_Still Osages City_.
DEAREST MAMMA,--I must write each day, because I have so much to say, if
I didn't I should get all behind.--I don't believe you would like going
into a mine a bit!
We seemed to drive through unspeakable dust to a banked-up, immense heap
of greyish green earth, with some board houses on it, and a tall shaft
sticking out; and in one of these houses we changed, or rather dressed
up in overcoats and caps, and were each given a dip candle. Then we went
to the lift. But it wasn't a nice place, with a velvet sofa, but just
about three boards joined together to stand on, with a piece of iron
going up the centre to a cross-bar overhead; no sides or top. And this
hung in what looked mid-air.
Mercédès and I got in first, with Nelson and the Vicomte beyond us, with
their arms tight round us, and our hands clinging to the cross-bar of
iron above. Then we began to descend into the bowels of the earth. It
felt too extraordinary: a slightly swaying motion, and not close to the
sides as even in the most primitive lift, seeing or rather feeling space
beyond. Nelson held me so tight I could hear his heart thumping like a
sledge hammer. It felt very agreeable, and I am sure I should have been
terribly frightened otherwise. Mercédès did not seem to mind, either,
and from what I know of Gaston, he wasn't making the least of the
occasion.
Finally, about eight hundred feet down, we stopped, and got out on to
firm ground and waited for the others, who came in batches of four. The
air was pumped in, I suppose, from somewhere, because just here it was
cool, and not difficult to breathe. We had such fun, but Nelson was
rather pale and silent, I don't know why. When everyone was there we
started on our explorations, and seemed to walk miles in the weirdest
narrow passages, in single file, on a single board sometimes, each
carrying our light. We climbed ladders and had to cross narrow ledges on
the edge of the abysses, and it was altogether most interesting to learn
the different sounds the rock with ore in it made when hammered on, to
the earth rock. They broke off some with a pickaxe to give to each of
us. "High grade," he called, and even the scraps about as big as my two
hands which I have now, they say will produce about sixteen dollars'
worth of gold; so is not this wonderful riches, Mamma? What a great and
splendid country, and how puny and small seem the shallow little aims
of towns and cities, when here is this rich earth, waiting only to be
explored. There, in the strange light of the dip candles, and everyone
chaffing, Nelson and the Senator seemed to stand out like two giants,
and there was something aloof in their faces, and apart from the rest.
If one searched the world, Mamma, one could not find two nobler men.
At last we climbed into two great caverns out of which they had taken
the finest gold, nineteen thousand dollars to a ton of rock. The miners
(I am sure not the lovely courtly creatures we saw last night, but some
low other ones) stole so much that now they have to be searched as they
leave the mine. We hated to hear that. They could conceal about twenty
dollars' worth a day on themselves each, and so it got to be called
"high grading." Isn't that a nice word, and what heaps of "highgraders"
there are in different walks of life! Pilfering brains and ideas and
thoughts from other people!
They were blasting in the shaft below and the fumes came up and made us
all a little faint, so we decided to come to the earth's surface without
going down about two hundred feet lower, which we could have done.
In one long gallery we came upon a single miner working away in a
cul-de-sac, with, it seemed, absolutely no air. Think of the courage
and endurance it must take to continue this, day after day! I do admire
them. Then they have the knowledge that if they like to chance things
and go off with an "outfit"--two donkeys, which are called "burros"--
carrying their tools, they can prospect in the desert and peg out their
own claims, and all have the possibility of becoming millionaires. It is
a wonderful and rugged life.
Gaston must have said something definite to Mercédès in the dark for
they both looked conscious when we came into daylight; but we have not
heard anything yet. Octavia's friend is quite devoted to her, and Tom
is getting a little jealous; so good for him, he won't be so absolutely
casual in future, I hope. And if, Mamma, I had not an underneath feeling
of I don't know what about Harry and that Smith creature, I could be
awfully happy, as I find Nelson an attentive dear; but there it is, just
as I am beginning to feel frolicsome, a recollection rushes over me of
them together in Africa, and a sick sensation comes up, and I feel I
could play the devil if I had the chance--and I believe I would if it
were someone else; but Nelson seems too fine to trifle with. Heigh ho! I
now know that Harry is really rather like these miners, only he has not
got such good manners, but just the same absolutely fearless unconscious
assurance and nerve and pluck. I suppose that is why I love him so
much--I mean I did love him, Mamma, because, of course, I don't now; I
am quite indifferent, as you know.
On our way back to lunch we took a drive round the city. There is not
a blade of living thing rowing but the sage brush. It is a desolation
beyond description, and clouds of dust. But everything seems alive
and there is no gloom or depression. The hotel was full of bustle and
movement, and groups of men were talking together as if some news had
come in, and the Senator presently told us that there had been rather a
row at the dance hall after we left, and the four villainous looking men
we had seen had "done a bit of shootin,'" but no one was hurt much,
and they had left to-day for no one knows where. He says this class of
desperadoes are like a pestilence; whenever they descend trouble of
sorts brews, and the chief of them is a man called Curly Grainger--the
"lowest yellow dog out of hell."
In the afternoon we paid some calls on the ladies who had dined with
us, and you can't think what dear little homes they have, looking like
chicken houses outside, and inside cosey and comfortable; and they were
all so kind and hospitable and made us feel welcomed and honoured. And
these are real manners, Mamma--that politeness which comes from the
heart.
We were allowed to dress as in New York for our dinner party, given by
Octavia's friend at his shack, and to see the girls and Lola, and
indeed us all, looking like Paris fashion plates in dainty clothes and
feathered hats seemed so quaint; but when we got inside it was not out
of place.
Such a person of refinement he must be! The outside was made of boards
like the rest, but inside it had bookcases and comfortable chairs and
cosey sofas, and the nice look of a man's room who is no fool and reads
books and thinks thoughts. There were several more lovely creatures whom
we had not met before, altogether about eighteen the party was, and as
the dining-room only held ten, naturally the rest sat on boxes, and
the table was elongated with a packing case. But the fun we had! As
delightful as the evening with the Squirrels; each of these pets
out-doing the other in remarkable Western phrases and stories, and all
with that whimsical fine sense of humour that can see the fun even in
themselves. I wish I could remember the sentences, but they are too
difficult, only they had not to be translated or explained; they were
simply the most unusual English applied in that crisp exact fashion that
is an art in itself, meaning _exactly_ what is necessary to present an
idea. The whole entertainment was cooked for, and waited on by, a most
delightful coloured lady called Cassandra, who chewed gum and joined in
the conversation.
Fancy the consternation and horror of Mrs. Spleist or Mrs. Craik V.
Purdy, if either had been the hostess of such a party! They would have
apologised the whole time. It was all enchanting.
"Now, Mr. Johnson," Cassandra said (our host's name is Burke Johnson),
"why yo go for to put all de peas in dat great heap on yo plate? Didn't
I tell yo to be careful? Dey won't go 'round." And she looked like a
reproving mother to a greedy boy, showing her splendid teeth in a grin.
We were so amused. But when the subjects interested her she would pause
with a dish in the air and give her opinion in the friendliest way, not
the least impertinently, but as some fond, privileged Nanny might at a
children's party.
"Fact is, you spoil Mr. Johnson, Cassandra," Nelson said; "you feed him
too well and keep him too snug." Then she tossed her head, "Mr. Johnson
is my care, Mr. Nelson," she said; "you can talk 'bout that to some
other coloured lady," and her laugh rang out like a silver bell.
I cannot give you any idea, Mamma, of how perfectly delightful all these
people are.
After dinner we played a game of poker in the sitting-room, not for
high stakes, only just chaff and fun, and Tom made outrageous love to
Columbia, who answered him with the cleverest parries. American girls
are miles ahead of us in brilliant repartee. Then someone played the
piano and we all sang songs, and from the kitchen where Cassandra was
washing up the dishes, came the most melodious second in that sweet
perfect harmony which the negroes seem so well to understand.
Placed carelessly among some books on a table by the side of the piano
were two revolvers (I must call them "guns" here, because that is their
name) and I did such a silly thing without thinking, so unaccustomed are
we at home to realise anything could be loaded that was casually lying
about. I picked one up and examined the tracing on the barrel, never
noticing that it was pointing straight up at my head, until I felt
Nelson's iron grip upon my wrist, while he took it from my hand. His
face was white as death. "My God!" he said, "my God, quit touching
that!" Then he walked quickly to the door and opened it and looked out
on the night. There was no hall, the sitting-room is straight on the
street. He took a great deep breath and came back again, and then he
laughed, "Guess I'm a pretty fool," he said; "I've had them pointed
direct at me with the finger on the trigger, too, and never turned a
hair, but, by the Lord, to see your flower face close to that grim thing
makes me kind of sick." It moved me deeply, Mamma; I wonder why?
The whole company walked home with us, but I clung on to the Senator's
arm and let my other be held by the one with the roguish smile of the
night before; and Nelson seemed to be extraordinarily gay as he strode
beside Octavia, though when we said goodnight, just outside my room, his
eyes were full of mist.
I don't feel the least sleepy, and I am sitting here in the
rocking-chair thinking of all our trip, and the different impressions it
has made, and how deeply I admire and respect this wonderful people.
As soon as they have grown out of being touchy, and rounded off their
edges, they will have no equals on earth. This great vast country we
have come through seems like the great vast brains of the men from here
who are the real nation builders. The successful schemers and business
men are remarkable, too, but these are the ones who make for splendour
and glory and noble ideas. They are like strong pure air blowing away
migraines; and yet the business men also are to be respected; it
requires such indomitable pluck in either case, only this kind of
outdoor pluck makes male creatures turn more into the things which women
love.
There was one point I did not remember to tell you about in its place,
and that was the rather pathetic spectacle the boys are, in numbers of
families in the East,--tied to their mothers' apron strings, treated
like girls and taken constantly to Europe with or without a tutor;
little, blasé grandfathers driving motor cars and dressing in grown up
clothes. I longed to send them all to Eton and let them get flogged and
have to fag and be turned into children first, and then men. I asked the
fourteen year old Spleist boy to get me down a branch of blossom far up
on an apple tree, and for the world he wouldn't have rubbed his patent
leather boots, even if he had known how to hold on to reach so high. All
the children are old, more or less, and wearied with expensive toys and
every wish gratified. Only that they are more surrounded with servants
and governesses or go to school, numbers and numbers are like "Matilda"
on the ship. Out here there don't seem to be any children, or hardly
any, but those there are, I expect, are like everything else in the
West, free and growing. But there is one quality which seems exclusively
American, West or East, unbounded hospitality and kindly feeling, and
ever and always I shall think of them all as dear friends.
Perhaps I shall not be able to post a letter again for some days, Mamma,
but good-night now, and fond love from,
Your affectionate daughter,