- p the sauw, ——————— A 4 Bhe Contre Democrat, ———————————— ps SAL AND PETE. — ase Tv was snowing np in the mountains Kighi, feathery fl kes that continued Brfulls st ad 'y Sal koew it wae Bltaly tn he a heavy fall before it bad been to the store and post office at D er Ureek and was in a big Bucy w get Lome, because she carried s huge, yellow envelope directed to her faiher, snd Sal possed all the matial cunosity of her sex. Hor way led down the mountain trail 10 the distant valley where nest- Bed the ttle shanty on her fathers enim, The <'aim was a poor one, and Sal's Safe bad known nothing but hardships sad als. Wi ui mattered a snowy ‘tenmp down the mountain side to her ? Bive was not #fraid of either bears oy Linus, having been surrounded by them a good part of her early life. Bhe was twenty now, a sturdy 'Sorder lass, and since her mother's ‘deat had been her father's house- ‘Peeper, and the small fry at home Booked up 10 ber with all the respect doe a mother. Su ldenly out in her path strode a man dressed as a hunter a very fine speimen altogether of the bardy Wmovuisineer, Bal! I've been waitin’ for you. Have you ! said the girl, in a care- Jess independent tone. I don’t think there was any special peed. I've been. over there here roads often “enough to know ‘em. Bat, Ral, I wanted to see you par- Sieniarly. You koow very well what I want—wbat | have waited for so Jong, and now— Pshaw | You've only known me two “years; dreadful while you've hg +0700 long 2 to me, when eve thing i* ready and there ain't a bit of senee of your clinging to your father so. Taint ‘cordin to Scripture no bow. Eeems to me you forget about the “Honor thy father and mother,’ Pete, don’t you I What's the odds if you do! I know that father can’t spare me awhile. Poor father ! yee, al} pity's spent on the old man, rd Pete. It's always to be wo, | reckon. How many years do you caleulste will let you off, Sal ? 1 ous know not vail the little ten year ary can take my place— sboat eight years, I low. 4 Great Scott! we'll both be dead before that time Maybe so, said Sal, carelessly. You baio’t no heart "tall aimed her lover angrily. You are jist like fline. Reckon I'd better look up another girl, Sal’s face was tured toward home seni away from him, She grew a lit- tie paler, but in all that snow Pete pever could have seen it. She answer- ed, readily : It will show your sense We've reached the divide, he said. hoarsely; my way leads off from yours. Good-bye, Sal. Good-bye, Pete. That was all, forward down to the little shanty, where in the windows, she could see | © plainly the children’s bobbing Ob, Bal | they shrieked in a chorus as she opened the door. Guess who's been here ? I don’t know. Where's father? He's down in the valley with the stranger man, somebody or other from The Sites explsived Joe who was twelve, a v important - sler, in his Artag Sw A sg at —y Fve got a letter for father. I wish he'd come. Did they expect to go far inthis storm ? See how much flerder it i . i “The ight orept on aod the eagerly expected father did not comme.) *H¢'s been gone #0 lobg I'd better 20 snd see ie ay vai have Sappesed. You u the fire, sand Mary can set he a Bal thrvw har shawl over her bead and went out into the furious atorm thet was increasing in violence every moment. Poor father, maybe, he bad a drop 800 much. 1 do hope he aint tried to reach Deer Creek. Who could the stranger be the children speak of ? Some prospector, likely. Three hours later the men lolling in the parlor of the main hotel at Deer Creek were startled by the sudden opening of the door, to bohold, Sal, white as one dead, covered with ice and snow, standing on its threshold, “My God! what has happened, Sal? ei ied more (hao one. Murder! was the horse reply. Marder? Where—who- My father—oh wait! struggling to ead clearly, down near the divide. Whit, my girl, you'll freeze, and i Pohl han off the wet shaw) Sung a bot blanket over her tr . You say here and let me “But she stru ont of his detain: ggled ing Meybe Jour father was just lost in ass, I tell you he was murdered, | struck hysom. Shot! shot! Oh, who could have wished to harm my poor old father? ; Her story was true; with great difficulty was he found nearly buried in the snow, and carried to his home to startle the terrified children out of their senses. Sal was calm; afterward she wan dered at her own control, She quieted the wailing children, coaxed the smaller ones off to bed and sat be- fore the fire in adazed, cold way that troubled two of their kind neigh- bors greatly, who sat back and talked in low tones of the strange uncalled for crime. Aun honester better fellow never live’, Poor Tom! Who could have wished to kill him! It was the boy, Joe, who suddenly cried out in sudden, convincing toues' The stranger, Sal! the stranger that wore a fur overcoat and gloves, Describe, him Joe! 1 don’t know as I kin, but he had dark eyes and a bead. and father seemed much taken with bim. They laughed and talked about some prop- erty back in the States, and the man bad a bottle and they drank several times, then went ont together. Would you know him again my boy! Y wutaid Joe, he had a red scar near coner of the left eye, I remem- ber, We'll find bim, if he's in the land of the living. The next day a party of men set set out over and soroes the country in search of the stran In the after- nootl others assisted at the quiet fun- eral, and not until nightfall did Sal remember that letter. She tose it open and read: To Tmomas Smprrpox or Hm Heirs: — You are hereby notified that an éstate awaits you in Greenfield, Nolsu County State of .Yeurs, Burra & Lox, Attorneys at Law, Feb, 24, 188. Ob! said Sal, weoderingly, what does it mean? An estate! I know; asid twelveyear-old Joe, ite land. Oh, Bal, if father had ouly lived? He hated beiog poor more than aoy of ue. I suppose I'd better white, said Sal, | em there is no | soy Thomas Sheldon, but there's some six heirs. Bal wrote in a big, school girl hand a ‘simple btatsment of the facts, but she knew aa ssswer could not be expected short of two weeks. In the meantime, the mea who had out looking for the strange man that Joe had described, failed to find him and returned disheartened, The mystery of the murder seemed hard to unravel. Sal still clung to the rude shanty and anxiously thought about her let- ter, while the people in Deer Creek | ed for Miss Sheldon. | The men regarded eachother blank | ly for a moment, then some one Sal hurried swiftly | and the surrounding valley offered her toiled so long; and then poor old said Sal, it is less changed father had to be killed—don’t I wish I could find that man ! 1d like to walk down the old road, than the town, It was here I said good bye to Pete. I wonder where he is. He was a rough, goodhearted chap, but he wasn’t good enough for you, not balf, His companion did not answer, and Joe continued : : I'll tell you what, if you'll #.¢ downy here and wait for we, I'll _o down to where the old shanty #'. 00d and look around a little, The day was loyely and Sal felt old memories stirred anew. Oh, Pete | she thought, you never koew how much 1 loved you, Did you find that other girl, [ wonder ? As if in answer to her unspoken thought, Pete stood before her. Sal, I suppose its really you, though the folks call you now Mise Sheldon. Oh, Pete! where did from 7 I though That you'd never see me any more ! Yes avd, trying to smile, where's your other girl, the one you went in search of ? I never found her Sal. I couldnt baving known you. I went in search of something else, What, Pete—wealth ? Yes—and your fathers murderer. I didn't find much wealth, I am an un- lucky chap, but I found him. Ob, Pete ! Yes, ao he owned up to the whole thing. He was on his dyin’ bed when I found him—anothér fellow had put bim there I did't bave’' that honor. Bat be said that aside from your dad sad you children, he was next of kin, and would come in for the whole, if you were never found. He thought from what the old man said that he had the letter on bis pereon-—the letter you got spd kept. Bo he jist meant to kill your father and anewer the letter he was dead aod had left vo bere. He committed the cowardly deed, but failed to fod the letter, when he did. That's all, but its the truth. I followed him for two years "afore I found him. Dear, faithiul Pete | [| am glad to know the truth at last. You're five folks now, you dress like a lady sod talk like one, but I'm glad I've seen you once more sayhow., You can see me always if you wish Pete, always. You don't mean it, Sal, you cant in overjoyed tones. Yes, [ do, The children and | are homesick for the mountains, and are coming LO stay. Coming back-—and to me. Oh Sal, my own little mountain lass ! in spite of the fine clothes. You'll get used to them in time and you'll not find my family tro ublesome; they've enough money to be independ- you come them and Jessie was an unw addition to the Bennett fam!’ and his wife disagreed The feeling betwee dred horses and : Isaac Graham as Captain of one com- elcome : AY. «der Bennett and seperated. « them was bitter, _oa0e was patched up : « and they lived together again for 0 ort time, when the elder Bend’ ,¢ died under suspicious circom- *' noes, strongly suggesting poiron from some source or other, The Indians were hostile at that time and were running off cattle and horses belonging to settlers. [no one foray near the present site of Watson- ville they drove off five or six hon- as many cattle. About this time the ¢ However a between the pany sud the Mexican inhabitants under s captain of their own attack- ed them and willed eighty bucks and four squaws. On the field was found a little Indian girl which Graham took home, adopted and raised and who afterwards played an important rt in the drama, The feeling aguinst Jessie Graham grew bitter indeed, and it was evident that the Bennetts did not mean that his fathers property should gu to the haods other than the daughters by the Bennett woman, Jessie and the Beanett boys could not get along to ether, At one time one of the little aughters said that her grandmother had told her mother to put a spider in ber father's (Isaac Grabam) dump- ling, and get rid of him, sod intimat- ed that she had achieved widowhood by that method. This led to further family quarrels and the fued grew more bitter, Iatein 1849 Isaac Grabam and Jessi¢ went to San Jose to purchase homes. ‘When returned, three days later, they found thet Grabam’s alltged wife had disappeared with his children, movey an roperty sod could nowhere be WHY Detectives were employed and a reward of $5,000 offered’ for their discovery. About ten months afterward they were found in Oregon. Her relatives bad put ber aboard of a sail vessel for the Sandwich Issands, and from that poiut bad by means of another vessel sailed 10 Oregon. The money taken from Grabam had been divided between her and her relatives. They, however, denied soy knowledge of ber whereabouts when questioned. In the mesatime ibe feeling between the Grabam's aod the Beonett's grew more bitter. When the former re- tarned from San Jose and found the house deserted the father and son started out to try to find track of the miming three Grabam senior told Jessie to discharge his double barrel shot-gun and put in new loads. He fired off the left barrel of his gun and it exploded fourteen inches along the breech of the barrel. Upon exam. ination it wes found that the gun had veen overloaded aod then pounded nearly full of broken stones which ent. Here cones Joe; see how tall he | pleaty of plenty of placesito work. | Shes proud, an’ she ought to starve | | said more than one, but I do pity | ‘them little children. { One day there came to Deer Creek | a tall, handsome man who inquir said: Oh, the Dickens! the fellow means Sal. Ll point you out where she's to be found. The supper rf mush and milk was the little table when the stranger knocked at their door. She opened the doer and :doitted him. I came, he began courteously in re- piy tw your letter. Came to tell you of the big fortune that is yours, as next of kin to an uncle who recently died, sod to take you all back home with me—if you will go-to such =» home as you could hardly pictare, thet is sll yout own. ney. He did vot linger, but joined his guide to return to Deer Creek for the night, and learved for the first time the story of the murder, You don’t say! How strange! Who could have wished bis death ? Poor fellow with a hoodred thousand dollars waiting for him. Bat Tom Sheldon always was an unlacky dog. Sal bad hoped to see Pete before she left, but he had failed to put in an appearsuce. Oh, well, what's the odds ? I reckon he's found his other girl by this time. Come children | Are you all ready, * » * * Four years later. Deer Creek was a big mining town now, and even Sal herself, walking its bands me streets coul. barely recall On ots oa the town changed, no bad Sal, in her dress her walk, seem- ingly ber entire self. She had been a handsome ary nis” Ton ld wow, walked ah her How ot it all scems lite | a meh, There's blood all over hic {and now livesat Santa Cruz. On: son, lass witha strong, free | father. rude | clusion of the two LR ——A— AN OLD CASE REVIVED Many years ago there lived in Hardin county, Tennessee, a man by the name of [sane Grabam. He had married and as the friut thereof had wo sons and two daughters, One daughter died young, the other mar. ried a man by the name of Marshall, | I. W. Graham lives at Round Rock, Texas. The other son the principal character in this story, resides in Fresno. In 1829 Isaac Graham the father, left Hardin county aud went into Arkansas where he joined a trap- ping expedition bound tw the great northwest. The party he was with finally arrived in Oregon and dis- banded. Graham worked hard with varying fortunes, but was unable, ow. ing to the hostility of the Indians to retrace his steps across the continent. He accumulated some money however, which be loaned to a man in Oregon. The Intter finally ran away for Cali- fornia, then under Spanish rule. Gra ham followed him into California sod buoted him up sod found him on a race course runn a horse race toder the customs of the times, In the race his horse bolted, threw him sod be was killed, Grabam agria found bimeelf destitute and went work again, living at what was then koown ss Yerba , iy and again by slow Sagres sccumulated some pro- perty. kere he became acquainted with a family by the name of Bennett who came from Arkavsas to Oregon at a very early day, and bad hence removed 10 California. This family consisted of the father, mother, four sous, and four daughters, and became acquainted with Isase Graham. Soon after one of the daughters and Gra. ham went to liviog her in the re. lation of husband and wife without the formality of a marriage. By this woman Graham had two daughters born to him, vamed Jane and Ann. The former married a man by the name of Dave Rice, who resides some where near Saota Cruz, In the mesatic Graham's legili- mato family left Hardin county, Tenn, aod removed to Texas, and Jestio J. Grabam came to California in search Ad daugh- | caused it | object of this was Wo kill (Graham | this explosion. | Noche, the Iodian girl, as to who had | been band] og the gon, and was told {hs tw to burst. Evidently the by He then questioned by her that Dennis Bennett dia it— that he loaded it with slugs. The Grahams and Bennets were now in open enmity, Graham brought y daughters and their mother back from Oregon, and took up his residence at vhe Saint Rancho, near Santa Cruz. The Bennetts lived about two miles distant. Soon after these troubles Dennis Benoett was found dead, riddled with buckshot, Jessie J. Graham wes arrested therefor and taken before the Alcade at Ssota Cruz for trial. This was in Apri 1850 —over four months before Cali- fornia came under American rule. The Aleade discharged Graham, who speot some time ata mlovn in town with his friends. On his way home he was about to overtake Mrs. Bennett the mother of Dennis, and one of her sons about 8 mile from town, when they stopped in the road. Both were heavily armed, and evidently meant Ww fight bim. Grabam left the road sad endeavored to ride around them. He was armed with a shot-gun and pistol. When he got about ite them Mrs. Bennett d drew a pistol and gave her son the com. mand to fire in the Walla Walls ton- gue, sad be fired. Grabam fired at same time, and you Bennett fell. He then gave Mrs. Beonet the benefit of the other barrel in the hips as she whirled her back when she saw he was about to return the fire. Gra- ham out of the way. It turned out neither of the netls were seriously burt, Graham remained there six months and then came to the wines of Fresno, where he remained about two years, and accumulated some money. He then returned to Santa Cruz on a visit 10 his relatives, The Bennetts met him frequently, but there were no further arrests or altercations, Jesse J. Graham then returned to Texas where his mother and family lived, and remained there about four- teen years. He enlisted in the Con. federate Army snd saw service in about forty different Shaitements In 7865 be retarned {o California and took up residence upon the Merced River. Jeiai2 ie toured to in county w since resided. the meantime he has visited Santa | Cruz at different times and has never in any sense been hiding from any. one, Recently his sister informed him mother, he said fondly, T ebony where we lived and where you ‘ere. This created dissension among that some of the Beonett family had caused a warrant to be issued fur his ne, arrest upon the old charge of having shot Dennis Benntt in 1850. To-day | Mr. Graham came into town for the purpose of delivering himself vp (0 the Sheriff in case avy such warrant was on foot. Buch is the story of those old times as gleamed from an interview with Mr. Grabam. Jessie J. Graham is a large, hale, well preserved mao, sixty three vears old, with a genial and intelligent countenance. He has the reputstion of being a good citizen but a courage- ous and resolute man, ‘and when at tacked is devoid of fear. There is a chapter in this story that he declines to speak of, and which will fully exe plain the purpose of this movement at this Iste day. He announces him- self as ready to abide the result what- ever it may be.—Fremmo Ezposilor. WATER, NOTHING BUT WATER One of the most remarkable cases ever known in the community is that of Mary J. Weidler, an inmate of the Lancaster County hospital, It has been six weeks exactly today since a particle of food of soy kind has pass: ed ber lips, although occasionally she drinks from a baif to 8 pint of water duriog the day. It has beeo almost two years since the woman began (0 fast. Bbe first stopped eating meat of any kind, and soon afierwards re. fused potatoes. Finally she began to Hive ua pothing but bread and but: ter. shanduned these and took to crackers and milk which she ate for a while. Bbe quit both of these finally and refused to take anything of soy consequence. On the thirteenth pr Pomp 3 was taken to the hos pital were she has since been. She refused to eat sod st first it was sup’ posed that ber stumach would not re- tain anything, It was soon found that this was not the case, and it was finally determined by Dr. Bensenig and the relatives that she should be fed by a pump. This was resorted to and as she fought birter)y, it was found necessary to hasdoufl her. At first bat light food was given ber, but it was gradually made more substantial. For five month the woman was fed in this way. Bhe was quite thin when first admitted to the institution but she grew much stoutes and looked very well, At last it was thought that an appetite had been created for ber and that that she would eat of her own accord. It was believed that | she would become hungry after a time. | It was thought best to give her a trial | without the use of the pump in order | to see what effect ber abstinence from | food would bave and with some hope that she would finally become huogry enough to at. It seems that she is | determined pot to eat and in order to save her life force will again have wo be resorted to. During the six weeks that the woman has been fasting she has been taken to the table three timas each day with the other inmates and been compelled to sit there during the dinper hour. She has been asked and vonxed to eat at every meal, but she seems determined to resist to the last even if it kills her, When the woman was first admitted to the hospital it was found that although she pretend. ed to refuse all edibles, she would at times manage to get possession of lit tie things on the siv, which she would eat. Since she began the present fast, it has been utterly impossible for her to get anything except at the table and there no one has seen her fake a { bite. She has access to water which {she takes at times of ker own will | and at other times when msked. Of late she has grown moch thioper aad pale. She seems tr be in constant fear that the pump will be used upon ber, aod kee; s beggiog that it will not be allowed. The woman is between 35 sad 40 yours of age, with a basband and one child, When she first began tojabstain from food she also refused to allow the child to have nourishment. When this was learned the child was taken from her. Tho reason for this woman's strange conduct could never be learn: ed; when asked concerning it she sim: y says that she don’t went food and not need it. She has never giv fal will power is morning while a reporter of the Intelligencer was at the hospital she was offered a small piece of orange. She placed the to ber lips but would not eat it and soon threw it away. She talks sensibly and seems rational on all subjects, but she seems to have a horror of food or else is very stubborn. Her case is a strange one and it is likely that she will bave to be forced to eat to pre veot death. MARRIED IN SPITE OF THEM. SELVES, Some years ago, when the freelove notions were running around loose in New England, a Boston man aod woman who had imbibed of those doo. trines ustil they affected to despise all the common conventionaiities of fifa Some inthe Sonal usion hey monid ive t r without going throu the ceremony of endl uy % they A both moved in soon ty and made 00 secret of intention. Io fact FP SE sssst— became ¢ineral, and soon turned upon .ne perverse couple, The man “od woman snswered every question put to them with the most perfect equanamity, Finally the governor took a hand in the conversation, After askiog a few questions, and commene~ ing on the answers thereto, in sa ealm judicial manner. he turned to the man and asked: Do you Mr —jntend to love and cherish this womas as your wife, for good or evil, for better or worse! Yes, sir, answered the man camly. An’ do you, madame, fotend to obey this man as your husband, for better or worse. for good or evil? I do sir, answered the woman po- litely. Then by the power vested in me as governer of this commonwealth 1 de- clare you to be man sod wife. And thos the plans of the couple were frustrated, for which they after. ward declared they were heartily tharkful. They are now old and re- spected residents of Cuicrgo. A MOUNTAIN MASSACRE. Jacob Haller, who lives in Calhoun county, W. Va, had been to market with a drove of cattle. He disposed of the stock and was returning home, but, being overtaken by darkness, stopped at the house of a neighbor. Something be says, weighed on his mind. and although he could aot ex: plain the reason, he decided to go on and reach his home, if possiblo, the same eveuing, fearing as much as any- thing else that something had gone wrong. A peddler named George Freeds, was stopping at the house sad, offer- ing to accompany Haller. the two set out. They soon reached Haller's house and, seeing a Fight in the win. dow approached and looked in. The sight which met their gaze almost frome with terror the blood in their veins Lying on the floor weltering ia their blood were Mrs. Haller and ber three children, while in the same roomy were four strange men engaged io plunder. ing the premises, The peddier drew his pistol and senl his companion around to make a noise at the back door, while he stood oear the front. Haller soon rattled the door and, the four wen, rushing out at the front entrance, were shot by the peddler as fast as they appear- ed. Three of the four were killed and the fourth severly wounded. a A AII——— ONE RESULT OF LOVE. News from the Lima valley, near Mexico, gives an account of the tragic and fetal result afdifficalties between Miss Sarah Bolton and Mary Lemore, who fought a duel last week, the sult of a quarrel over the affections of a young cowboy named Whitman. In this duel Miss Jemore was shot through the shoulder, but reeovered in & few days and last evening, closely veiled, went to the house of her bated rival. Meeting ber at the gate, she shot her dead. Returning to ber home, she proudly boasted of the crime. She was soon after placed under arrest. As a revolver was found on the person of the murdered woman, it is believed that she, too, wes avsiting 22 opportunity to faish the work of the duel. FINED A THOUSAND DOLLARS. re The Commicsioner of Pensions hes been advised that Felicienne Gustave sad Enil E. Manchester, who were recently convicted in the United States Court at New Orleans for fraud is in connection with the peas sion claim of the former, were on the 14th instant seotenced each to pay fioe $1,000, Emil Manchester to stand committed until the fine is paid, or or otherwise discharged in accordance with law. RUBBED BY MASKED MEN. An aggravating case of robbery by masked men occurred about dark a the residence of a farmer living abont five miles from West A , Pa. Clinton Miller had just finished his supper, and with his mother, was seat- od in the parlor when they were sur prised by two masked” men suddenly making their appearance in the room, One of the men covered Mr. Miller with a revolver while the other at- tempted to foues hia | into a chair. Mr. Miller resisted, and was y knocked senseless with a pod ag A he recovered, both he and his mother were securely tied. The theives then securely ransacked the house, from from garret to cellar, and ecured $82.85. The men left the house, bailed and boarded a freight train on the Baltic more & Oblo road, bund for this city. A brakemen ordered them off, but he was covered wba revolver, and told to keep quiet, He managed 10 com municate with the engineer, however, and the train was run back to West lexander, where a constable was , o time he arrived the
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers