Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-11-07
TRUE TO EACH OTHER.

TRUE TO EACH OTHER.
The squire was still young and vig-
orous man, wealthy for a resident of an
| agricultural community, and highly
respected by all who knew him.
| He had been married dozen years
or more, but Mrs. Bureigh. who had
| been person of feeble constitution
from inheritance, had borne offspring
only that he might endure parent S
agony in seeing them perish one after
another in infancy and early childhood,
| till not one OF the little flock remained
to bless and brighten his existence.
He was thinking even now. rs he rode
| along through the binding snowsiorm,
of the last lit,e golden head that had
vanished in October, and the six little
mounds in the snow in The chnrchyard
OF Ashburnham.
The road from Merrimeoting to ASH
| burnham was an unircqucuted. back
| country one, and as he reflected sadly
| upon the loss of his little ones, he saw
an Object by the roadside thatresembled
human form. covered with SNOW. He
reined in his horse suddenly and took 3
more careful survey If the object
He was SO far satisfied with his con-
! lecture, on second examination, that
| he aHgfted from his sleigh and APP
| preached the 'uotioniess suow-covered
! object.
| lie excitedlr brushed away the acct
! mulatad snow from the part OF the OBJ
| iect that bore resemblance 10 q human
| head, and the next moment his hand
came into contact with the rigid, frozen
] features of a corpse.
A further examination of the body
showed il to be that OF II woman, and
| in spite of the wan and sorrowful face,
a Young and once beautiful one. She
was poorly clad and held something
closely wrapped in the folds of faded
| shawl.
He undid the shawl, and discovered
therein, still alive. though seemingly
! which il had been subjected, a male in
FAINT, some five or SIX months old.
With some little trouble he succeeded
| in placing The form of the dead woman
| in the bottom OF the sleigh, aud then
wrapping the babe snugly within the
folds of his heavy fur-lined cloak, and
| pressing it warmly to his bosom 10 en-
sure extra warmth, he drove rapidly III
to the village of Ashburnham.
| The post-mortem examination elected
! nothing further than that the woman
| had probably come to her death from
| exposure and exhaustion; and from a
! letter of an Anterior date. found with
| some change in pocket OF her dress,
| dated from New Il Bedford. I'D lressed to
! Mrs. Rpsina Somers, and signed by Oh
| iyer Slocum, shipo"ner, stating that
! jesse ). riCrs, second mate of the Dol
| phin, had been los! in gale eff the
| Cape de Verde Islands, tAey arrived al
the conclusion that thc man lost must
| he the husband of ,he dc;ld wonan and
the father Of tie child.
| The woman was buried at the ex.
| pcrsc OF a few charitable persons, and
| lie little Jesse Showdown SomerS, as
Inc MAS called, w;ss adopted by Squire
! Barie.@h
| No f,..ther clue 10 the identity of tht
,erson. supposed to be his parents was
ever afterwards obtained, so that Squire
| Burleiyh and his wife finally came to ths
| conclusion. to use familiar expression
that FLINDERS should be Keepers 81
that it naturally came to pass that tht
| child soon came to be regarded i'll pre-
cisely the same light rs one OF their owr
offspring.
Two years after the adoption Of littlt
Jesse, Mr.. Burlcigh presented her hus
! band with an infant daughter. who, con
trarv TO all expectation, lived ant
throve. and in defiance OF the oft-recur
ring precedent of hereditary disease
grew fat, chubby. and rosy, and wa
never known to have a sick day. eX
cepting from those almost unavoidable
ailments incident to childhood.
When Florence Burleigh was sixteen
she was rs perfectly maturcd as mos
young ladies of twenty, and Jesse som
ers was fine, robust, manly intclligen
Young fellow.
Years before. through the gossip o
outsiders. they had become conversan
with the fact that no blood Relationship
existed between them. and the remark
able affection which they had felt fo
each other before. believing themselve
TO be brother and sister, now deepcnet
into tenderer and more absorbing
love.
Squire Burleigh, engaged in law an'
speculation, knew nothing of all this.
When Florence was sixteen. she wa
acknowledged the loveliest girl in Ash
burnham.
Lawyer Guppy was a bachelor of fort.
and in the receipt OF handsome IN
come from his professional practice =
He WAS avaricious, unprincipled, ant
cringing.
To those incapable of arriving at
| lust estimate Of character, Guppy woul'
have been considered all that Is deslra
bic in a suitor. put Florence was favor
/, | ed with an intuitive perception OF his ma
t1,re, and she shrank from and repellet
his insidions advances.
A When purpose once entered the hea
/, and animated the heart OF Guppy, TIA
stubborn current pf his unrestraine
,elIisbness drove him irresistibly on :
n its fulfillment.
"A He was not to be put off by a simpl
. maiden's frowns. He knew cours
S worth two of that.
He laid his grievance befores tn
squire, and wound up with proposs
" or Florence's hand.
!. The squire was elated at the condt
!. ,cension and preference Of Guppy.. an
= promptly accepted him in Fiorence's o.
l. half.
"a The fair victim, was summoned, an
: lie intended honor 70 be conferred wa
= proclaimed.
olauk refusal, and rushed with rebe
= lou. haste from the presence q tue Col
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