The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-05-17
IA PIONEER SKETCH.
A TOUCHING TALE or A BURIAL IN
THE WILDERNESS.
The Lonely Grave of Little Ruth, Which
Was Cared For by Some Kindly Eand
For Thirty-fve Years-.A Mothers 6wfui
Grief Almost Alone In the Forest.

Was Cared For by Some Kindly Eand
For Thirty-fse Years-A Mothers Awful
Grief Almost Alone In the Forest.
In the year 1929 steady stream CT
immigration was flowing into the terri
tory OF Michigan. The ever restless peo-
pie CT the east hal head wonderful sto-
ries of tie abundance OF game and great
fertility of sc1f to be fonad in the new
territory, ard the sturdy, adventure
some farmers CT rocky fEcy England
were pushing tieiT wcy Westward, with
the hope CT finding the e. Dorado of
their dream.
Detroit, aS this time, Tr-as : sight 20
behold. It's streets were tlironged with
the covered wagons OF the immigrants.
Hunters and In<.iGns, half E-ceds and
soldiers were mingled III chaotic mass.
Among the greet tarccSof home seek
ers that lef5 Detrcit ca the Cd day Of
May, 1929, were james Ho-ris. his wife
and year cid baby. YonEg Harris had
put al CT his earthly Tos=:cgs:o..s ito
covered wagon, ard b;ll.:::z.c; fcoiiby to
friends and relatives hal ;,;:1ed that
endless strGar, CO ,le.a seek - ttll.s.s were
pushing the, way 10 tia wilderness
Of Michigan, hoping BIZ their energy
and perseverance 30 build up homo for
themselves and an inheritance fer their
children.
The road ues@7EYard from Detroit fol-
lowed a. cd IiIiiiGn trail, ard by con-
slant travel t.,a mr.! had become so
deep that It Vas almost ir.paasable.
Many OF the pioneers left the old road
and struck OF INTO the wilderness, MAX
ing roads Tor themselves.
Among this EE:n!,er was James Har-
ris, and all went well fer few days.
After camping enc night Tho wind sud
denly shifted to tho nartilwest, end z cold
rain set in. This was the eighth day
after leaving Detroit. The company that
they had besgEn their Journey with had
gradually dropped Of, and fer two days
they had Travelled alone, alone in tho
great wilderness, unprotected save what
protection the canvas covered wagons
gave them. Was IL any vendor that as
they listened to the howl Of the vol:
and the boot OF tho CYL they became
little homesick? LarriS lad made q
great fire OF dry brush, and while it was
burning brightly tho family lad como
to sleep. From this sleep the young
mother was aroused By q shazn, hoarse
cough from her baby. She Immediately
awoke her husband, fresh fuel was
thrown On the IRE, ard rs it b!azad I'D
the young mother peered anxiously into
the face OF baby Ruth. One glance at
the little drawn face resting On her arm,
and the mother knew that the baby had
that dread disease, the Group. Every
thing was done for the little sufferer
that the distracted parents could do.
They were young and inexperienced,
and all night long they fought for the
life of their little one, but ell in vain.
just as the first glimmer Of light ap-
peared in the east the spirit of baby
Ruth took its flight. The young mother,
wild with grief, pressed the form of her
darling to her breast, moaning and say
ing over and over again, Baby is
deadp She refused to let her husband
take the little one from her. She would
never give it up; no, never! AL that day
they remained in camp Toward evening
the wife became calmer, and standing
near tho wogpn with the babe in her
arms she saw her husband dig the little
grave, and when it was finished q rude
box was made, and she tenderly laid her
baby TO rest. with her own hands plac-
ing it i'll the grave, and as the dirt rat
tied down on the lid she fell senseless
into her husbands arms
After filling tie grave tho young IA
Their took two little sprouts OF Lombardy
poplar that he had in the wagon, set
ting one st each end OF the grave, and
cutting the words BABY Ruth on a
piece of board he placed it at the head
CT the little iaound, and then they re-
suIned their journey. Years passed, and
a road was laid near the spot. Tho pop
lars grew and became q living mo1u-
ment. Tho pioco &C board that had told
the little ones name was annually re-
placed Ivy some kind haI.d
Tine passed quickly, ard Hay 10.
had come ;i,ld !;ollo G5 times since baby
Rati WIGS laid 10 rest III the wilder
ness; to paplar.s had grown to be
trees aaa sSood IL s. cleared Geld near
the roadside: tho srrsCrn6s ng forest had
long since disappeared. 4 board was
pailes; to t!ia tl'ees with the words "Ba-
81 Ruth" painted oait. A carriage was
passing by whom tie driver, an elderly
nan, glanced toward t:so trees and saw
the inscription lie iooszeSl at tho trees
and at the sign, hitched his horse, mado
inquiry Of q farmer rear by as to the
meaning of the sign AID was told that
when he caine TO the country he found
the little grave marked with rude
board, and that he had spared the trees
and nailed up anew board. His inform
ant wondered at the emotion Of the
stranger, who staid with him overnight,
but his wonder ceased when he was told
the story of baby Ruth as have written
it. The wife and mother had died some
two years before. Other children had
come to bless her, but she never forgot
her firstborn and the little grave in the
wilderness. A beautiful monument now
marks the spot where sleeps baby Ruth.
Van Buren, County Republican.
A Years Work OF the Passeur Institute.
The annals of the Pasteur institute
for the year 1898 have just been pub
lished They show that last year l, 64S
persons We're treated for hydrophobia,
and that only six of them died of that
disease. OF the number mentioned, there
were l,47o French people and l7S for