A Queen has been visiting Seattle for several days past and few persons have been aware of the fact. Not a real crowned Queen, ruler of nations, or one who has a court filled with brilliantly dressed subjects, but the woman who has sprung into local fame as "The Queen of Alaska." She is Mrs. Aylward of Napoleon Gulch, eighty-five miles from Forty-mile Creek, a tributary of the Yukon. While the career of this woman is not as remarkable as that of many another noted person, still the fact remains that four years ago she was a servant, and now she is a lady whose wealth would place her among the higher classes if she so desired. In brief her history is as follows:
Soon after the great Seattle fire of 1889 Miss Bridget Manion was a cook at the Yesler residence, on James street, between Third and Fourth avenues. In the course of events she went with Capt. Healy and his family to Fortymile Creek, where he is now in charge of the trading post. That was four years ago last July. She was only the housekeeper, but with Mrs. Healy was the first woman to go into that frozen country. There were plenty of men there who had not seen a white woman for s long time, and, as she was single, her hand was sought by them in marriage. Not being of the marriageable nature just then, she kept on working at very good wages, accumulating a small fortune.
After Miss Manion had been at Forty-mile for a year and nine months, Mr. Aylward was successful in gaining for a wife the first lady of the land. At that time he had located several claims which were paying well. Together they worked the claims, which was not very hard, as the gold was picked up in nuggets. It was at about this time she won the name of "Queen." Prospectors were entering the country, and at times were very short of supplies, and during the months when work was out of the question they always found a welcome at Napoleon Gulch. Many a man owes Mrs. Aylward a debt of gratitade for having cheered his dark hours.
Last May she left the little home in the gold region and started for the coast. During the week of Aug. 10 she reached San Francisco. Of course her clothes were not of the latest fasbion, and in company with a friend she was fitted out. While there many of the ladies of the city, whose husbands had gone north in search of gold and to whom she had been a friend in the hour of need, called on her and expressed their thanks. Since then she has visited Tacoma, and is now in Seattle, the quest of old friends.
After visiting friends in this clty Mrs. Aylward will leave for Boston, to spend a month or more in that city, and then will cross the Atlantic to old Ireland, where her mother now lives in the town of Galway. Returning from there, she will again leave for her Northern home, there to remain with her husband for several years. When they will have acquired an independent fortune, and then they will seek the more civilized world. Mrs. Aylward has with her many nuggets which she has individually picked upon the claims. She has a necklace, made of nuggets, which she wears around her neck, and also a valuable bracelet.
