California

Grass Valley, California April 15, 1858

Estimable Fair Damsel,

Glad indeed was I to receive, from under your own hand, a Note by the last steamer, in answer to that “singular and inexplicable letter” which you “don’t feel competent to answer” – yet whatever may have been your feelings on the subject, clear it is you did answer – and accept my thanks for the kindness.  Nothing is more grateful in this far off land than a letter from a friend, and more especially is it so in this instance, when that friend has never been seen, and “exceeding abundantly” more so when that unseen friend is a lady not a giddy girl as the novels have it – of faultless properties – the varied expression of whose dark blue eyes, from soft persuasive eloquence to bright gladsome animation so charms and captivates – with shining bands of nut brown hair drooping low in graceful clusters shading the very cheek, while thick tresses which in their luxuriance seem almost to defy restraint lie thickly gathered over the beautifully rounded head.  The mouth beautifully cut with ruby lips curling with merry archness when parted by the bewitching smile which displays her white and pearly teeth.  Not in all the particulars did my imagination describe the fair lady whose note I so gratefully received.  I say not in all these particulars, yet I confess there were not many left out, and if imagination had deceived me, please pardon imagination, and set it down to ignorance, while I freely acknowledge in this case that “ignorance is bliss.”

You disclaim the voluptuous age of “sweet sixteen” and pleasing is the announcement.  That “dreaded age” has not made a virago (a woman of extraordinary stature, strength, and courage. A woman who has a robust body and mind of a man) of you – more pleasing still.  “Beauty I make no pretensions to” – This I must take with a small grain of allowance, because to a good disposition and agreeable manner there must be added a beauty which cannot be reasoned away by the possessor.

Fair Lady, you had an idea of carrying that singular letter to the Ministers to have him comment upon it.  Now what prospective if not mysterious opening – “to the Ministers!”  Oh how I wished to have been there instead of that singular letter – you might have taken one to the “Ministers”, and have had him comment upon – not me and the letter – but upon us, tapering off his comment with “and you “Esther F. D. promise Etc. Etc. “obey,” Etc. Etc.  Is this a new idea to you?  If it is I am pleased to know it.

I am positively glad you are never troubled with the “Blues” – never thoughtfully sad, and can sympathise with suffering humanity in general, and with me in particular.  There is no mawkish sensibility about this – plain outspoken truth without metaphor or gilding – an insight into your character with all the graceful singlets, the flashing eyes, pearly teeth, and sylphlike forms in the world.  But on a little further, you speak of your poor weak brain.  Now will you allow me just for a moment to stick a pin in here, for although I find it underscored to render it more emphatic, yet I cannot really think you meant what you wrote, for supposing anybody else should intimate you had a poor, weak brain.  What then?  Do you remember of reading of the Methodist deacon, who at the Class Meeting was in the habit of berating himself very badly.  There was a poor, miserable, ungrateful sinner, had done nothing but evil all his days, and all his deeds were evil and he hoped they would pray for him.  The next Brother that rose to speak commenced thus: – “Brothers and Sisters:  I am glad that the Brother who has just sat down has asked an interest in our prayers for I can vouch for the truth of all he has said respecting himself, for I have known him ever since he was a boy.” He had got just thus far when “the brother who had just sat down” raised his finger in a threatening attitude and said sotto voce (whispered) “I’ll lick you for this when Class is out.”  Now as I said suppose somebody had vouched in public for the weakness of your brain, and I standing by, you cannot make me believe that I should not see the threatening attitude, the lightning flash of the eye and the cloud passing fitfully over the brow portending the storm.

When I was at the Academy, the last branch of English education I studied was Navigation.  This to me was a very interesting branch, for I had the most escalated idea of a sailor’s life, and thought that should be my business.  Great pains did I take to master that science – and yet never did I have more difficulty.  I could not see through it – though mechanically I could work out any problem, yet the whys and wherefores seemed beyond my grasp. One day while intensely studying to accomplish my object, and when just near to give it up – a flash of lightning as it were passed through my brain, and cleared away all obstacles and the mystery was solved in an instant.  So in the case of the ever-to-be-remembered by me initials “E. F. D.” what has exercised so great an influence over my mind – had been the subject of my meditations day and nights suddenly burst from a nut shell as it were.  Just imagine when this amazing discovery was made manifest how surprisingly silly I felt – how completely ridiculous thought I should I appear in your eyes, nothing doubting but you would discover the elucidation (clarification) of the mystery at the first glance.  The receipt of your kind note relieved one a little, for if you had solved the mystery, which I suppose would be none at all, you had not mentioned it, and therefore all my fine spun theories – my dreams – my raking California for impressions, from dilapidated bonnets to crying children, Etc. Etc. Etc. had not gone altogether for nothing.

I have known persons prospecting for gold in California – stop and consult together as to which road it was best to take – one would go this way, another that, till at last a different one was taken from any that had been suggested, and by chance or good luck, they would find the very place they were looking for – “diggings that would pay.”  So with me as to the mysterious emotion excited by the initials – it has led me, no matter what kind of a road, to the very place I was looking for, and I am pleased, abundantly pleased, though crooked has been the road, that I have got there safely – to diggings that will pay – excuse the homely mining phrase.

In response to a remark of yours, I would observe, that I am not in a spot in California devoid of female influence.  But female influence in California is not what I should desire.  The population of California is an intermixture from all parts of the known world, and consequently female influence is awfully mixed up.  Again, women are awfully scarce, not one woman to 50 men throughout the country.  Women consequently feel themselves of more importance here than elsewhere, and a man though he has a wife must mind pretty sharply his P’s and Q’s, or he’ll get the sack – for divorces are easily obtained, though they are not often resorted to, for a woman generally will dismiss one husband and take another without much ceremony.  An instance or two:  A fine young woman as to looks resides with her husband a short distance from where I write this.  She is but twenty years of age and resides with her third husband – all three of them living within the distance of a mile and the marriage ceremony having been performed over each, without a divorce having been obtained or sought for.  I do not mean to say that all women in California are so, but what I would say is, that those who are otherwise, are but the exceptions to a general rule.  California is emphatically the hell of henpecked husbands and the paradise of the depraved women.

You say you think if I had had the pleasure of perusing that note of yours my mind would have been differently made up.  Well, dear Miss, I did not peruse that note, but I have perused another, and yet my mind is not differently made up – it is of the same opinion still, only more so!

As o that dream, the “flat stone”, Etc., it is as you surmised – I am waiting for a better time.  I have tried to purchase the property, but failed, and am waiting till an opportunity occurs to exercise my bump of curiosity, and when that good time arrives, allow me to exclaim with old John Gilpin, “may you be there to see.”  In allusion to that dream, I spoke not of the pecuniary worth of it, but of the curious concentration of circumstances attending it.  I doubt not a moment the treasure is there.  Here again I am pleased as ever this has procured one the flattering encomium (warm or high praise) of a valuable correspondent – a title I cordially accept, though with becoming modesty and the usual allowances in such case made and provided.

Your sketch of Fisherville satisfies me that though of moderate dimensions, a deal of manufacturing is done there, and it seems to me that a friend stated some time since, that the raising of live stock had been gone into pretty exclusively recently in Fisherville.  As I do not see this noticed by you, perhaps I may have been mistaken.  This branch of business is a very valuable adjunct to a manufacturing town, in as much as it tends to keep up the equilibrium and give everybody a chance to be equal in one, if not all aspects, a large outlay of capital not being absolutely necessary to enter into this line of business.

One of my good wishes I notice you do not receive thankfully.  I beg pardon, it was a slip perhaps of the pen, I should have known a host of “Ever Fair Daughters” would be too much of one good thing – and therefore as this was intended.

For nothing else but to be mended, allow me to rewrite, qualify and greatly strengthen that wish, and with renewed and pleasurable emotion, hope that like olive branches around your dwelling may a host of “Ever Fair Sons and Daughters” encircle you; that it may be your pride as it will you delight to so train them that the fruit may, when ripe, be luscious and superior.

But as to Fisherville, excuse me dear Miss if I refuse to take all you have said of it upon the faith of your bare word.  In anything else perhaps it might do, but excuse me in this instance, if I rebel against the constituted authority.  “Seeing is believing” is an old saw, and I think quite applicable here, and one which it strikes me forcibly I shall be constrained to adopt to, get at the exact statistics of Fisherville, its manufacturing establishments, it’s flour mills, it’s churches, it’s society it’s associations; and though I must wait awhile in suspense, yet the good time will come, and then, I shall see for myself, shall make acquaintance in proper persona, shall enjoy refreshing communion, shall – shall, shall – (excuse me), but I have no right to say what ‘next’ I shall do, for there is two to talk about that and it might after all be that my shall might be met with somebody else’s you shan’t.  But nous verrons (we shall see).

“I have a great deal more to write you if I had time.”  Fair Lady do take time.  I have read your kind note over and over again and wait impatiently for more.  I promise to read greedily all you write, so do not stint me in quality for I am so already satisfied with the quality, that before I receive an answer to this, I shall have committed to memory every word of your Note.  You perceive I designate in a Note, in contradistinction to the answer to this, which will be a letter containing not only the thoughts suggested by this, but likewise all you would have written in your last if you had had the time.

I must apologize for one thing – not any remissness on my part, but in the Mail Steamer – your Note not being received by one in time to answer by return steamer.  At the time the steamer should have arrived I was here, but when too late to answer by return steamer and the Mail had not arrived I left on business which detained me till yesterday.  I make this statement so that if any imperfection in language or otherwise meets your practiced eye you may attribute it to haste and not intention.

And now Ever Faithfully Devoted accept for yourself the heartiest wishes for your health, wealth of prosperity, present and prospective of one who

-thinks just now he hears a song.

Vivid as day itself, and clear and strong.

The prophetic burden of this vivid day,

Tells of the brightness of a peaceful day,

Notably the cloudless nor devoid of storm,

But sunny for the most and dear and warm,

Mixing up care with hope and peace and joy

As to his gold the refiner adds alloy

That this alloy, tho only worthless dust

May save the precious metal from all rust.

Before I close permit me to ask if anything in California that I can procure and which you know exists here can minister to your gratification.  If so please barely mention it and it is yours.

A small package of the Flower seeds of California accompanies this in a separate envelope and enclosed you will find a small specimen of what we call Amalgam, that is gold held together in small particles by Quicksilver – To take the silver from the Gold it is only necessary to put it on a piece of iron and hold it over the fire till the silver passes off in vapor and leaves the gold pure.

But, however unwilling, yet I must close, by begging you to believe me.

Your humble obliged servant,

Edwin F. Delancey

To:

Miss E. F. Dimond

Fisherville