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Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/10604
M�� 5, 2010 CON’T FROM WOMEN ON PAGE 10 small child. For “quinze pesos a month” Patrocina agreed to care for Harry. She was forever smoking cigarettes but did look out for little Harry and fanned him while he slept. Martha wrote, “Patrocina was heaven-sent.” Lt. Summerhayes was in “detached service.” His duty was to receive the government freight delivered by the river steamers. Cut loose from his garrison, he was on his own and charged with putting the precious freight on wagon trains that would cross Arizona Territory. The weather was intensely hot and it was decided that Martha and little Harry should go to San Francisco for the summer. When the Gila arrived she boarded with five-month old Harry, Patrocina and her child Jesusita. Patrocina took sick and went to bed and Jesusita screamed the entire day and night. A passenger said that if Martha didn’t throw that child into the river he would. Martha remembered what it was like to be seasick and now seeing Patrocina sick with her child crying and no one offering to assist, Martha decided to go back to Ehrenberg. So when they transferred passengers to the ocean steamer at Port Isabel, Martha sat down on her trunk and told them she was going back to Ehrenberg. Riverboat Captain Mellon grinned but the others were speechless. Ehrenberg had become her own “Old Man of the River.” After a week, the Gila finally pushed her nose up on the landing at Ehrenberg. The Quartermaster jumped aboard, not seeming the least bit surprised to see Martha, he told her he knew she would come back. They both laughed and he told her he would build her some rooms and a kitchen so she could get through the summer in some comfort. One thing she really wanted was a wooden floor. Even though Cocopah Charley kept the adobe floors in perfect condition by sprinkling them down and sweeping them out each morning, they were quite impossible, especially with the white dresses her husband seemed to think were in order. Life was difficult in Ehrenberg. Martha wished she could live as the Mexicans lived, how easy it would be. For a stove they simply built a fire between some stones piled up in the yard and laid a piece of sheet iron over the top. They made a pot of coffee early each D����� M�������� morning for the whole family to have with their tortillas. For the evening meal they put frijoles (Mexican brown beans) in a pot, added water and let is gently boil for hours then added lard and salt. The beans had a thick, red gravy and were delicious. The Mexican women were scrupulously clean. They wore a short sleeved white linen chemise. Their skirts were colorful prints. They always wore white anklets with their black slippers. They always looked so cool and clean. Protocol dictated that Martha wear a high-necked, long-sleeved white dress. How she envied the simple lives of the Mexican women. (The next story will be: “Women Came West Too - Part 2.”) Government House P��� 15 MEXICAN AND AMERICAN FOOD Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner 1099 W. MAIN ST. Quartzsite DAILY SPECIALS! CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED! BIG SCREEN TVS! MARGARITAS - PINA COLADAS - BEER Friday - Fish & Chips Open 7am - 8pm Daily Take Out Orders: COUPON YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO QUARTZSITE! IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO AL’S 60 W. MAIN ST. Quartzsite The Bright RED Building next to Shell BREAKFAST & LUNCH OPEN 8 - 2 (CLOSED TUES. & WED.) Best Bread Pudding West of the Mississippi Homemade Soup by the quart! 928-927-9071 Famous Gourmet Pizza open all summer! Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials! KARAOKE Fri & Sat @7pm NEW A/C UNITS! $1 OFF ANY PIZZA * 10am-noon & 3:30pm-5:30pm Kitchen Open 10am-10pm 2 HAPPY HOURS: X $1 DRAFT 175 E. Main St. 928-927-5585 Serving Quartsite at Same Location for over 20 years! *With Coupon Only Expires 6-30-10 B-10, Main St. 928-927-8890 928-927-6282 MOUNTAIN - Daily Specials! - Homecooked Food! - Saturday Night Prime Rib! CALL IN FOR TAKE OUT! QUAIL CAFE We will be Open All Summer! 7am -7pm Closed Monday 490 N. Moon Mt. Rd., Quartzsite (corner of Moon Mt. & Quail Trail) EASY TO FIND: Quail Trail N Moon Mountain Rd. Hwy. 95, N. Central