A PRETTY ROMANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1741, 16 January 1888, Page 3

A PRETTY ROMANCE

A pretty little romance has just reaohed an interesting culmination m RabuD County. At the base of the Tiger Mountain, ht»lf a mile eff the main road leading to Clayton, resides a sober old farmer, named George W. Dillard, who h«s a wife and two eons Early last summer Mr Dillard reaetved a letter from hia wife's brother, whua he had not seen slnoe 1849 At that cicne James M'Currie was a young man, as waa also George W . Dillard. The news had reaohed Georgia of the wonderful god discoveries m California. They bad parfected all arrangements for prolng thither, and were bidding the family good- bye when Dillard faltered. The tearful eyes of M'Currio's yonng sister touched hia heart, especially ns ahe waa weeping for him and not for her brother. Throwing down thr boodle, he decUred he would say if the girl would marry him. To this aha choerfully agreed, so Diilard remained a Georgia farmer, while M'Currio jumped into the stage ooach and w«e borne away Since that t : m* he has never been heard of. It was wih mingled feeling, there fore that Dillard read the letter from hie old comrade.. M'Currio stated that he had worked agaiosl adverse fortune, deolinlng to write to the folks at home until he could strike it rich, but every ye»r found him growing poorer, and now, old, feeble, and poor, his great wish was to look once more upon his native hills ; that he could not do bo unless he was sent money enough upon whioh to return. Ma Dillard read the letter to his wife and soceu "We must send the money, tatd tho old man, 80 a cow and a mule were sacrificed, and the money went on its mission Bcross tho continent. Several weeks' time brought another letter m which the old man expressed his gratefulness for the kindness done him, but he was too ill to undertake the journey. After that no more waa heard from him. On Monday Dillard received a letter whioh recited that James M'Currie was doad ; that he wished to test the fidelity of bis slate t 'a family ; that their prompt response to his appeal had moved him ; and that by his will his property m California, valued at # 1,600,000, was willed In equal parts to his stater, her husband, and their two eons. The two young men proceeded to California to take possession of tha property, wbioh they hope shortly to convert into oasb, when they will return,