Wheels West Day in Susanville History – August 1st, 1888

Haying in Big Valley, CA 1908

Warmed by a Cow

August 1st, 1888

 Two prominent men the other morning were waiting at Willow Creek for the Susanville stage to come from Bieber on its way to Susanville, where one of the parties was to go.

 The distance was a long one, and the stage leaves unusually early in order to make the trip. The gentleman had remained in Adin Thursday night and driven out to meet the stage.

 To get there on time the parties left Adin at about 2 o’clock in the morning, and as it seemed warm both were thinly clad. In an hour they reached the stage road and commenced a patient wait for the United States coach.

 They became tired and chilled and in walking around one came in contact with an old cow lying down and found her to be perfectly gentle. He therefore called his friend and both sat down in the dust, with their backs against the cow, in which position they remained until the stage arrived at 5 o’clock.

 One can imagine two men – Lassen County’s present District Attorney and the ex Superintendent of Schools – hugging that old roan for over two hours to keep warm. Williams says: “Perhaps it didn’t look nice, but felt so.”