Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-01-25
Fortune In q Name.

A NEW HAMPSHIRE paper accounts for
one of the large fortunes of that State by
relating the following pleasant little his
tory Several years ago one of the young
wOrking-wOmen of the cotton mills at
Great Falls, Sarah Butillon by name, was
recalled to her home by the sickness of a
sister, who had contracted dangerous
fever. Her faithful ministrations availed
not to save the lite of the invalid, and
with the shadow of death in the humble
household came such legacy of
domestic responsibilities for the mill
girl that she was obliged to give
up all idea Of returning to Great
Falls and devote herself to the care
of her poor and aged parents. With
cheerful filial heroism she accepted the
change in her prospects, though believing
that it debarred her from the ultimate inn
prOvement of her worldly condition
which might have resulted from an indie
pendent self-maintenance; but there was
in store for her from the hour of her COM
parative self-renunciation destiny more
wonderful than her own hands could ever
have wrought. Certain small articles of
personal property which she had brought
from the mill were wrapt in a
newspaper from one of tn cot
ton-growing parishes Of Louisiana,
and when, having decided to leave
home no more, Miss Butillon re-
moved said wrapper, her eye was caught
by the appearance in the print of the lat
ter OF her own family name. A Mr.. Bu-
tillon was mentioned by the Southern pa
per as having been one of several promi-
nent citizens taking part in recent pub
lie event at Natchitoches; and, as the
name Is rather uncommon one, Its fair
New Hampshire wearer was seized with
an irresistible curiosity to know If she
had kindred among the nabobs of the
South. Relating the circumstance to a
familiar companion, who bantered her to
"write to the South" about it, she con-
cluded to ascertain indeed whether the
Louisianian was Of her blood, by the only
means at her command. Accordingly to
Mr.. Butillon, of Natchitoches, she ad-
dressed a modest ingenious letter Of in
quiry, giving her own genealogy. as far as
she could trace it, and suggesting that,
inasmuch as the name was an unusual
one and never had come to her in print
before, her intuition therefrom of a rela-
tionship might possibly prove accurate.
In fOrtnight's time came the answer,
very cheerful and cordial in its greeting !;
declaring that the writer and his corres-
pOndent's father must be not remote
cousins. The Southerner further wrote
that he was a man of advanced years,
without family, and having few ficnds
for whom he cared, and that he earnestly
hoped and wished for continuance Of
the correspondence thus pleasantly be-
gun. With the consent of her parents
Sarah acceded to this request, and there
after the letters of the Louisianian and
the former mill.girl were in the character
Of an ideal friendship. For three years
the interchange continued with unbroken
and then for nearly three
months Miss Butillon's last epistle re-
mained unanswered. Her wonder and
sorrow at the protracted silence grew
more and more. until finally lawyers
message explained all. Writing to Miss
Sarah Butillon from Natchitoches, the at
torney of the late Philip Butillon, of that
place, had the honor to inform her that
her distant relative and namesake, dying
without nearer kindred, had bequeathed
to her his whole property, amounting in
the aggregate to more than 100000.
Shortly before receiving this intelli-
gence !" says the local narrative, with
provoking descent to the commonplace,
"the recipient had given her hand In mar
riage to young man of her own rank,
with whom she presently went SOUTH
ward to claim and obtain her departed
munificent benefactiOn."