Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-03-12
From the Broadhead wis., Independent.
TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.

i i
About the year 1856 there moved to this village
a family by the name of Burnham, consisting of
DR.. NJ. L. Burnham, his wife, and two children,
a daughter aged sixteen, and son three or four
years younger. Dr. Burnham was man of some
property, and of the highest respectability. The
family soon became active members of our village
society, the Doctor being an active member and
one of the deacons of the Congregational Church.
DR.. Burnham was well read physician, and did
some practice in addition to keeping drug store,
in which his daughter Ellen assisted him as clerk
for the first two years of the Doctors residence
here. Miss Ellen Burnham was by no means a
beautiful girl. Her hair and eyes were dark !;
features regular, but rather coarse and masculine
form tall, square shouldered, and wanting in that
grace of outline that inspires admiration. 1t
stranger we're tempted to look at her the second
time, it would be from surprise at the strong mas.
culine appearance, unnatural to woman, especial
ly one so young
Miss Burnham was not favorite with our
young men, nor did she seem anxious to be. her
time outside of her domestic duties, was devoted
to instrumental music and to horseback riding, in
both of which she was decidedly accomplished.
Her life for the four years subsequent to 1885, was
not unlike that of other young ladies Of the place.
She had large class, mostly of young girls, whom
she instructed in instrumental music. In the fall
of 1858, young man by the name of Powell came
here, and was employed as principal of the village
school. Powell resigned the leadership OF the
school in the spring Of 1858, and started the Re.
porter, the first paper published in our village.
During the summer he became intimate with the
family of DR.. Burnham, and became engaged to
Miss Burnham in the fall Of 1859. The engage
ment soon became known outside of the family.
The only surprise excited on account of it was sur
prise at the taste of Mr. Powell in selecting girl
of such masculine appearance. Miss Burnham's
parents seemed particularly pleased at the pros
pective marriage of their daughter, whom they be-
lieved well qualified to make good wife for an ed
itor. In February, 1860, L. W. Powell and Miss
Ellen Burnham were married by Rev. Mr.. Coch-
ran the Congregational minister.
The happy couple took short bridal tour, pre-
paratory for settling down for life After an alb,
sence of week, they returned to the residence OF
the brides parents, who, in honor of their daught-
ers marriage, sent out invitations to large num-
bers of our citizens to wecome the bride and groom
We were present at the wedding party, and could
not but think that the bride and groom appeared
remarkably solemn. We did not kiss the bride,
although that was the fashion. Our objection to
the kissing part Of the performance was dislike
to come in contact with an unusually heavy and
black moustache, which marred the upper lip Of
the bride.
Mrs. Powell became more and more masculine
in her appearance as she grew older: She took a
case in the Reporter Office, and learned the print
ers' trade rapidly. In short time she proved to
be the best jour in the Office She also took to
smoking, in the cultivation Of which habit she
proved herself printer.
In the spring of 1861, wehn Powell had been
married about year and halt, the 7th Wisoon-