Blazing the Way; Or, True Stories, Songs and Sketches of Puget SoundDenny, Emily Inez
History
Blazing the Way; Or, True Stories, Songs and Sketches of Puget Sound
Denny, Emily Inez
Indians of North America -- Northwestern States; Oregon Territory -- History; Washington (State) -- History
In this time of gathering up portraits of fair women, I cannot help
reverting to the good old times on Puget Sound, when among the daughters
of the white settlers ugliness was the exception, the majority
possessing many points of beauty. Bright, dark eyes, brilliant
complexions, graceful forms, luxuriant hair and fine teeth were the
rule. The pure air, mild climate, simple habits and rational life were
amply proved producers of physical perfection. Old-timers will doubtless
remember the handsome Bonney girls, the Misses Chambers, the Misses
Thornton, Eva Andrews, Mary Collins, Nellie Burnett, Alice Mercer, the
Dennys, noticeable for clear white skin and brilliant color, with
abundant dark hair, Gertrude and Mary Boren with rosy cheeks and blue
eyes; Blanche Hinds, very fair, with large, gray eyes, and others I
cannot now name, as well as a number of beautiful matrons. Every
settlement had its favored fair.
Perhaps because women were so scarce, they were petted and indulged and
came up with the idea that they were very fine porcelain indeed; they
were all given the opportunities in the reach of their parents and were
quite fastidious in their dress and belongings.
* * * * *
Of the other children of D. T. and Louisa Boren Denny, John B. is a well
educated and accomplished man of versatility, a lawyer, musician, and
practical miner.
D. Thomas is an electrician; was a precocious young business man who
superintended the building of an electric street railway when under
twenty-five years of age.
Victor W. S., a practical miner, assayer and mining expert, who has been
engaged in developing gold and silver mines. Abbie D., an artist and
writer, who has published numerous articles, a fine shot with the rifle
and an accomplished housewife; and E. I. Denny, the author of this work,
who is not now engaged in writing an autobiography.
All, including the last mentioned, are fond of wild life, hunting,
camping and mountain climbing, in which they have had much experience
and yearly seek for more.
CHAPTER Vc.
ONE OF THE COURAGEOUS YOUTHS.
William Richard Boren was one of the boy pioneers. He was born in
Seattle on the 4th of October, 1854.
The children necessarily shared with their parents and guardians the
hardships, dangers, adventures and pleasures of the wild life of the
early days.
When his father, Carson D. Boren, went to the gold diggings, William
came to the D. T. Denny cottage and remained there for some time. As
there was then no boy in the family (there were three little girls) he
stepped into usefulness almost immediately. To bring home the cows, weed
in the garden, carry flowers and vegetables to market, cut and carry
wood, the "chores" of a pioneer home he helped to do willingly and
cheerfully.
Every pair of hands must help, and the children learned while very young
that they were to be industrious and useful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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