The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-02-28
ROMANCE OF AN OLD COUPLE.

The following somewhat remarkable narra-
tive is related by Western lady, now on a
visit to this city from Mariposa She is her.
self character She has crossed the plains
twice-first in 1849, during which her hus-
band perished-and is the first American lady
who returned to the East by way of Panama
She is genuine heroine-a fine specimen of
stout-hearted Western womanhood-and her
adventures in the wilds of the unpeopled West,
have been numerous and exciting. 1T the good
folks of Mariposa have missed q lady from their
neghborhood, they arc hereby apprised that
she ~ comtoftuiyiy Ieesttv,l H. i-lss i',s.-
of Mrs Nesbet, on Il G corner of Montgomery
and Sutter Streets, and will not return to the
mountains. until Holmes, of the Gazette, ceases
to harrow the hearts of Mariposa mothers by
calling their little babies 'brats."
Well, while the train of which this lady was
a member was encamped at Il point on the
Humbolt where the Lesser trail intersects the
Carson track of travel, she visited the tent OF a
family, consisting of an elderly couple and one
child-a daughter of fourteen or fifteen years.
The old lady was sitting ON pile OF blankets,
under the canvass encouraging e. most deter
mined attack of the 'sulks," while the mascu-
line head of affairs had planted himself on his
wooden tongue, and was sucking his pipe as
leisurely as though he expected to remain there
forever A single glance developed the fact
that there was Il difficulty in that little train of
one wagon and three persons, and that it had
attained a point of quiet desperation beyond
the reach of adjustment. Three days before
they had pitched their tent at the forks Of the
road, and as they couldn't agree on the route
by which to enter California, there they had re-
NAMED The husband expressing preference
for the Carson road-the wife for the Lesser
and ncithor would yield.-Thc wife declared
she would remain there through the winter; the
husband said he should be pleased to lengthen
the soiourn through the summer following.
On the morning of the fourth day, the wife
broke sullcn silence of thirty-six hours by
proposing division of the property, which con-
sisted of two yoke of cattle, one wagon, camp
furniture, u small quantity of provision, and
twelve dollars in silver. The proposal was ac-
ccpted, and forthwith the ''plunder'' was divi-
ded. leaving the wagon to the old man and the
daughter to the mother. The latter exchanged
with a neighboring train the cattle belonging
to her for pony and pack saddle, and piling
the daughter and her portion Of the divided spoil
upon the animal, she resolutey started across
the desert by the Lesser trail, while the old man
silently yokcd the cattle and took the other route.
Singular as this may seem, it is nevertheless
true 1t is among the many occurrences of life
stranger than fiction.
Of course both parties reached California in
safety We say "of course" for it is scarcely
possible that any obstacle, death included, could
have seriously interfered with the progress of
stubbornncss so sublime Arriving at Sac
ramento with her daughter, the old woman
women were less plenty then than now, and
subsequently opened boarding house, and in "a
few wears amassed handsome fortune. Two
wears ago she went to San Francisco, and the
daughter, whose education had not been neg
lected, was married 10 one of our most sub
stantal citizens.
And what became of the old maA? The wife
had not seen or heard Of him since they parted
ON the HmnJold They had lived happily To-
gether as q man and wife for years. and she
sometimes reproached herself for the wilfulness
that separated them after so long pilgrimage
together through this rough life. But he was
not dead.-Wc cannot trace his course in Cal
ifornia, however. All that we know of him is,
that fortune had not smiled, and that for years
he had toiled without hope. Finally feeling
scarcely able longer to WELD the pick and show
ell. he visited San Francisco in the hope OF find
ing employment better adapted to his wasted
strength.
For three months he remained idle after ar