Columbia gazette. [volume] (Columbia, Tuolumne County, Calif.) 1852-1855, 1854-06-24
CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY JUNE a. 1854

| last words of the affectionatc missive
he folded it, carefully laid it away j,
his breast pocket, and turned to thu
care of his charge, from whose side h,
was absent scarce, moment through
two long, weary days Of suffering. A
the expiration Of that time, the patien
sunk into long, deep slumber, from
which he awoke with the full conviction
that his hours ON earth were numbered
"Major,' said he, 81 know I cannot
live to see the rising of another sun
and I could die happy and contented
were it not for the thought Of being
buried in this dreary land, SO far from
my own, dear native home. Oh!if ]
could but be buried under the thorn
tree in the orchard, I could GO without
pang." as se1sg o yfi,ofsa
"And so you shall, nay boy" said
the Major. "When I parted from your
parents I pledged them. my honor that
| never would leave your side, until
you was within your OWN home. This
pledge I will redeem, at the risk Of my
life and 50, my dear boy, rest easy on
that score. Your last wishes shall be
faithfully attended to-, Cd @s.so +
And most religiously did the good
man keep his word. When the wild
flowers were springing up throughout
the fair New England vallies, snd the
thorn tree in the orchard was now-white
with its wreaths Of fragrant flowers,
there was little party of mourners
gathered beneath its boughs to consign
to the earth, loved, but lost one from
a little family band. The mother and
the father were. there, bowed to the
earth with their first, great sorrov.-
The sister, Louise, pale and fearful,
stood holding the weeping little Willie
by the hand ; and near the reverend old
village pastor, stood the Major, with
uncovered head, looking as though his
heart was buried in the grave with his
dear young fayorite. And Ella San
ford, too, was there-weeping bitterly
for her childhood's playmate and com
panion of after years. v ri ia
Mr.. and Mrs Waterford were what
is called small farmers, in one of the
New England farming districts, and
though living comfortably, they were
unable to do anything for their Oldest
son young man Of great promise. All
that lay in their power was to give him
an excellent English education, but
could do nothing to assist him into bus
mess. In that part of the world, ad-
vancement for youth is slow and tedious
to painful degree; and for this reason
did they finally yield to the earnest So
licitations of Frank, that he might 90 to
California and try his fortune. Finally,
it was arranged that as Major Turpin
was going, and he kindly offered to take
the young man under his fatherly pro-
lection, they would no longer withhold
their consent, but set about preparing
everything as comfortably as possible
for his long jcurncy-the fatal results
Of which VIC have seen.
It may seem strange that Major Tur-
pin took such deep interest in the
welfare Of one who was no way bound
to him by the ties of blood. Some Of the
knowing old Yankee women, who knew
the parties in their youth, clucidated
the matter by half mysterious hints in
this wise: "I always knowcd,' said
they, 'that Jeemes Turpin had won
derful haukcrin arter Mamie Horton,
bat he was mighty timersonlr, was
Jeemes, aud he let young Waterford
come in an marry her right off the han
IDLE, afore anybody knov'd what wcr
going on. Jecmes' marin sail he
'pearcd to grow wonderful thin, and
didn't cat nothin' fora good spell and
1sartin he didn't 60 TO the weddin' mo,
the Unfair, though lie had lot Of invi
ta:ions; but he said he had busines:
way off in t'other part Of the county
Maybe lie had, dun know. And may