  or  timid  to  try— to  have 
science  do  for  them  what  nature  failed  to  provide.  You  are 
therefore  at  liberty  to  use  my  address  for  reference,  and  1 
shall  assuredly  answer  all  inquiries  in  person  and  respond  to 
letters  with  cheerful  alacrity. 

Yours  Gratefully,         Jno.  A.  Kretschmar. 

No,  421^  Filbert  St. 

Pierce  &  Co.  have  made   arrangements  to  publish  a  neat 
eight-page  paper. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


PET    CIGARETTES 


Cigarette  smokers  who  are  willing  to  pay  a  little  more  thau  the  price  charged  for  the  ordinary 
trade  Cigarettes  will  find  tlie 

PET  GIGAREHES  SUPERIOR  TO  ALL  OTHERS. 

They  are  m«de  from  the  most  delicate-tiavored  and  HKJHESX-COSr  OOL,I>  LEAF 
TOBACCO    grown  in  Virginia,  and  are 

ABSOLUTELY    WITHOLT    ADULTERATION    OR    DRUGS. 

Tlie  Ricliinond  Strai^lit  Cut  No.  1  Cigf^rettes  are  made  from  the  same  stock  as  the 
Pets.    They  are  shorter  and  thicker  than  the  Pets,  but  the  sjime  weight. 

While  the  sale  of  the  adulter  ited  brands  of  manv  American  manufactnrers  has  been  prohibited 
in  Great  Britvin,  our  ABSOLUTELY  PURE  GOODS  have  attained  the  largest  popular  sale 
ever  known  in  Cigarettes  in  that  country,  with  a  steadily  increasing  demand. 

rich:tioxi>,    va. 


THE  GOLDEN  ERA. 


THE  GOLD  MEDAL. 
No   California  piano  received    the   gold  medal  at   New 
Orleans,  but    Behr  Bros.,  of   New  York,  Ivers  &   Pond,  of 
Boston,  did  receive  the  medal      Kohler  &   Chase,  139   Post 
Street,  Agents. 


Dr.  J.  D.  McLennan  the  celebrated  magnetic  physician, 
who  has  been  traveling  for  the  past  eighteen  months,  has, 
since  his  return,  completed  a  model  health  resort  in  connec- 
tion with  his  former  residence  at  1410  Octavia,  between 
Geary  and  Post  St.,  where  he  is  ready  to  offer  his  valuable 
services  to  the  suffering  public  with  the  same  success  as  of 
old.  

PALACE  LUNCH  AND  OYSTER  PARLORS. 
When  in  Oakland  stop  for  a  good  meal  at  the  Palace 
Lunch  and  Oyster  Parlors,  968  Broadway.  Twenty-one 
15-cent  meal  tickets  are  sold  for  !i?2.75;  Yi  bottle  of  wine  with 
any  kind  of  roast  meat  is  sold  for  20  cents.  Mr.  Hallahan, 
the  gentlemanly  and  accommodating  proprietor,  personally 
superintends  every  detail. 

Pieree  &  Co,  have  recently  placed  a  beautiful  case  of 
their  goods  in  J.  H.  Widber's  drug  store,  cor.  Market  and 
Third  St.  

Smith's  Cash  Store  is  unequalled  on  this  coast  for  the  line 
of  goods  and  prices.  Read  the  full-page  advertisement 
and  if  you  see  anything  you  want,  send  for  it.  We  will 
guarantee  that  you  will  obtain  perfect  satisfaction. 


The  Fireman's  Fund  Insurance  Company  of  California. 
Home  office,  401  California  St.  The  leading  Pacific  Coast 
company.  Total  assets,  $1,473,025  76.  D.  J.  Staples, 
President.     William  J.  Dutton,  Secretary. 


Nervous  Debilitated  Men. 

You  are  allowed  a  free  trial  of  thirty  days  of  the  use  of  Dr. 
Dye's  Celebrated  Volcanic  Belt  with  Electric  Suspensory 
Appliances,  for  the  speedy  relief  and  permanent  cure  of 
Nervous  Debility,  loss  of  Vitality  and  Manhood,  and  all 
kindred  troubles.  Also,  for  many  other  diseases.  Complete 
restoration  to  health,  vigor  and  manhood  guaranteed.  No 
risk  is  incurred.  Illustrated  pamphlet,  with  full  informa- 
tion, terms,  etc.,  mailed  free  by  addressing  Volcanic  Belt 
Co.,  Marshall,  Mfch. 

Gold  Weight  Soap  is  unsurpassed.     Ask  your  grocer  for 


GOLD,    SILVER,    NICKEL    AND    COPPER 


Table    Ware   Re-plated.      Watches  and  Jewelry  of  all  de- 
scription gold  and  silver  plated.     Repairing  done 
on  all  kinds  of   work.     Silver-plated 
Amalgamating  Plates  fur- 
nished to  order. 

IV.    E.     SHEPi^lAN,    Prop. 

103  Geary  St.,  S.  W.  cor.  Dupont. 


FAMILIES 

LEAVING  THE  CITY. 

FURNITURE,  TRUNKS,  PIANOS, 
Pictures,  Carpets  stored  and  taken  care  of. 
Having  no  rent  to  pay,  we  store  goods 
low.  Advances  made.  References,  dat- 
ing back  2 1  years  given. 

H.  WINDJEL  &  CO.,  310  Stockton  St. 


S  u^  X^  X3  iS  . 

If  you  want  to  buy  a  Safe  of  any  kind, 

Fire-Proof,  Durg'lar-Proof  or  Fire  aitd 

Burgfla,r>Proof,  Time  Lock, 

Vault    Doors, 

Or  anything  in  the  Safe  line,  don't  fail  to  call  on 

HALL'S  SAFE  AND  LOOK  OOMPANY, 

211  and  213  California  St.,  San  Francisco. 
Safes  sold  on  installments. 


NDIO     LEWIS'  A 
UGGETO 

A  remarkable  Magazine — crowded  with  Brief  Articles  on 
Sanitary  Subjects  by  that  most  sensible,  terse  and  humorous 
writer— DR.  DIO  LEWIS.  Worth  its  Weijflit 
ill  Oold.  You  can  get  a  sample  copy  by  sending  Ten 
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Dr.  Bonnore  has  been  located  in  San  Jose  for  many  years, 
and  has  treated  thousands  of  difficult  cases  successfully. 
Educated  abroad,  with  natural  talents  as  a  physician,  she 
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times successful  when  all  else  fails,  and  you  may  be  assured 
of  successful  and  intelligent  treatment.  Mrs.  Bonnore  has 
her  excellent  remedy,  the  Electro-Magnetic  Liniment,  for 
sale.  It  is  a  wonderful  remedy  and  worthy  a  trial.  Call  on 
or  address  L.  A.  Bonnore,  797  and  799  South  First 
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go and  Deafness. 

Everybody  shonld  hare    it ! 

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DR.  PIERCE'S  ELECTRO-MAGNETIC  BELTS 


^pHE  ABOVE  ILLUSTRATION  TRUTHFULLY  REPRESENTS  ONE  OF  THE  GREATEST  REMEDIAL 
1  agents  in  existence— namely,  Dr.  Pierce's  Electro-lTIag-lietic  Belt,  complete  and  durable,  by 
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j>^|.G.L??K•>e^^:lii:. 


THE   GOLDEN    ERA. 


GOLD  WEI8HT 


SOAP 


la  one  of  the  finest  for 
Lanndry  and  all  other  pur- 
poses ever  used.  It  is  full  weight,  neatly 
wrapped,  aud  sells  for^  the  price  of  common 
soap.  Ask  your  grocer  for  i  t  and  prove  its 
value  by  its  use.      Depot,  ll.">  Clay  St, 


This  Fine  Washing  Powder  is  now  sent  ^^^ 

to  every  State  and  Territory  on  the  ^-x'^'^tflCk 

Coast,  and  is  fast  Avorking  its  ^-x^*^^**^©^  <^^^ 

Avay  east  of  the  moun-  ^^^^^^^^  ^  ^  #%^^ 

taiiis.  ^^^""^-^T  V^ 

You  will 
find  jour  wash- 
ing can  be  done  with 
half  the  labor  if  you  use 
this  fine  powder  according  to  in- 
structions.    Send  10  cents  in  stamps 
and  get  a  trial  package.      Tell  your  grocer 
about  ]t  andinduce  him  to  keep  it.     It  is  worth         j 
twice  as  much  as  any  other  article  ot  the  kind. 
Address  Climax  Washing  Powder  Co.,  117  Clay  St.,  S.  F. 


Our  own 

Brand. 
Send  75  Cents 

and  get  a 
TRIAL 
PACKAGE 
By  Mail— 115 


Finest 
Basket  Fired 
JAPAN. 

Cash   Store, 
Clay  St.,  S.  F-CaL 


JU^Xo  X 

3 


The  "Home  Cibcle,"  published  evoy 
month  givingr  full  quotations  for  all  fami  y 
^uppltps.  Sample  copy  Free.  Addre>s 
Smith's  Cash  Store,  115  &  117  Clay  St.,S.F. 


SILVER  PILL. 

Did  you  ever  try  them?  Ask  somebody 
about  them;  most  remarkable  medicine  in 
the  world.     By  mail  everywhere,  $1.00. 

Dz.  Wells,  P.O.  Box  2633,  S.  F.,  Cala. 


PARLOR    OIL. 

OUR  OWN  BRAND,  has  a  Good 
Reputation,  and  we  intend  to  maintain 
it.     Send  for  it  to 

SMITH'S  CASH  STORE, 
115  Clay  Street,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 


Do  not  be  pnt  off 
with  &  common 
or  medium  quality  of 


WHEN  yon  can  GET 
this  Celtbratf'd  arti- 
cle at  about  the  same 
price. 

Your  Grocer  keeps 
it  or  will  get  it  for 
you. 


POOR 

IKEAN'S 


Use  GOLD  WEIGHT  BAKING  POWDER! 


Warranted  to  give  Satisfaction. 


ame  Price  as  the  Royal. 


Ag'ents  for 
SAN  PRANCISCOi 

SMITH'S    CASH    STORE. 


English  and 
Scotch  People 

THIS 

F-NE  BRAND 

CF 

ENGLISH 
Breakfast  Tea 


RED 
ROSE 


By  Mail  as 

Sample  for 
85  Cts.  per  lb. 
Address, 
SMITH'S 
CASH 

STORE, 


115  Clay  Street,  S.  P.,  Cal. 


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CASH     OR     INSTALLMENTS. 

139  PoNt  J<iitreet,    San  Iraiicii^co. 


NAPA  COLLEGIATE  INSTITUTE, 

NAPA,  CALIFORNIA. 

Boarding-  School  .for  Ladies  &  (xeutlemeii. 

ELEVEN     EXPERIENCED     PROFESSORS 
AND    TEACHERS. 


ONLY   *'  PEBBLE  "     ESTABLISHMENT 


MENTS    OF  STUDY.-Scientific, 
Commercial,  Musical,  Normal,  El- 


EIOHT     DEPART? 
Fine  Art,  Classical 
ocution,  Primary. 

For  Catalogue  or  information,  address  the  Principal 


A.    K.  I^AiSIIER,  A.  :?!, 


MULLEK'S    OPTICAL    DEPOT, 

No.   135    Montsronierj-    Street,    near    Biisli. 

£W  SPECIALTY  FOR  33  YEARSr^^ 
'^pHE    MOST    COMPLICATEi:)    CASES    OF    DE- 
1     fective  vision  thoroughly  diagnosed   free   of  charge. 
Orders  by  mail  or»express  promptly  attended  to. 

Compound  Astijrinatic  Lenses  Mounted  to  Order 
at  Two  Hours'   Notice. 


^ 


DANICHEFF   KID  GLOVES, 

TO   ouni:R   OR   ready-itiauk. 

FACTORY,    119  DUPONT  ST.,    SAN  FRANCISCO. 

Orders  by  Mail  or  Expres.s  will  receive  proini»t  attention. 

THE  COLTON  DENTAL  ASSOCIATION, 

Phelan^s  Building,  Rooms  6  to  11. 

GAS    SPECIALISTS. 

Positively  Extract  Teeth  Without  Pain.    Over  30,()(H)  KetVieiiees. 

ESTABLLSHED  IN  1863. 

Also    perform    all  other  operation.s    in    Dentistry. 


:^x 


DR.  CHAS.  W.  DECKER. 


c 


iilllt