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

vi
figures of rhetoric. The verse was written some
years ago. but has not hitherto found it's way into
prints yet It well deserves to be incorporated with
Poems, and we hope some publishers will act on
this transformations Journal.
7
WE'LL KEPT.
The Life Secret of Charley Parkhurst,
a Famous California Stage. Driver.
Death Of Western Character, and
Discovery that He Was Woman.
San Francisco Chronicle.
The stage.drivers of California have
by their intrepidity, sang froid, and
daredevil recklessness, mingled with
cool calculation, become historical
characters. Hank Monk, with his
memorable "Keep your seat, Horace.
, I'll bring you thar on time," and Ben
Foss in his wild drive along the Geyser
road, are familiar personages to all who
' lever heard of or lived in the Golden
state. A third worthy is to be added in
the person of Charley Parkhurst, who
at,his death achieved celebrity which,
by its attendant strangeness and ro-
nance, places him first IN the trio. To
the miners of the pioneering days Park
hurst was known as stage-driver of
renown, while to us of later date he will
henceforward be remembered as per-
sonage who kept a secret all his life
long unsupported and intact, and only
gave it up to a power which either
buries it forever from sight or strips
away all mystery and makes all plain.
Everything is common before the great
]eveler, death. There are many who,
upon reading this sketch of living and
{ dead mystery, will remember Charley
:" Parkhurst on the box-seat to the stage
coach running from Oakland to San
Jose; others who will remember him
driving from Stockton to Mariposa, and
again others who recollect him as send.
ing the dust flying along the road from
San Juan to Santa Cruz. The stout.
compact figure of about FIVE feet six,
broader across the hips than across the
shoulders: the sunbrowned face beard
less save for a few struggling, downy
hairs; the blush gray eyes, and sharp,
gh-pitched voice; the set but not un-
pleasant features moved now and then
with rare smile, the deliberate move
ment which seems to be 4 fashion of
the fraternity, were as familiar to the
PASSENGERS ON THESE ROUTES
as the chuck-holes IN summer. How he
x1driited TO California in the first days of
1.-THE gold mining fever, is not exactly
known, for in that time of hurry, hustle
and struggle, the ordinary unassuming
man was likely tobe overlooked. More
over, SO far nothing has been discovered
as to where he came from or who are
his friends in the Atlantic states. His
true name even, in the light of present
circumstances, has become matter of
conjecture. The generally accepted
story of the late Charles Parkhurst is,
however, as follows: He was born, it is
stated, in New Hampshire, and worked
on farm with his uncle until quar-.
1 rel arose between the two, when Char
lev moved to Providence, r. I. There
man in the employ of Mr.. Childs,
From Providence he went to Georgia,
and became stage-driver, continuing
\ in that state and occupation for two
Z wears. He used further to state that
one Jim Birch, noticing his capabilities
as q driver, brought him to California
aud placed him upon an opposition line
to drive from Oakland to San Jose. Un-
fortunately Birch was drowned in the
good ship Constitution, so that the veri-
fication Of this volunteered sketch is not
possible, while the facts which have re-
Gently come to light lead one to imagine
Il that it was plausible story which Park
d hurst found useful as foil for too strict
\ interrogations. Whatever question
there may be about this story, there is
4 none to his efficiency in the drivers
u perch, nor to the unfailing nerve that
( fay beneath his ordinary exterior. An
incident in his early career as stage
: driver will, illustrate this. Once in win
ter, when the rain was coming down in
sheets, as it had been for three days
past, and the coach was laboring along
through mud almost to the hubs, Park
hurst was hailed by q stray wayfarer
and told; that the bridge across the Tuo-
Iumne river was in 9 shaky condition,
and that it would be wise not to risk
driving over it. sParkhurst answered
B never word, but gathering up the lines
Il - sWiith one hand, he cut the swings and
wheelers across the haunches with the
her, and pushed on. Soon the swollen
stream came ia sight. # was swashing
IA, ~ - airing like 4 mill-race. The bridge