Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-19
THE STRANGER MARTYR.
HELPLESS Children, the Jewels OF
His Death Crown.

IN little farming town in the State
Of New York, l discovered monument,
which rom its singular situation, and
more singular form, attracted my at
tention. 1t stood entirely by itself on a
| SLIGHT ~eonical elevation, and the field
around ii was cleared of every stick and
stone. This. too, Notwithstanding the
town WAS new, and the fields generally
covered with stumps.
The itself was of the whitest
Vermont marble, with q granite base.
Ii was plain, as the plot of ground on
which it stood, with not the least at
tempt at ornament. and bore the single
Inscription The Stranger Martyr" AS
! roJy lcisurely through the town. there
WAS something in this grass-plot, with
is plain marblc column, which excited
my curiosity, and stopping at the near
est farmhouse, | received the following
version Of the strangers story from the
Kind old man whom l found there:
1t was n of the last days of the
month of May. IS, that a stranger
called at my house and wished to get
employment as a day laborcr. He car
ri"l Il little bundle upon his shoulder.
WAS dressed in the usual careless man
her and coarse clothing, and spoke with
a dlrectness and accent that told me
plainly enough that he was a New En-
gland man. As | was then in possession
Of some four hundred acres of land, and
had made but a small beginning in
tearing it up, ! was in need of more
help than could procure, and engaged
the man III once. Indeed, he accepted
my terms without a single word about
their being too low. 1t was evident to
me- that he was the son of some enter
lFl>lng farmer of the East, Just striking
out into the world in search of fortune.
! cannot describe the man, for | never
became acquainted with him myself. II
was Il busy season when he arrived, and
as / worked in the fields with my
4irip' doing always full
days labor with them, besides manag.
lhg my business, and being. moreover,
very much occupied with my thoughts
an" plans on the evening Of his arrival,
! gave little attention to his personal APP
pearance. | only know that he had q
very frank, open countenance, with
l'Eht hair and eyes, of medium height,
and not heavy in his build. The i'm.
Preston which he made on me was
favorable, and beyond this impression
'iu net have the time or inclination tC
60.
Early the following morning, before
any one was astir in the house, [ arose,
anu left to attend to some business il
,he village. which was four miles away
MY business detained me until clever
0 clock. when l set out to return in com
pany with Mr.. Hadley. a neighbor O
1iilne. He walked to the village for
lhe purpose as myself, and having
completed his purchases. gladly accept
'' my invitation to ride home in IN,
"Have You noticed the smoke here tt
our rlght:?' said Hadley, as he seatee
himself. If the wind continues t.
lTe>hen, and we get nc rain to-day, WI
:lall have something to do besides plant
corn, l think. l have been watch
1t this hour and more, and if it con
.ln'ies to move as rapidly as it has done
we have no time to lose. I have COM
20 dread these fires as l dread nothing
which we have to encounter here
lhVoluntarily l touched the horse
WIN my wcll-worn whip. l had a hor
.or o. the spring fires, as l had abundan
reason: Twice my barns had beel
burned to the ground. and once m,
,Io'se mad been swallowed up by tn
,lle same devouring element. The sol
WAS sandy. and the timber pine, spruc
t ",l'' hemlock mainly, through whic|
,,te IRE went with Tcmorseless rapidity
"nucf the pressure of a strong win
n>'alng could stop it. 1t took hold o
,he scMrf' climbed trees, leaped throug
t," ia'ien brush with a velocity an
'uiy which no one will credit who liza