Contrary to Hollywood biography of Calamity Jane with a happy, perky Doris Day singing and clowning, the real Calamity Jane - Martha Jane Canary (1852-1903) - lived tough, rough life of the Wild West eccentric woman, famous for doing "a man's job" out of pure necessity. The oldest of six children, Martha took the care of the family at the age of 15, when both of her parents died during caravan travels from Missouri to Virginia City, Montana. Not that she was tomboy who wore man's clothes and rode a horse because she was nature loving and carefree spirit - Martha did whatever job she could found, being it a cook, a washerwoman, waitress, a dance-hall girl, a nurse, even as a scout at Fort Russel where she handled duties as any other soldier fighting Native Indians and where she met Wild Bill Hickok, who was probably father of her daughter Jane.
Martha gave up her daughter up to adoption - to a married couple who could provide girl with better life than one she could offer. She paid for girl's upbringing with her hard earned money. After Wild Bill Hickok was killed, Martha lived her autumn years always at the verge of poverty, last seen she was washing clothes for brothel girls. After her death, they found box full of letters to her daughter that she never sent. These letters portrait a lonely,heartbroken woman who was often daydreaming about her past and better days. A classical composer Libby Larsen arranged some of these letters into a song collection called "Songs from letters" and they are unforgettable.
All I Have (1902)
Letter from Calamity Jane to her daughter Jane
I am going blind.
All hope of seeing you again is dead, Janey.
What have I ever done except one blunder after another?
All I have left are these pictures of you and your father.
Don't pity me, Janey,
forgive my faults and all the wrong I did you.
Good night, little girl,
And may God keep you from harm.
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