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M a n l y D o m e s t ic it y o n t h e G o l d R u s h F r o n t ie r : R e c o v e r in g C a l if o r n ia ’s H o n e s t M in e r T a r a P e n r y [W ]hat happens if we take as the n orm for “o u r fiction” ... texts that pre­ sent m en as struggling to return hom e and tragedy as the failure to get there? —Ju d ith Fetterley, Provisions (1985) T h e first applicant seems to be a h ardy son o f the m ountains upon whose w eather-beaten brow I think I can trace the w ord M IN E R . ... H ow one’s h eart longs to follow him and in secret, w atch the tears— the m anly tears— o f jo y o r o f sorrow th at m oisten those eyes, as lie reads the lines from his m uch loved hom e. — C arrie D ., “T h e Post O ffice,” H utchings’ California M a ga zine (1856) C harles C hristian N ahl. S U N D A Y M O R N I N G I N T H E M I N E S . 1872. Oil on canvas. 72" x 108". C rocker A rt M useum , E. B. C rocker Collection, Sacram ento, California. T a r a P e n r y 331 W h e n a rtist C h a rle s C h ristia n N a h l p a in te d his n o w fam o u s S un d a y M o rn in g in the M in e s (1872) m o re th a n tw en ty y ears afte r th e G o ld R u sh , th e p a in tin g ’s c o m ico -se n tim en ta l, o r “D ic k c n sia n ,” q u a l­ ity a n d th e figures o f its “id le” a n d “in d u strio u s” m in e rs w e re a lre a d y c o m m o n p la c c s o f C a lifo rn ia a rt a n d lite ra tu re .1 B efo re ev en th e y o u n g B re t H a rte a rriv e d in th e S a n F ran c isc o B ay a r e a in 1854, C alifo rn ia p erio d ic als h a d b e g u n to re p re se n t m in e rs as e x tre m e types o f e ith e r v irtu e o r ric e . A c c o rd in g to o n e w rite r o f 1853, m in in g c a m p s h a d b e e n d o m in a te d b y “vileness a n d law less c o n d u c t” a n d “th e d ru n k e n rev el,” as p ic tu re d o n th e left side o f N a h l’s p a in tin g , u n til A n g lo A m e ric a n w o m e n b ro u g h t “m o rality a n d so a p ” (“ S o ciab ility ”). Y et ac c o rd in g to o th e r w riters su ch as A lo n zo D e la n o , a fo rty -n in e r w h o se sketches a p p e a re d in S...

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