The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-01-29

About the year 1853 he dropped the
whip and reins and opened a stage sta
ton and saloon ON the road between
Watsonville aud Santa Cruz, at a point
about halfway between the Aptos La
gunA and the first heavy sand-hills as
you 20 toward Jacksonville. 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 a social game of cards or dice
for the drinks, and was lone of the
boys" Parkhurst, however, WIS never
addicted to loose life. Though always
CHEEKY and agreeable with those into
whose society he was thrown, he was al
ways inclined to be reticent about his
affairs; that is, he was social but never
communicative; pleasant, but never
a jovial, companion. He had no par
ticular friends either on the road or in
the fields, and was not disposed to be
what is known as chummy. Especially
was he not a love-maker; and petticoats,
even when surmounted by trim bod
ice and a pretty face, were without spe-
cial attractions. There was, however, at
one time, an owner of both petticoat
and face who seemed to have made, a
little deeper impression than the rest of
her sex. Near the ranch on which
Parkhurst first settled lived a widow
with an only daughter. Somehow or
other they did not prosper, and misfor-
tune at last overlook them in the shape
of q sheriff's sale. Parkhurst bought
the place and gave it back to the widow.
and though 1t was said at the time that
the good deed was prompted by the
daughters good looks, the report is null
lifted by the fact that soon after he left
the neighborhood and settled near Wat
sonville. Parkhurst's celibacy was not
enforced by poverty, as the neighbors
very we'll knew, for being of a saving
disposition he had amassed a comforta-
BILE sum of some thousand dollars; that
is, a comfortable fortune inasmuch as
it was sufficient to insure him COM
potency. In course Of time he rented
out his station and went into the cattle
raising business on lands belonging to
F. A. Him of Santa Cruz. After rails
ing quite herd of cattle. he sold out
Of that business, and being sufferer of
sciatic rheumatism he sought less
laborious avocation, and went to rails
ing chickens in the hills back of Aptos.
In this last occupation he continued for
some years, but finally yielded to mis-
rheumatic troubles, sold his ranch to a
Portuguese, deposited the proceeds, or
a part of them, in the bank of Watson
vile, and retired from active life to live
on the interest of his money. Near
the Seven-mile house, out of Watson.
vile, is little cabin, and there during
the latter years of his life, Parkhurst
has resided. He was well known to the
townspeople and those on the surround
ing farms as quiet
LITTLE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN
OF about sixty years OF age, badly a1flict-
ed with rheumatism, not given to talk
ing much, but apparently contented to
live unnoticed and alone. This rheu-
matism was the natural result,of the
extreme exposure and hard work to
which he had been subjected all his
lifetime. The winters SHOWS in the
woods, the years passed with his face
turned unflinchingly to the wind and
rain, and his general carelessness as to
results, played havoc with what must
originally have been constitution of
iron. His rheumatism grew from bad
to worse, until it resulted in the wither-
ing of his members, and he grew al
most helpless. Then, as if his ills were
not crushing enough b, he became atflict-
ed with q cancerous 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 a
man to attend to his needs, and, telling
a friend he was going to die, directed
him what to do with his belong
ings, and waited patiently for relief
to his suferings, which had now be-
come most acute. That relief came
on Sunday last, Dec. %, when Charles
Durky Parkhurst, reputed native of
New Hampshire, voter of the state of
California, aged 81, departed this life.
With his last breath Charles Parkhurst,
the daring driver, the fearless fighter of
highwaymen, the strong lumberman,
passed out of existence, and in his place
was found something gentler and more
tender. With the death of one who
was always more or less mystery, was
born one that shadows the other into
utter insignifcance. The dead man was
being prepared for his last resting
place, when the astonishing discovery
was made by those fulfilling the sad
Office that the clay beneath their hands
was that ola woman With astonish-