The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-04-09

sented him with a purse Of twenty dollar
Again, when drivers were scarce he d
double duty by driving both ways over tt
road, keeping the box night and clay, an
earning double pay for months. Durin
career as stage-ariyer he was kicf,ed by
trisky horse in the left eye so violently g
to destroy tile sight. 1t was from the los
of this organ that he received the nick
name "One-Eyed Charley, = by waich h
was commonly called,
Leaving the Ca1aver;Saa road, lie took til
position of boss driver on THE Oakland ;lrl
San Jose road, where, as .oa the. .CaIsyera
line, be made himself q fayorite with al
who travelled with him by his pleasant
quiet behavior and cool resolution. H
added to his, reputation on the San Jua1
and Santa Cruz road, where he was known
AS one of the crack drivers and best whips
in California.
Altogetherhe sat on the stage-coach seal
for fifteen years, and only abandoned hi
petty throne when the steam horse invaded
his province and he saw that Icllabod was
wEitten over the balmy days of staging.
Even whilst driving, Parkhurst had occa-
sionallW III winter time varied his employ
ment by following the trade of lumber
man. In the woods, az behind his skim
hand, he gained the name of being expert
and thoroughly reliable. The heaviest
work was never Stunned. He welded the
axe with such vigor and skill that he was
reckoned an A No. woodman. Farming,
too, was calling which he seemed at home
in, so when he stepped down from the
stage-toach for the last time it was not to
be shiftless and idle for want of any other
employment. ~
About the year 1858 he dropped the whip
and rcins, and opened station and saloon
OH the road between Watsonville and Santa
Cruz, at point half way between the APP
tos Laguna and the first heavy sand-hill as
you 60 toward WatsonviIle. At this place
he furnished the hay and grain for the
stage horses on contract, got also fair
wages per month for taking care of the
teams, etc, and kept his bar and stopping
place beside. He smoked, chewed tobacco,
drank moderately, played social game of
cards Or dice for the drinks, and was zone
Of the boys" Parkhurst, however, was
never addicted to loose life.
Though usually CHEEKY and agreeable
with those into whose society he was
thrown, he was always inclined to be rcti-
cent about his affairs. That is he was So
cial, but never communicative; pleasant
but never joyful companion. He had no
particular friends either on the roads or
in the fields, and was not disposed to be
what is known as 'Echummy." Especially |
was he not love-maker; and petticoats. |
even when surmounted by a trim bodice |
and pretty face, were without special at
fractions. There was, at one time, an own
er of both petticOat and face who seemed to
have made little deeper impression than
the rest Of her sex. Near the ranch on
which Palknurst first settled lived a widow
with an only daughter. Some how or ether
they did not prosper, and misfortune at
last overlook them in the shape of sher-
ift s sale. Parkhurst bought the place and
gave it back to the widow; and though it
was said at the time that the good deed
was prompted by the daughters good
looks, the report is nulli1ied by the fact
that soon after he left the neighbolhood
and settled near Watsonville.
Parkhurst's celibacy was not enforced
by poverty, as the neighbors very well
knew, for, being Of a saving disposition, he
had amassed q comfortable fortune of some
thousands of dollars; that is, a comfort
able fortune inaslnuch as it was sufficient
to insure him a competency. In the course
of time he rented out his station, and went
into the cattle-raising business. After rails
ing quite a herd Of cattle, he sold out of
that business, and, being sufferer from
sciatic rheumatism, he sought a less labori-
GUS avocation, and went to raising chick
ems in the hills back of Aptos In this
he continued for some years,
but finally yielded to his rheumatic trou-
bIes, and sold his ranch to Portuguese,
deposited the proceeds, or a part Of them,
IN the Bank Of Watsonville, and retired
rom active life to live on the interest of the
money. Near the Seven-Mile House. out |
IF Watsonville, is a little cabin, and there,
Turing the latter years of his life, Park {
hurst has resided. He was well known to !
he townspeople and those on the sur {
farms as quiet elderly gentle
nan of about sixty years Of age, badly af-
io+n with ,l.a
alking much, but apparently contented to !
i've unnoticed and alone. This rheuma- :
ism was the natural result Of the extreme
Exposure and hard work to which he had
een subjected all his lifetime.
The winters SHOWS in the woods, the {
ears passed with his face turned unflinch- q
ngly to the wind and lain, and his general Q
arelessness as to results, played havoc
With what must have originally have been
constitution of iron. His rheumatism a
rev from bad to worse, until it resulted u
a the whitening Of the members, and he
rev almost helpless. Then, as if his ills e
5ere not crushing enough, he became af- d
icted with a cancerous tongue and mouth. .
his was his death-Wound, so to speak II
nd, feeling that this world was slipping
rom his grasp, he very quietly hired 0
ian to attend to his, needs; and telling v
lend that he was going to die, directed o
i'm what to do with his belongings, and u
yaited patiently for a relief to his suffer u
lgs, which had now become most acute. y
hat relief came on Sunday, December II
9th, when Charles Durey Parllhrrst, re-
uted native of New Hampshire, voter of e
le State of California, aged sixty-seven, 2
epartcd this life. !"
With his last breath Charles ParkhErst, y
lie daring driver, the fearless fighter Of y
ighwaymen, the strong lumberman, pass y
/ out Of existence, and in his place was fs
.und something gentler and more tender. "
fifth the death Of one who was always 81
ore or less a mystery, was born one that
ladows the other into utter insigniticance.
he dead man was being prepared for his
st resting place, when the astonishing
scovery was made by those fulfilling the :
ID Office tnat the clay beneath their hands !, :
as tilat OF woman WIN astoiisn- =
ent alta deception SO ma1yellously car !, !,
ed out comes the sad thought Of al She ]. !.
ust have suffered. It i useless to waste 4
conjectures as to what led the dead to ! !
Ike lip the cross Of \ mans ! laboring life; D ]:
1t whether from necessity Or phantasy, :. :
le certainty remains that in the latter !. :
ears there must have been many dark !. .
ours when poor Charley Parkhurst long : :,
| for little Of the sympathy which is : :
corded to every woman. : :