Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-27
TRIED AND TRUE.


In tie Santa Barbara Dailyl Press
of Aul ust Gath, we find the follow
ing touching instance of fidelity to
a death-bed PROMISE:
An instance of remarkable hon
esty and fidelity has just been
made public, which rivals in inter
est any olden legend or tale of the
Arabian Nights. The characters
are all well known In Santa Bar
bara and Ventura counties, and
the names figure conspicuously in
Southern California history. The
thread of the story, briefly stated,
is as follows: Nearly twenty years
ago one of the wealthy ladies of
Los Angeles county, finding her.
self nigh unto death, made a very
unusual provision for her only
daughter, then an infant She en-
trusted to one of her near and dear
lady friends very large amount
of jewelry and valuables, which
the friend was to keep until the
child grew to womanhood and
married. On her wedding day the
mothers gift was to be given the
daughter, but until then the most
profound secrecy was to be main
tanned regarding the existence of
the legacy. There was a msgnifi-
cent pearl and diamond necklace,
whose value was not less than ten
thousand dollars; there were guam
titles Of massive silver and gold
plate; there were large solitaire
diamond rings; there were orna-
ments so rich and rare that they
would have honored the diadem of
q queen. The most costly ward
robes of silk and satin and fine
lace were among the treasures
which were confided to this friend,
and among the rest was the very
wedding robe which the mother
had worn rs she stood before the
altar. 1t was the mothers request
that the daughter be married in
this same robe.
And so the mother died, and the
earnest kiss which the devoted
friend pressed upon the pallid
brow was the seal of a vow OF fidel-
ity. The wealthy Spanish father
may have wondered what DISPOSE.
ton his wife made of her treasures,
but he never gave expression to
his thoughts. Time rolled Oh, and
the little orphan child became a
sweet, graceful girl. Meantime
the father removed to Santa Bar
bara, the tide of fortune turned
from his door, and left him almost
penniless. Misfortune, too, had
visited the household of the friend,
and her vast estates became in
volved, and poverty crept close to
her Preside. She had a son whose
talents gavo promise of brilliant
career. Her very life was wrapped
up in his future. There was time
when the trust confided to her
keeping would have been sufficient
to have saved her from bankruptcy.
There was not living soul who
knew of the existence of the treas
ure. From time to time the great
chests had to be opened and the
rich robes and laces cared for, lest
moths. or dust, or time mar the
delicate fabrics. Yet never once
did this faithful friend falter. Re-
verses came, poverty came, and
many bright hopes vanished, but
the treasures were preserved.
The girl grew to be beautiful
young lady, and in due time be-
came betrothed to q young gentle
man of good business prospects,
and who is hi ghly respected in the
community. The wedding oc-
cured short time ago, and was
largely attended. The brides at
tire was so rich and elegant that it
attracted universal admiration, but
none guessed that it was the
mothers wedding robe 80 mysteri-
ously preserved and so faithfully
presented. All the treasures, to
the value of many thousands of
dollars, were scrupulously deliver
ed to the new bride, and are now
safely deposited in, one of our city
banks. The faithful friend is now
living in Ventura county. Her
son has been a member otthe Leg.
islature, and is one of the most
prominent young men in Southern
California.