Silver Secrets and Saddle Bags
For the first in this series, see A-Tiny-Story-Romance-and-Savagery-in-19th-Century-Southwestern-Arizona
Installment 2:
Apache-Land-Travels-and-Surprises
Installment 3:
An-old-time-arizona-silver-mining-pioneer-adventure
Installment 4:
An-anglo-woman-and-her-hispanic-neighbor-in-18th-century-arizona-silver-country
Installment 5:
Silver Secrets and Saddle Bags
A Fresh Meeting
The morning sun had just begun to stretch its golden fingers across the dusty hills when the mule let out a hinnie—half whinny, half bray—as if announcing the arrival of its rider. From the west he came, slow and steady, the kind of pace that didn’t rush the day but respected its rhythm. The mule’s saddle bags swayed with each step, their contents—shovel, miner’s pick, and hammer—clinking softly like echoes from another time. A lead crucifix dangled from the end of one rein, catching the light just above a worn leather knot.
Jack stepped out of his modest home, palm full of corn feed for the two new hens he’d picked up from the feed store last Thursday. Across the road, a dog barked with the kind of joy only a dog can muster before breakfast. Jack looked up just as the rider raised a hand in greeting.
“Hello,” Jack called, his voice easy.
“You must be the husband of my wife’s new friend, Nell,” the rider replied, his tone friendly but measured. My name is Miguel."
Jack nodded, brushing a bit of feed dust from his shirt. “Yes. I’m just on my way to work.” He paused, then added with a knowing smile, “You must be Juanita’s husband.”
Sharing a Lemonade and Revealing Conversation
The sun had climbed higher, casting a warm sheen across the desert yard. Nell stepped out her front door, the screen creaking behind her. She moved with purpose toward the chicken coop nestled on the west side of the house, a shallow pan of water balanced in her hand.
Inside the coop, the air was dry and still. She bent to swap out the old water pan but paused. There, pressed flat against the earth, lay a custard-colored scorpion—its stinger buried in the dirt like a trap waiting to spring. Nell narrowed her eyes. She’d been fooled once before. With a flick of her fingers, she tossed a pinch of sand toward it. The scorpion sprang up; stinger raised like a flag of defiance and darted into a fold of the wire screen. “Let the chickens deal with that,” she muttered.
She reached into the nesting box and gently wrapped two warm eggs in a cloth, tucking them into her palm like small treasures.
Back in the front yard, she lingered, gazing across the street. Juanita’s house stood quiet, shaded by a mesquite tree. Nell wanted to visit but hesitated—she didn’t want to intrude.
Just then, a dog burst from Juanita’s gate, barking with authority. Juanita followed, wiping her hands on her apron, her face lighting up.
“Hello, Nell!” she called, her voice bright with welcome.
“Hi, Juanita,” Nell replied, stepping forward. “I have something for you.”
She crossed the road, her steps quick but measured. With a modest smile, she handed over the cloth bundle. “We’ve got laying hens now,” she said, pride tucked neatly behind restraint.
Juanita’s eyes softened. “Come, I’ve made limonada,” she said, her gratitude plain. “We can sit inside, but we must be quiet—Miguel is sleeping. He works so hard.”
Inside, the house was cool and dim. They settled near the door, voices low. Juanita poured the limonada and leaned in, her tone hushed and serious.
“My husband is a blacksmith,” she said. “He works several days out of town. It’s not easy, but he’s proud of what he does.”
Nell nodded, listening. The quiet between them was full—not empty. Two women, two homes, and the slow rhythm of desert life.
A Groggy Surprise
Miguel entered with a slow, deliberate gait—his boots whispering across the worn floorboards. He made his way to the water table, where a white stoneware pitcher stood waiting. Its surface bore a faded image of Saint Barbara, patroness of artillerymen, engineers, and those who worked the earth—metallurgists, geologists, sappers. The colors—tan, brown, and a dusty blue—seemed to echo the desert outside.
He poured himself a cup, drank deeply, then refilled it without ceremony. As he turned to his left, he paused.
“Oh—hello,” he said, surprised. “Didn’t expect company. Two of you, no less.”
A voice replied gently, “Miguel, this is Nell. You met her husband, Jack, earlier today.”
Miguel nodded. “Yes, we talked some. The heat makes a man drowsy. I need a bit more rest.” He tipped his hat and retreated toward the back room.
Nell watched him go, then spoke with quiet pride. “My Jack works hard, too. He served in the war—his last fight was at Palmito Ranch. After that, something changed in him. He said he needed to find a new place, somewhere far from the blood and dust. When he crossed Texas and New Mexico, it was Arizona that called to him. He said it felt right in his chest, like a man’s fingers sensing the grain of good wood.”
Juanita, sipping her limonada, leaned forward. “That’s just like Miguel. He fought in the Comanche War. Afterward, he couldn’t stay in Northern Mexico. He dreamed of the Territorial border—Camp San Bernardino, and beyond. He talked often of silver prospecting, of finding something that would last. That’s why we came. He’s a blacksmith now, but the dream still burns.”
And so, the two women sat in Harshaw, Arizona Territory. One husband working the Copper Ridge Mine, the other hammering iron and chasing silver in the hills.
Saint Barbara
She is the patron saint of armorers, artillerymen, architects, mathematicians, miners and the Italian Navy. St. Barbara is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, venerated because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective against diseases. Barbara is often invoked against lightning and fire, with associations of explosions.
- https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=166
Small Western Town in The Day
Camp San Bernardino was built at the end of the 18th century and was located not far from where present-day Douglas Arizona is situated.
Miners' Hope
Morning light glowed low in the western sky, casting the mountains in quiet silhouette—dark and still, like sentinels watching over the valley.
Miguel guided his mule across the dusty road toward Jack’s front gate. The gate hung slightly ajar, and Canela, Jack’s loyal dog, took notice. She nosed through the opening, her curiosity leading her into the yard with gentle purpose.
Jack stood ready for the day, his horse already saddled and tied just outside the fence. He turned as Miguel approached.
“Well now, Miguel,” Jack said, adjusting his hat. “You’ve caught me just as I’m heading to the mine.”
Miguel nodded, his voice thoughtful. “Juanita mentioned your wife believed you had a mind for silver prospecting. It’s something I’ve done near my own work. There are times I’ve thought—perhaps it’s better not to go it alone. Would that interest you?”
Jack’s eyes lit with quiet resolve. “It surely would.”
Just then, a stir broke the morning calm. Canela crouched low, front paws stretched forward, tail wagging like a metronome of joy. Before her, two hens pecked busily at scattered feed, their red wattles bobbing with each determined plunge. Canela longed to play, but the chickens had no such plans.
Jack chuckled softly, then turned back to Miguel. “Have you found anything worth chasing?”
Miguel’s gaze drifted toward the hills. “There’s much to be found in those mountains. I’d welcome the chance to talk more—and to learn from your time in the mine.”
With that, the two men parted, each carrying the quiet hope of something new.
A partnership in silver might just reshape their lives. Arizona had drawn them to Harshaw, and now, perhaps, it would lead them toward a mountain of possibilities.
Sources of History
Haddad, Aline (December 3, 2023). Saint Barbara: The Story of a Christian Martyr of Unshakeable Courage! SL Media. St. Barbara: The Story of a Christian Martyr of Unshakeable Courage! | Salt + Light Media
Staff, Legends of America (May 2025). Presidio de San Bernardino, Arizona. Presidio de San Bernardino, Arizona – Legends of America
Staff, Civic Plus, (No Date). City of Douglas. About Douglas, Historic Douglas | Douglas, AZ
Cole, Samuel (September 5, 2025). 17 Incredible Insights into the Comanche and Sioux Wars, Back in Time Today. 17 Incredible Insights Into the Comanche and Sioux Wars - Back in Time Today
Staff, Wikipedia (11 September 2025). Battle of Palmito Ranch. Battle of Palmito Ranch - Wikipedia
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