The Lake Charles echo., 1894-06-01
A PIONEl}-. i......, If.
A TOUCHING IA or A CUEIkL IL
THE Wi.o-E:I-CG.

THE Wi-0-G;!-CG.
Tho Lonely Craze .r Little E!uth, Uhich
Was Cared Tor by SniHe IsmG!y Hand
For ThIrty-nve YCars-A Nothcr's Awful
Grief Almost .iIone In tho Forest.
In the year 1929 steady stream OF
immigration was flowing into the terri
tory of Michigan. The ever restless peo-
pie Of the cast had heard wonderful Sto-
RIGS Of the abundance of game and great
fertility of coil to be found in tho now
territory, and the sturdy, adventure.
some farmers Of rocky New England
were pushing their way westward, with
the hope of finding tho El Dorado Of
their dreams.
Detroit, ut this timo was a sight to
behold. Its streets were thronged with
the covered wagons Of the immigrants.
Hunters and Indians, half breeds and
soldiers were mingled in chaotic mass.
Among the great throng Of homo seek
erS that left Detroit on the I'd day Of
May, 1929, were James Harris, his wife
and year old baby Young Harris had
put all Of his earthly possessions into
covered wagon, and bidding goodby to
friends and relatives had joined THAT
endless stream Of homo seekers that wcre
pushing their way into the wilderness
Of Michigan, hoping by their energy
and perseverance, to build up n homo for
themselves and an Inheritance for their
children.
The road westward from Detroit fol-
lowed an Old Indian trail and by CON
stant travel the mud had become so
deep that it was almost impossible.
Many Of ti9 pioneers left the old road
and struck of into tho Wilderness, max
ing roads for themrcIycg.
Among this number was james Har-
ris, and al went well for few days,
After camping ono night the wind sud
denly shifted to the northwest, and cold
rain set in. This was tho eighth day
after leaving Detroit. The company that
they had begun their journey with had
gradually dropped off, and for two days
they had Travelled ulonc alone in the
great wilderness, unprotected rave what
protection the caHYaa covered wagons
gaYo them Was ii any wonder that as
Itiey listened to the howl Of tho wolf
and the hoOt of the owl they became q
4 little homcsick? Harris lad mado a
great lro Of dry brush, and while it was
| burning brightly the family had gone
to sleep From this sleep tho young
mother was aroused by sharp, hOarsC
cough from her baby. 6ho Immediately
| aSY0ke hci husband, trCsh fuel Was
rhpQwu Oh tho tire, and as 1t blaZcd NJ
tho young mother pccrod auXiousIy into
the faeo Of baby Ruth, Ono glance al
tho little drawn face resting Oh her arm,
and tho mother l.ncW that tho baby had
that dread disease, the Group. Every
thing was dono for the little sufferer
that the distracted parents could do
They wero young and inexperienced
aud all might long they fought for th'
life Of their liulo one, bat all IN vain
Just as the first glimmer Of light ap
peared In tho cast tho spirit Of baby
Ruth took it, flight. The young mother
wild with grief, pressed the form Of he
darling to her breast, moaning and say
ing over ind over again, Baby /
dead!' She refused to let her husbGn'
take tho littlo ono from her, She Woul,
never give it up; no, neycrl All that da,
they remained in camp. Toward cVellinl
the WifQ became GalmGF and standing
lleay the Wagon with the babo IN be
ernls Ehe saW her husband dig tho ltttl
grave, aud when it was finished a rud
box was made, aud she tondeTly laid be
baby to rest, with her own hands plaf
ing it in the grave, and as tho dirt raj
tied down on tho lid she fell senseles
into her husbands arms
After lllliug the grave thQ young u
thee took two little sprouts Vt Lombard
poplar that he had IN the wagon, sel
Ting one ut each end OF the grave, an
cutting the words "Baby Ruth'' ep
piece 81 board he placed II at the h9a
Of tic little mound and then they u
suIned their journey. Years passed. an
a road was laid near the spot. The POI
lars grew aud became living moRl
mont. The piece Of board that bad tol
the little one's name was annually n
placed by some kind hand,
r Fime passed quickly, aud May
had come and gone 80 times since bal
Ruth was laid TO rest IN the wilde
ness, the poplaTs had grown 70
trees aud stood IN eleared field nei
the roadside, the surrounding forest hf
long since disappeared A board VI
nailed to the trees with the words ''B
by Ruth painted omit. A carriage WI
passing by when the driver, an elder
man, glanced toward the trees and "a
tbe Inscription, IIo looked ny tbe tEe
and W the sign, pitched his loFge, me-
/ inqRiEF 0f d faFmeF rear BY as t9'tl
meaning Of the sign and was told %
when he came to the country ne fonl
tlle little grave m9rked with IN
board, aud that he had spared the TIC
and nailed up anew beard, His intorl
7 ant wondered az the emotion OF {
stranger, who staid with him 9yerpiRl
but his wondeF ceased when he WAS g
tic story Of baby Ruth as ! have writ
It. The wife and mother had died sol
/. two years before. Other children h
i come ta bless her. but she never fore
her fFsthora and the little grave IN
] wildegaess a beautiful monument nt
marks thespot where sleeps baby Rui
Van Buren County Republican
A geay's Work ~ tpe PastepF lpstitpt'
Tie annals Of the Pastour ipstitg
Eor TIC year 1888 have just qeep pl
lished. They show that last year I, .
persons were treated for hyaroDh9b
aud that ouly six II thom died of u
=, disease. 0f hopunlber mentioned, thl
= were 80 French people and iTR I
eiRnegs. Among tho foreigners were
goauiards, 81 Greeks 2S English,
Belgians, rs Egyptians, : British s.
- ieots from India, 3 Swiss ? Dutch 4
n. 8 Portuguese. Since n. Rastepr 80