The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 13, 1898, Page 24

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 1898. 23 HithE, may, in sound garb, ibbe spoke own oung in white er tien she g thought of lost friends, ¢ any one or wide world Hite, a young il Per but of reck- ) ke a radical = there,” she sald g existence and ng to a certain sy It has found rwuch that you se . ardent _ Hite obeyed her, and _althoug! of the faith wa hite-handed working, r, but »es not aid One r floatin he wielded, a of face and fi minute—tw off by ihe labored breath of the worke: an4 the regular rise and fall of the pick Agur oung Indian gold John Hite squaw wed deserted with anything but the wn undemonstra better than all else in h weak his blows were s The Indian wife crouched besi he worked, and when he paused, aft a few strokes with his pick, and, lean- ing on its handle, looke e pointed again mble of torn earth and broken again, nd the Mariposa County, where, because these youthful days he was handsome , bold and merry in us and kindly in soon became a favorite girl, among , did n nt in went with him, no in all man she e h at her d to the then the after sonsible fashion which those day thought in his ¥ ago, n mining camps which he by whom she had The fact that so after his ;| th in that region he ‘took up” the many ot at those hir relatives or the loved im a oubt- spot, neasured great om Le°°" T T80y MRs.CeceLIA HiTE. W world. Conventionalities were unknown jito her, and she never dreamed that SHOWING HITE THE GoLD MINE, Hite mine of Mariposa County was dis- covered, and John-Hite was started far along the road which has led him to the enviable position of a millionaire. The companion of his long jaunts and founder of his fortune did not live long to share the wealth which she had be- stowed, for in less than two years she side ov g been brought to light through her in- strumentality. To her, at least, Hite was not ungrateful, for he erected to her memory a granite monument twen- ty feet high, at a cost of $10,000. It was not in the man’s nature, how- ever, to live alone or spend any length of time in vain repining for one de- parted never to return: The old chief was father of another daughter, younger and fairer than she who had first attracted the miner's favorable notice, and in a very short time he per- suaded the girl to take the place left vacant in his heart and life by the death of her gentle sister. The girl Lucy was extraordinarily handsome for one of her race, and her lot had been an unusually fortunate one, for she had been the favorite ckild of her grim any old father, and little if of the drudgery ordinarily per- ned by the women of Indian camp3 fallen to her share. aken altogether her beauty was re- ble, and no one wondered that e, who had seemed to his first helpmeet rather more like a master— though a kind one—than a lover, fell ionately in love with this younger er who » greatly her superior, and the suy of her tribeswomen in appearance and intelligence. Hite himself had reached the age of 40 by this time, but he was still handsome, dashing, light hearted and kind Hite built a fine house, the finest in > county at the time, situated about ty-five miles from the county seat f the lov t spots of pictur- sque Mariposa,*and installed his new love there as head of the estab) ment. Nothing that he could purchase was too rich or too handsome for her, and she had more money put into her slender little hands than she, with her primitive tastes and unambitious mind, knew what to do with. For a little over a year the young In- dian woman was proud and happy in her well-ordered and luxurious home; innocently and ignorantly proud and happy, for, secure in the love of her white “brave,” she troubled herself not at all about anything else in all the there could be aught of offense to any one in her quiet and home-centered life. Civilization, however, flourished apace in Mariposa, and civilization brings with it everywhere certain rules and regulations the breaking of which en- tails at least mild reprobation upon the offender. While white men alone ruled the hills and canyons, and formed the population of the mining camps, they had never, though perfectly conversant with the facts of the case, felt it neces- sary to interfere in any way, and had never betrayed to Lucy that her posi- tion in their little world was not an honorable and an honored one. To mind one’s own affairs strictly is a lesson which men, thrown heterogene- ously together in new localities and rough surroundings, either learn quick- ly and well, or suffer for not learning. ‘Women, however, are different. So it was that with the advent of white women poor Lucy discovered to her horror what kind of a life she was living, and that she was incurring the scorn of respectability, and the cer- tainty of future eternal punishment for herself and her companion in iniquity. Too much frightened and shocked by these revelations to even wait to dis- cuss the matter with Hite, who was absent on business at the time, Lucy did the only thing which seemed right and possible to her in the light of the knowledge which had ruined all her happiness. She turned her back on all that she held dear and fled—where to, ~no one Knows When Hite came home he found the house deserted, and frantic with grief began a search for the lost one, which extended through many weary weeks. Then he learned that she was under the protection of some relatives in an- other part of the county, but plead as he might and did in his heart-broken messages, she steadfastly refused to return to her old home or even to see him. At last, however, when he threatened that he would not even try to live without her, her woman’s heart re- lented and she sent him this brief word: “We have done wrong. Make the future right and I will come back.” So it was he consented to make amends for the past by marrying her in the proper Indian form. Under the circumstances she did not desire to have a public wedding or any celebration which would point out the errors of the past. To typify the old custom of pursuit and capture Hite caught her about the waist and pulled her down upon his knee, and holding her firmly but gently said, so that all around ight hear, the magic words quoted, “Cunny ohak meek.” “You are my wife.” That brief sentence brought happiness once again into the Indian girl's Ii That was early in the s, and for twenty-three years John and Lucy Hite lived together in apparent happi- ness and content. With the con- THE ALLEGED INDIAN MARRIAGE who, though very well the uncer- tainties of mining life and property, the ranch on which they lived was made a homestead that Lucy might be always sure of a home, and Hite stock- ed it with horses and cattle. As for Lucy, she was utterly devoted to him, and was never happy unless in his presence. She was his constant companion and helper, riding beside him along the lonely trails which led from mine to mine and camp to camp; walking beside him when he made the rounds of his duti near at hand. When there was a ‘“‘clean-up” at the Hite mine she helped him carry the gold to their house and guard it until it could be taken to town. Three times in those years she stood between the man she loved and his death by an assassin’s hand, and saved his life at the risk of her own, and then—well, a savage woman who spends her life in caring for another instead of herself, who knows none of the secrets of my lady's toilet table, and in the line of what she thinks her duty exposes herself to sun and storm and heat and cold without a thought of unbeautifying consequences, is apt to lose her youthful graces of form and face, and grow brown, and wrin- kled, and old looking in a score of vears. And there are always young and pretty wom who are glad to smile on millionaires, even If they have sent of Hite, wealthy, knew Indian wives at home, who a v ing out their lives in their and a young and pretty white woman, who wears Jdainty garments daintily, is fitted to shine in socie and knows how to flatter an old m into think- ing himself a dashing young beau again, is a far more fascinating companion than a middle-aged squaw who has grown a trifle careless in -her dress, and has scarcely more than one idea in the world, and that is to be the willing slave of a man who mno longer appreciates the constant, un- selfish service of her loyal heart. - years ago, t go away. By this time his interests were wide- spread; he had property in different parts of the coast and also in Mexico, and he was accustomed to leave home frequently to attend to affairs else- where. This time, with a refinement of cruelty which made his victim’s sorrow more crueily keen in the after days, he told Lucy that he intended settling STRANGE STORY OF A MINE, A MILLIONAIRE, TWO INDIAN GIRLS AND A WEDDING MRs.Lucy HiTe end of which the deserted wife stood with her hands shading her eyes look- ing, as she had nevet ceased to do, for the absent Hite. The shock did not kill her; she had lived through a shock almost as heavy in her youth, but it changed her nature. For the first time in her life she began to think of herself. She did not want revenge, but she wanted justice. To her the Indian marriage which Hite had repu ted after more than a score of years was sacred, and had given her not only the duties but the rights of a wife, and in this view of the case many of the peopie of Mariposa County sup- port her. Her self-sacrificing, kindly, blameless life has won her friends who are glad to help her in this her time of need. Feeling that her cause is just she has brought suit in the Superior Court against the man to whom she gave the blind devotion of her best years for ab- solute divorce and a division of prop- erty. Poor though she is, for Hite shared no portion of his wealth with her, and up all his business outside Mariposa in such a way that he need never leave her for one of these long trips, during which she felt so lonely, again. “I am growing old, he said, “and T want to come home and stay, and spend my last days here quietly with you. After I come back this time we will have nothing to trouble or sepa- rate us hereafter.” So he went away and Lucy walted patiently and hopefully at home. Af- ter three months she began to look for his return and plan his welcome, but week after week passed and found her still alone. stand at the door,” she says, pa- thetically, “and look—so,” shading her eyes with her still beautiful hands— “look—look—look—till my eyes get tired and my heart as heavy as gold, but_he did not come. I look months, years, but he never comes, but one day came—this.” “This” is a crumpled piece of news- paper, a torn picture of 2 man with a gayly dressed woman sitting beside him, standing at a dinner table with a full champagne glass in his out- her only property is the run-down stretched hand, evidently giving a ranch in Mariposa County with its di- toast. lapidated house, fitted with furniture which was new in her bridal days, she It is a picture of a scene in a Kearny- does not lack for powerful champions street restaurant at the wedding din- ner of John Hite—the millionaire— F. J. Castlehun of this city, who has John Hite, who ha nce again fallen heen @Mr. Hite's attorney for many in love, this time with a young widow, years, declares that the whols story ef Cecelia Nougues by nathe, and a nurse by profession. It was a kindly neighbor who brought the picture and the news to Lucy; brought it to her up the path at the s marriage to, and desertion by, ent is untrue. Mr. Hite, he says, is quite willing to submit the matter to the caurt. ! FLORENCE MATHESON. y s ; =N e e Ee=—e-0—90_g5 = ° a sing-1n; Ev - ’ry coon’s a gwine dat rught, e e iy et EmE s - i & g g | = == = - = = s 4 e — "“ - e 0 n—W r + e 1 === = ——r— Dens de time youll see dem all a - walk in) wont you? «.TO PUT THIS SONG IN BOOK FORM CUT HERE AND FOLD.....c.cceenceueer — Voice. : £ e e 2.y = £ 5:7 Faer o LR : ; T =+ : Pia_no_ B3 <f > <f f erese /] o’ My 5 fl_',___ 5 feel solight andhear - ty, Dar’s gwineto be a par - _!y; gals gotme ~ a think - i, For twice I canghtherwink - in} - ¥ == 74 the lead - er, own at Jack-séns wat - er - mel Mis - ter John - Say, Say, + on on Tues - ddy night, de col - ored band, Copyright 159x by Willis Woodmard & C? Enalish Copyright Secured