I was born January 30, 1828 in a mining town.  My pa worked the mines and my ma raised us kids (12 in all).  As soon as I wuz big enuff my folks made me work the mine.  I got tired of never seein' the sun so's I stole one of the mine mules when I wuz 14 and took off followin the sun.  I found myself crossin' back and forth over the same territory before's I figgered out that I couldn't just follow the sun no mores.  I wuz goin' one way in the mornin and anuther in the afternoon.  I got a lot further by lettin' the sun be on my back in the mornin' and then followin' it in the afternoons.

I'd stop in a town now and then when I needed sum money fer supplies.  I kept my hair short so's nobuddy would know I wuz a gal.  I tied up my mule at the end of town and sidled on down the street stealin' stuff from saddlebags.  If anyone caught me I'd scream like a banshee.  When the sheriff would come I'd put on my doe-eyes and sob and accuse the man of attacking me, the poor little orphan girl that I wuz.  That worked really well over and over.

In Wyomin' I ran into a man named Dinky who were headin' west fer the gold strike.  We began yakkin' and ended up headin' west togethers.

When we got there he went a-minin' and I weren't real good at workin' so I took to bein' an upstairs gal.  I soon discovered I could doctor up the gentlemen's drinks and when they passed out I stole sum of their gold.