05/20/2026
🏔️Letters from the Mountain🏔️
Bohemia 11-19-14
Dear Mother,p
Yours of 16 received tonight. Also got a deposit of $25 from bank – great time to hear from it. Now I will have to bum a First National check from F J (who arrived tonight) & check it to you. I wanted to send a money order to RMc but the old man says I'll have to wait- what do you know about that. One of the miners the other night asked for an order of $54.40 & they simply wrote it out without any hesitation but can't give me $5.00 without a month's notice. About the journalism “I will think about it.” I think this assaying business is just one of Chas's pipe dreams, but I can make him come to it if I decide to take it up. (Something has happened just now that makes me feel like I cannot write any more & I would rather die than to ask for a blank check)
Mamma, please take care of yourself & be sure & plan to spend next winter in Calif. Was going to phone you Sun- day but cannot now as long as _____ is here. (Name redacted)
I ran the engine 2 nights this week but we shut the mill down – day shifts only, now, I, however, get up before 5 AM & fire the big boiler up, then I helped the wood cutter fall a 20 cord tree after breakfast. As soon as I got him where he could handle it I went up in the mill and helped Roberts crush rocks etc until he was fixed up then climbed 1 ¼ miles & ran the tram until after dark. Imagine me coming down the crooked mountain road in the dark, swinging a “bug” in one hand, dinner bucket in the other & a pistol in my right hand pocket. A “bug” is a very useful thing among the Bohemians. It consist of a tin can & a candle
Please send me a check book & if you want that $25 right away better see Uncle Pliny, but above all take good care of yourself.
Goodnight
Merle
