by Jim Cox
“Yes, Suzan; I love you more than anything, but that’s not the point, you…”
She cut him off. “We’ve gone through this status discussion before, and I’ve told you that you are my equal in every way. The fact you can’t read or write or haven’t mastered the English language doesn’t cause you to be someone a woman can’t admire and love. Those things can be taught, but what can’t be taught is a man’s heart; his kindness, his helping hand, his honesty, his love for his family and friends, and his love and faithfulness to his wife like you’ll give to me. These are the worthwhile characteristic you possess that matters to me and has caused me to fall in love with you…please understand that.”
“Thank you for those kind words, Suzan. They mean a lot to me.” Then their eyes connected with sincerity and Lefty asked, “Are you sure you love me? Maybe, you have feelings for me because we’ve been through some tough times together during the past weeks.”
“That’s why I love you. I’ve seen what you’re made of, and what you stand for during these difficult weeks I’ve been with you.”
Suzan couldn’t hold back any longer as tears started streaming down her cheeks, and through sobs, she said, “I love you with all my heart, sweetheart. Please never doubt that. I’ll cook you fried apple pies for the rest of our lives if that’s what you want me to do.” Lefty stood, took her in his arms, and held her tightly for a long time as their hearts and souls soaked in the marriage pledge they’d just made to one another.
The conversations at the dinner table was limited that evening. Hide and Louise knew something was going on with Suzan and Lefty, but they kept their thoughts to themselves. When the dishes had been cleared, and the cards fetched for their evening game, Lefty interrupted, “Suzan and I have an announcement. I’ve asked her to marry me, and she has agreed. I don’t know why she’d want to marry an ugly cuss like me, but she does.”
Hide jumped up to shake his friend’s hand. “It’s about time you two are getting hitched,” he said. “You’ve both been googled-eyed ever since you got here from the mountains. When’s the big date?” Louise looked at Suzan who gave a slight nod with a raised right eyebrow. They both smiled at Suzan’s expression, knowing she was the one who finagled Lefty into the engagement.
“Yes,” Louise said, “when is the wedding scheduled to take place?”
“Sometime during the first of May,” Lefty said. “I’ll start getting ready to head out for the gold shortly after that. I want to be in the mountains by the middle of June. The weather should be tolerable by then.”
“What kind of clothing should Suzan and I be taking,” Louise asked. “I hear the nights get mighty cold in the mountains.”
All eyes jerked toward Louise with a questioning glare. She was wiping tears. And then after a long pause, she said, “I’ve been acting like a fool. I was only thinking of myself and not about Hide, who was willing to give up his dreams and his share of the gold for me. I have no right to keep you from your dreams, sweetheart,” Louise said with her eyes on her husband. “And I want to be with you during the adventure of finding them.” Everyone was in tears as Hide went to her with outstretched arms.
When Hide released Louise, and everyone got control of themselves, Lefty said, “I’m glad you feel that way Louise, but there ain’t no way you women are coming along. It’s dangerous in those mountains, and there’s a dozen ways you could get injured or even killed. Your horse could stumble and fall on you, or gold thieves could kidnap ‘ya, or…” Suzan cut him short.
“There’s no need saying we can’t go. We’ve already made up our minds; we’re going. If you don’t let us ride along with you, we’ll simply follow behind and take care of ourselves.”
Lefty looked at Hide who was smiling from ear-to-ear. “Don’t look at me for help in the matter. She’s your wife or soon will be. But if I was you, I’d get her horse and belongings ready to go.” Lefty was the only one not smiling when he went after the coffee pot.
Chapter Thirty-Three
It was a beautiful morning on the Barbary Coast in mid-May 1850. The sun was bright, a light breeze was blowing, and the sky was full of pillow clouds floating slowly to the east. Unlike most mornings, the pastry shop was closed because at ten o’clock, which was only an hour away, a wedding was scheduled to take place on the Wharf in front of the shop. Louise was busy in her bedroom making the final touches on Suzan who stood in a white, pioneer style, ankle length dress that fit her trim, shapely body perfectly. Her hair was piled high in ringlets. “You look beautiful, Suzan…absolutely gorgeous,” Louise remarked. Then she went to a sideboard and retrieved a white crochet scarf she’d made and draped it over Suzan’s head with its tails at her waist. “It’s time to place this on,” Louise said with a smile.
“Thank you for making this and my dress,” Suzan said as she examined the scarf. “They’re absolutely beautiful and something I’ll cherish forever.”
Lefty and Hide were in the sitting room, wearing black suits with string ties, waiting for the women to come out. Lefty’s mind was on what he should say to Suzan during the ceremony when a disturbing thought came. I can’t carry my pistol during the wedding ceremony. I’ll be naked out there with no protection against a challenger.
“What’s on your mind, Lefty,” Hide asked. “I can tell something’s bothering you from your sober face.”
“What if a troublemaker picks a fight with me, Hide? I won’t be wearing a gun for protection; I’ll be naked.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take mine along and keep things under control.” Lefty nodded but didn’t get much relief from Hide’s statement.
When the scheduled time came for the ceremony, Lefty opened the door for his lovely bride, and as they stepped outside, they stood in shock. Because standing along the shoreline were a couple hundred people, mostly men, shouting their congratulations. Lefty found out later Hide had let the cat-out-of-the-bag and told the morning pastry buyers about the wedding. They showed their appreciation for the bakery’s service and delicious pastries they served by their attendance.
The wedding went off without a hitch, and after a time of celebration with their friends on the Wharf, the newlyweds slipped away and headed out for a week-long honeymoon.
When they returned, they settled into Lefty’s room he’d rented, and picked up on the same busy work schedule they’d had before the wedding; leaving early every morning for Louise’s kitchen where they kept busy all morning making and selling pastries.
While the newlyweds were away, Louise hired a middle-aged couple by the name of Sam and Betty Arnold to operate and manage the pastry shop while she was gone with her husband after the gold. They started training three weeks before the trip was scheduled and were catching on to the procedures very well.
Shortly after the couple was hired, which freed up Lefty’s time, he visited Mr. Stroud, the bank president who was to acquire the men and mules for the gold retrieval. “I have eight trustworthy men and eight mules lined up, Mr. Newman. They’re ready to leave at our summons,” the banker said. “I’ve also arranged for one of our inspectors to be with you. The details of the entire operation have been concealed as we discussed during your last visit; you shouldn’t have any thievery attempts along the way.”
“I’ve been thinking, Mr. Stroud. To be on the safe side and not draw attention to a big group of men and mules leaving at the same time, I’d like for the men to travel in pairs to Sutter’s Fort, leaving San Francisco a day apart; the first pair to leave here on the third of June which is two weeks away. I’ll meet up with them at Sutter’s Fort and lead them the rest of the way to the gold.”
“Do you think all of that precaution is necessary, Mr. Newman?”
“Probably not, but to be on the safe side, let's follow the plan I just laid out.”
During the two weeks following Lefty’s bank visit, a great deal of preparation took place. Lefty and Hide had their four horses at the livery for them to ride, but they needed three strong mules to car
ry their supplies and food they’d be taking. Luckily, the smithy at the livery had mules for sale that he’d recently acquired.
Both couples visited the mercantile twice to purchase three weeks of food, several feet of rope, and two, ten-by-twenty-foot canvases. Lefty also bought a new rifle that used the same size cartridges as his pistol and five boxes of shells. He was turning from the gun rack when he spotted a used buffalo gun, reported to have fire-power strong enough to reach a target five-hundred yards away, so he added it and two boxes of its shells to his purchases. “You might be needing this,” the clerk said lifting up a leather rifle scabbard. “It’s designed to hang under the saddle’s left stirrup out-of-the-way and will hold up to three long-guns. Lefty gave his approval with a nod. While the men shopped, the women stayed busy picking out items they’d need on the trip. They purchased two changes of clothing, the type the men had pointed out; clothing that would be comfortable while riding, but at the same time warm and resistant to strong wind and rain. Along with their clothing, the women purchased western style hats with chin-straps, gloves, neck scarfs, raincoats, heavy wool coats, and each woman bought two pair of western boots, suited for the saddle.
During the afternoon before their departure, the women stayed busy cooking batch-after-batch of pastries; mostly fried pies and Bear Paws, which was placed in cotton food bags to be placed under the mules’ pack-rack canvases for protection.
After the women finished cooking the pastries, they sat down with a cup of coffee before starting on super. They wanted their last supper before leaving to be special, and it was. However, in spite of the many dishes of delicious food, there wasn’t much conversation at the table because minds were on their morning departure. After the dishes were cleared and a few hands of cards, the couples went to bed. Hide, and Louise went to the bedroom and Lefty and Suzan, who had made arrangements to spend the night with them, pulled the two half-beds together in the sitting room where they’d sleep. Both couples laid wide-eyed for a long time, listening to the ocean waves lapping against the ship. Their bags of clothing and personal items were at the front door, and the horses, mules, and supplies were at the livery waiting for an early departure.
Lefty woke the next morning to the stove grates being shaken and its fire-box being filled with wood. When he raised to his right elbow, he saw Louise in her housecoat filling the coffee pot with water. “You’re up early this morning, Louise,” Lefty said as he pulled on his pants while still lying under the covers.
“I couldn’t sleep any longer and thought I’d get an early start with our breakfast.”
While Lefty was sitting on the edge of the bed pulling on his boots, Suzan sat up wiping her eyes with her knuckle. “I’ll be up in a minute and help with breakfast,” she called out to Louise. Just then, Hide walked out from the bedroom, all dressed and ready to go.
The breakfast dishes were being put away when Betty and Sam entered the kitchen to start the pastry cooking and to get ready for the morning rush. While they were doing that, Louise and Suzan went to the bedroom to get ready for their travel and the men headed for the livery.
It was nearly an hour later when Lefty and Hide rode back leading two horses and three mules carrying pack-racks. When they entered the front door, they stood in amazement looking at their wives who they’d never seen in western attire before. Louise wore a black western hat with her hair tucked inside its crown. Her light blue cotton shirt was tucked into black wool pants, and her boots were black. Suzan was dressed much the same except her hat was brown with her hair hanging to her shoulders, and her shirt was green. Both looked as pretty as ever even though they were dressed in men’s clothing. Minutes later, their personal bags sitting by the front door were loaded under the canvases on the mules’ back-rack. After coats were put on, the travelers stepped into the stirrups and headed for the ship that hauled passengers across the bay. The line was not nearly as long as when Lefty and Shorty crossed the bay six months ago, and the four were boarded on the first ship that arrived at the docks.
It was full light by the time Lefty’s clan departed the crossing ship and started riding due east across the mainland’s hilly terrain. Lefty led the way on Star with a mule tethered behind, Suzan followed Lefty on Sandy, then came Louise on Abe, and Hide brought up the rear on the thief’s horse with two mules tethered behind. The light blue sky was exceptionally intense in the California clear morning air with a few white pillow clouds drifting eastwardly rather swiftly. Hats were pulled low with their chin straps tight as they rode toward the bright morning sun with a strong wind at their backs. The men kept to an easy pace not wanting to over-do-it with the women, who seemed to be doing fine, but even so, both men kept a peeled-eye on them.
At mid-morning they stopped for coffee and Bear Paws. After lingering a bit and drinking a second cup of coffee, Lefty stood, indicating it was time to leave, but Suzan reached for his arm and said, “Louise and I know you’ve been holding back in your travel pace because of us. We don’t want that; we want you to ride at your normal speed, we’ll keep up; don’t worry about us.”
“Are you sure about that, honey?” Lefty asked. “Hide and I don’t want you to over-do-it. We’ve a long trip ahead of us and it’ll be very tiring.” Both women gave their assurance they could keep up without a problem and stepped into their stirrups with broad smiles.
Lefty led off riding across the rolling, windy hills toward the place they’d be stopping for their noon meal in about three hours. The location was behind boulders to block the wind with a nearby stream lined with grass for the horses and mules. Lefty’s plan was to continue on after their noon meal until they reached the end of the rolling hills and the beginning of the desert where they’d spend the night.
Nine hours after their mid-morning coffee break, Lefty’s plan became a reality as the four sat in their saddles atop a hill looking at the distant desert which concluded the first leg of their trip to Sutter’s Fort.
The sun was starting its final descent into hiding when the fried potatoes, canned tomatoes, and salted pork belly was dished-up and coffee poured. They ate in silence, drank a second cup of coffee and then the women went to the stream to wash the dishes while the men spread the bedrolls. When the women returned with the clean dishes, their exhausted, aching bodies relished the thought of lying down on their bedrolls that had been placed behind a cluster of boulders several yards from the fire.
On their way to their beds, Louise asked, “Why did you put our beds so far off behind those boulders instead of close to the fire?”
Hide answered, “It’ll give us a bit of protection if unwanted men approached the camp, and it’ll also keep us from being fire-blinded should that happen.” The women nodded. “By-the-way,” Hide said when they reached their beds, “it’s warm now and covers ain’t needed, but the cold air will float in ‘fore morning, and you’ll need ‘em, so keep the covers close.” The women hardly had time to nod before they were sleeping.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Lefty and his clan had already ridden for two hours the following day when the sun came into full view and the morning gray was turning to brightness. They were riding in a northeasterly direction toward Sutter’s Fort, which Lefty was acquainted with from his travels a year ago. He knew it would be a punishing three-day trip through the desert with heat most likely in the high nineties or even in the hundreds. Lefty was concerned about the women’s endurance, but there was nothing else to do but to keep going at a decent pace. Like his last trip to Sutter’s Fort, they’d be stopping for a breather on the banks of the American River which was less than a half-day’s ride to the settlement. Maybe, we’ll spend the night there, he thought. It’s a good place to camp and rest-up in the shade of the trees and get the grim off ourselves in the river.
Lefty’s memory proved true crossing the desert. The afternoon temperatures were over a hundred degrees, the wind was dead, the sand was hoof deep on the horses, and there was no water or grass to be found along the way. It se
emed as if each day had turned into a week; time simply stood still. They were miserable. Their bodies were worn out. They were exhausted. They constantly craved water because their mouths seemed full of cotton, but water from the canteens didn’t help. Never had the women experienced anything like this. Even Suzan didn’t remember the severity of the trip from when she crossed the trek last year. Every muscle in their bodies ached, and even though their hats were pulled low, their faces were sunburned, their eyes were bloodshot, and their lips crusted. The sweat-soaked clothing caused open blisters on their butts, and no amount of shifting in the saddle helped. But at days end, after three grueling days in the desert, the American River tree line came into view.
“We’ll be spending the night here,” Lefty said as they neared the trees. “Let’s get the camp set up, and wood gathered for our supper fire before we enjoy cooling off and washing ourselves in the river. Hide and I will take care of the horses and mules and gather up the wood while you women unpack our nightly needs and layout our beds. I’d suggest you place the bedrolls a considerable distance apart in case we experience intruders. Maybe, place Suzan’s and mine ten to twenty yards north of the fire, and Hide and Louise’s ten to twenty yards south of the fire.” The women nodded and started for the bags while the men led the horses and mules to water and then to grass where they hobbled them. Afterward, they gathered up firewood.
When the chores had been completed, and all four had gathered around the fire, Hide said, “Lefty, why don’t you and Suzan go to the river and strip-down for a bath while Louise and I get supper started?” His statement startled everyone, and Lefty smiled. Suzan’s eyes glared with a furrowed forehead. “Be sure and take along clean clothes and plenty of soap,” Hide said. The young married couple followed Hide’s instructions and headed for the river with clean clothes and soap in hands.
