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Show 262 PERSONAL ADVEN'rURES very much in want of shoes, he and I took a walk into the town in the evening, to inquire the price and purchase a pair, if we could find . a good fit. We entered the shop of a German named Weaver, 'vho had already realized more by the gold mania than any man in the surrounding country. l-Ie had been greatly embarrassed in his business, previous to the discovery of the mines, but had since engaged in a number of extensive speculations connected with the provision trade and dry goods, by which, in the course of a few months he had ' realized an ample fortune. In this store, to our great surprise, we found one of our old comrades of the volun· teers rigged out in the sprucest manner, and looking more like a New York dandy than a shopman. He 'vas receiving wages at the rate of one hundred dollars a n1onth, no small improvement on his former condition. It seen1s that on the disbanding of the regiment he had purchased a mule and a supply of ser;·apas, and with this stock in trade had made the best of his way to Pueblo. I know IN CALIFORNIA. 263 not what success he had had peddling among the Spaniards, but, on his arrival at Pueblo ' he was engaged as an assistant by Mr. Weaver, who required some one who could speak English in his store, in consequence of the enormous increase of his Yankee customers. We looked over a great number of readymade shoes, the ]owest priced at seven dollars a pair, but could not find any to fit. Pueblo is a good-sized town, and contains about 4,000 inhabitants. It has all the evidence of being a thriving and progressive place, differing in this respect from all the other towns that I had hitherto seen in California. The buildings were constructed as much iu the Yankee as in the Spanish style, a number of Morrnons having come here at an early period, and built several hundred neat wooden houses and cottages, which formed a picturesque contrast to the heavy old adobe residences of the native inhabitants. This town is destined to become a place of very O'l'eat . 5 Importance. Being situated on the direct route to the gold mines, a trade had already |
