Connecticut western news., 1880-02-04

comfortable fortune inasmuch as it was sufficient to insure him competency. In course of, time he rented out his sta tion and went into the cattle-raising business. After raising quite herd of cattle he sold out of that business, and being sufferer from sciatic rheuma- tism he sought 8 less laborious avoca- tion, and; went to raising chickens in the hills back of Aptos. In this last occu- patton he continued for some years, but finally yielded to his rheumatic troubles, sold his ranch to Portuguese, depos- ited the proceeds, or 8 part of them, in the Bank of Watsonville, and retired from active life to live on the interest of his money. Near the Seven-mile House, out of Watsonville, is little cabin, and there, during the latter years of his life, Parkhurst has resided. He was we'll known to the townspeople and those on the surrounding farms as quiet, little elderly gentleman of about sixty years of age, badly afflicted with rheumatism, not given to talking much but appar- entity contented to live unnoticed and alone. This rheumatism was the natur- al result of the extreme exposure and hard work to which he had been sub- jected all his lifetime. .-
 The winters snows in the woods, the years passed with his. face turned un- 1inchingly to the wind and rain, and his general carel essness as to results, played havoc with what must originally have been constitution of iron. His rheu- matism grew from bad to worse, until it resulted in the whitening of his mem bers, and he grew almost helpless. Then, as if his ills were not crushing enough, he became a@icted with a canc erous tongue and mouth. This was his death wound, so to speak, and feeling that this world was slipping from his grasp, he very quietly hired man to attend to his needs, and telling friend that he was going to die, directed him what to do with his belongings and waited patti ently for relief to his suferings, which had now become most acute. That relief came on Sunday, December 29th, when Charles Durey Parkhurst, reputed native of New Hampshire, voter of the State of California, aged sixty-seven, departed this life. With his last breath Charles Parkhurst, the daring driver, the fearless fighter of highwaymen, the strong lumbernaan, passed out of exist. ence, and in his place was found some thing gentler and more tender. With the death of one who was always more or less a mystery, was born one that shadows the other into utter insignif- canoe. The dead man was being pre-. pared for his last resting place when the astounding discovery was made by those fulfilling the sad office that the clay be- heath their hands WAS that of woman With astonishment at deception so maryelously carried out comes the sad thought of all she must have suffered. It is useless to waste time in conf jectures as to what led the dead to take up the cross of mans laboring life, but whether from necessity or phantasy the certainty remains that in the latter years there must have been many dark hours when poor Charles Parkhurst longed for little sympathy which is accorded every woman. The story of the dis covery was at first refused credence, but medical science furnished irrefragible proof of the real state of her case when an examination attested the fact of the dead woman having once been mother. The keen business sagacity, which had been distinguishing feature through out the whole of Parkhurst's life in Cali fornia, was unwavering up to the end. The money matters of the deceased were found clearly arranged. Certificates oi deposit on the Watsonville Bank to a considerable amount were left behind in the charge of Otto Stoessen, and the will, which was only concise statement of the way in which the money was to be disposed of-chieAy in gifts to those in attendance at the latter days - was shrewdly signed 70. D. Parkhurst. 3 And as 0. D. Parkhurst the enigma oi stage-driving history lies in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Watsonville, where the body was deposited on the afternoon of December 30, 1879.