February 15, 1849
California Gold:—
California gold furnishes the common coin of conversation now-a-days. Among the current anecdotes of the day, we have heard one of a young gentleman, who after a long residence among the gold diggers (who, it seems, equal Fallstaff's regimen for lack of linen) had only one article left that had any pretensions to the name of shirt, and this he hired out at the rate of $5 dollars an evening for weddings and other festivities.
We are told, also that the fortunate discoverer of a very large lump of gold, finding it top heavy for immediate transportation, carefully painted it of a dull copper color to deceive other adventurers until he should have time to carry it off.
N.Y. Express