Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-07
A PIONEER ROMANCE
A Deserted Wife, an Indian Elopement,
a Runaway Son, a Marriage.

ishing town Of Sonoma county, on az
extended visit TO friends in this city
a man and wife. Theaters were Wis.
tied, a full round of amusement and
sightseeing was INDUCED in, and all
ran merry as a marriage bell, which
rang for the couple in question as
much as thirty and three years ago
away off in Racine, Wis. A few
nights since, while returning from the
California Theater, the couple walked
along kearney street toward Market,
near which, by the light of a gas lamp.
they saw lying on the sidewalk before
them a lady's chatelaine and watch,
which had evidently become detached
from the waist of some passer-by.
Scarcely was there time to stoop and
pick up the find when returned 4 com
paratiyely youngcouplc, a rather hand
some man, who was remarkably light
in feature to the woman who walked
beside him, dark enough in complex
ion to lead to the belief that she was
of Spanish extraction. A short ex-
PLANTATION between the two couples en-
sued, and the article of female orna
ment was returned to the younger
lady, who had lost it.
The young couple had scarcely be-
gun to move away when the elderly
lady appeared as if seized with a
spasm, and with a shrek very unlike
that Of the traditional novel sort,
screamed, Charley Charley !" and
almost tainted. The sound of a name
so familiar to him brought the young
man and his companion back, and then
followed wen a stranger incident.
That young man looked at the agitated
lady, a shade of recollection seemed
to cross his mind, and, though strug-
Cling to subdue his emotions, he did
not succeed, and quickly calculated.
Mother! u At the same time the
older man had been regarding the
younger lady intently, and in a mo-
ment more exclaimed, "Good God, it
is she !" The scene had attracted
quite a number of passers, and to
prevent further notice by them the
young man spoke firmly and directed
the actors in the little comedy to go
with him, which they did. Soon they
were seated in a comfortable little
parlOr within a radius of a mile from
the place of the accidental meeting,
and amid many sObs from the old lady,
much wondering surprise on the part
of the young lady, and a called-for
amount OF agitation and mingled
anger on the part Of the young and
old gentlemen, respectively, the story
was made clear.
To relate it lucidly requires a retro
spect of over thirty years, when in
Racine, DR.. s. Seford will do, as
being as zeal the real name as posi-
Bile to speak without making a com
plete revelation-a man about twenty
three years of age married one of three
daughters ola farmer in the vicinity.
DR.. Seford had, for a young man. a
lucrative practice, wanted only for
Injuries, and for a time the Young
couple travelled the road of matrimony
comfortably. But discussions gradu-
ally grew between them. Life was not
IS smooth aswas desirable even though
a son had been born to them. and an
other (events proved it a daughter)
was expected. II wasn't the greatest
wonder in the world, then, for Racine
to learn, one day in l849, when Cali
fornla's wealth of mineral was turning
mems heads, breaking apart homes
and families, and turning the nation
almost upside down, that DR.. Se6ford
had disappeared. 1t was coniectured.
and rightly, that he had started for
California. The little home in Racine
was broken up, the deserted family re-
moved to the old farmhouse. and
when, some time later, the daughter
was born, no word of the father was
there to cheer the mothers heart. nor
was he again heard of for years. He.
in the meantime, had reached
California, and because of peculiar
ways of wearing his whiskers and
hair, became known as an Australian.
After wandering for a short time
about the State, he entered finally.
with a prospecting party, near the lat
ter end Of 1850, the mining section
known as Deadman's Bar" in Butte
county. The Bar was a lively place
in these days, not half civilized. with
a rough, cosmopolitan population, Of
which some tribe of Digger Indians
formed a partand many were the char
acteristic robberies, murders. and mis-.
%cellaneous sensations chronicled. And
Doc Seffered was to add to the list. for
before the year had drawn TO a close
he cloped with the pretty wife of a
member Of the Digger tribe and her
daughter, then about two years old.
The matter was scarcely a nine days
wondor in tho camp, aud what became
Of them no one cared to investigate,
and probably no one of the residents
Of the Bar cver learned. But Doc
and his companion, after placing the
child in the care of an old Spanish
woman, who they felt assured would
take good care OF it, roamed the
country together, until at last the
woman died.
Finally Doc became disguised with
his rowing life, came 10 San Bsnoisco
was dead broke, and decided to settle
down. He did so, resumed his pro-
@fcssion as a homeopath. and finally re.
triycd his fortune and grew comfort.
ably rich. Then friends prevailed
upon him to send far Ais elf4. lie
did ~, and cue happy day the family
were reunited, with the exception Of
the son, whose whereabouts none O.
the family knew. When he had
grown to youths estate ha had con.
eeiyod d d6slr0 10 IaVOl, aud one day
disappeared in a manner as mysterlou.
as had done his father, He, too, came
to California, and, having studied tele.
graphy, succeeded in obtaining a gooC
position. the only fault of which wa,