The Little Lady of Lagunitas

A free download from http://www.dertz.in


The Little Lady of Lagunitas

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Lady of Lagunitas
by Richard Henry Savage Copyright laws are changing all over the
world. Be sure to check the copyright laws for your country before
downloading or redistributing this or any other Project Gutenberg
eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how
the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since
1971**
*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of
Volunteers!*****
Title: The Little Lady of Lagunitas
Author: Richard Henry Savage

Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6011] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on October 16, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO Latin-1
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE
LITTLE LADY OF LAGUNITAS ***

Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.

THE LITTLE LADY OF LAGUNITAS
A FRANCO-CALIFORNIAN ROMANCE
BY Richard Henry Savage

INTRODUCTION.

Forty-two years have passed since California's golden star first glittered
in the flag of the United States of America.
Its chequered history virtually begins with the rush for gold in '48-'49.
Acquired for the evident purpose of extending slave-holding territory, it
was occupied for years by a multitude of cosmopolitan "free lances,"
who swept away the defenceless Indians, and brutally robbed the great
native families, the old "Dons."

Society slowly made headway against these motley adventurers. Mad
riot, wildest excess, marked these earlier days.
High above the meaner knights of the "revolver and bowie knife,"
greater than card sharper, fugitive bravo, or sly wanton, giant schemers
appeared, who throw, yet, dark shadows over the records of this State.
These daring conspirators dominated legislature and forum, public
office and society.
They spoiled the Mexican, robbed the Indian, and paved the way for a
"Lone Star Republic," or the delivering of the great treasure fields of
the West to the leaders of Secession.
How their designs on this grand domain failed; what might have been,
had the South been more active in its hour of primary victory and
seized the Golden West, these pages may show.
The golden days of the "stars and bars" were lost by the activity of the
Unionists and the mistaken policy at Richmond.
The utter demoralization of California by the "bonanza era" of silver
discovery, the rise of an invincible plutocracy, and the second reign of
loose luxury are herein set forth.
Scenes never equalled in shamelessness have disgraced the Halls of
State, the Courts, and the mansions of the suddenly enriched.
The poor have been trampled by these tyrants for twenty years.
Characters unknown in the social history of any other land, have been
evolved from this golden eddy of crime and adventure.
Not till all these men and women of incredibly romantic fortunes have
passed away, will a firm social structure rise over their graves.
Throttled by usurers, torn by gigantic bank wars, its resources drained
by colossal swindles, crouching yet under the iron rule of upstart
land-barons, "dashing journalism," and stern railroad autocrats, the

Californian community has gloomily struggled along.
Newer States have made a relative progress which shames California.
Its future is yet uncertain.
The native sons and daughters of the golden West are the hope of the
Pacific.
The homemakers may yet win the victory.
Some of the remarkable scenes of the past are herein portrayed by one
who has seen this game of life played in earnest, the shadowed drama
of California.
There is no attempt to refer to individuals, save as members of
well-defined classes, in these pages. This book has absolutely no
political bias.
THE AUTHOR.
NEW YORK CITY, May 15, 1892.

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.
THE LAST OF THE DONS BY THE BLUE PACIFIC.
CHAPTER I.
--Under the Mexican Eagle.--Exit the Foreigner.--Monterey, 1840
CHAPTER II.
--At the Presidio of San Francisco. Wedding Chimes from the Mission
Dolores.--Lagunitas Rancho

CHAPTER III.
--A Missing Sentinel.--Fremont's Camp
CHAPTER IV.
--Held by the Enemy.--The Bear Flag
BOOK II.
GOLD FOR ALL.--A NEW STAR IN THE FLAG.
CHAPTER V.
--The Golden Magnet.--Free or Slave?
CHAPTER VI.
--Lighting Freedom's Western Lamp
CHAPTER VII.
--The Queen of the El Dorado.--Guilty Bonds
CHAPTER VIII.
--Joaquin the Mountain Robber.--The Don's