Wrestling Joe: The Dandy of the Mines

This issue of *The Log Cabin Library* (No. 158, March 1892) features the opening installment of "The Dandy of the Mines; or, The Crimson Trail of the Avenger" by Ned Buntline, a Western adventure serial. The narrative is set in Timbuctoo Gulch on the Yuba River during a mining boom, centered around the Casino—a saloon offering gambling, drinking, and entertainment. A mysterious beautiful woman calling herself "La Belle Oreana" debuts as a singer, captivating the rough miners with renditions of "Home, Sweet Home" and romantic ballads. When the brutish gambler Bully Hank attempts to claim her, the elegantly dressed Wrestling Joe intervenes, subsequently defeating Hank decisively in a wrestling match. Oreana faints upon hearing Joe speak, later warning him via note to avoid contact, invoking a prior oath between them. Joe secretly observes her cabin, where she tends a young son named Indice, revealing their connection involves hidden history and circumstance.