Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-11-03
Correspondence of the Cleveland Herald.
4 Rich Marriage on the Steamer
Ocean.

Going on board the popular steamer
| Ocean at Cleveland, we procured tick
cts for Detroit, and then mixed with
the crowd to see the sights. The late
accident to the Lady Elgin on Lake
Michigan had a tendency to ma ke our
load Of passengers somewhat lighter
than Usual-so we were told-but vet
we had between one and two hundred
OF the different classes combined, and
. large load of cheese and peaches.
Noticing q little billing and cooing
in progress on the pile Of cheese boxes,
we ''happened around' as soon as the
vessel left the dock, and witnessed one
Of the richest courtships in low life that
ever occurred outside Of Sam Sticks
imagination.
The man was about twenty-threo
years Of age, stood nearly or quite six
feet when straight, if he ever got
straightened-for he was quite round
shouldered-an moved when walking
with about the grace Of lame goose :;
wore pants, coat and vest Of faded Ken
tucky jean; had long, coarse, dark
brown hair, matted like cows tell in
a brdocl field; had a sharp, long
nose, and pair Of large calico eyes
that were as expressive as saucer Of
scaiIod cheese cWd.
His fIadyc luy," like himself, was of
the darkest comploxjon-mUch darker
in fact that many of our citizens in
Oberlin, who had once lived as slaves
and she appeared to be about 16 or
II years of AGE. She had started with
her two little orphan brothers, aged i
and Is years, from Allegheny, Penn
sylYan::Ga, to 90 to her uncle IN Michigan.
After having purchased second
class tickets for the three, she spread
her old beli-quilt or the pile Of cheese
boxes and prepared to pass the nj ght
in quietude. She had hardly arranged
her neat, however, before she was ac-
cilentaiiy discovered by second class
passenger who had 1oTcd her in secret
from her infancy, and who, for the
past two years, had been rafting lum-
Der on the Ohio river. Having acquir-
cd about two hundred dollars in hard
currency, he came to Cleveland on the
tenth to participate in the celebration,
when, as he expressed it, ESome cuss
picked his pocket Of every darned cent
but four dollars"
Being unable to find either thief OF
money, and not daring to tell the story
to the police for fear of being s'madc
fun Of in the papers, he had started
to the West with the determination to
hire out on q farm. To his surprise
and JOY he found himself Oh board the
same vessel with the object Of bis
hearts earliest affection.
Sliding up to her like a hen trying
to look into bottle, he exclaimed:
''Why, Cynthia Ann! why heow de
yeou dew? | didn't hardly know yeou.
Why heow yeou'ye growed! Where
arc you going?"
"l'm going to uncle's in Mchigan,' .
was the feeble reply. "You knew
mother was dead, didn't you?'' ..
."Whv, not" and his voice softened.
'SWhen did she die, Cynthia Ann?''
SFShe died last January. Uncle wrote
to me, that, if I'd come there, he'd give
me and the boys o home"
| ~ Itlili Auu -2llO the man
voice trembled-E'there amt no man'N
be SO glad to give you home as I will!
I've alters thought heap of you! [
told your mother, when you wasn't
! MORN SO high, that when you growed
up | was goin tew have ycou. Now,
Cynthia Ann, Just say the word, and
yeou're at hum meow. -
"What'll become Of the boys?'' in
quired the agftated maiden.
ssI1l go with you and leave EN- to your
uncle's, and then Well go West and
hire out this fall and winter; and then
next spring We'll buy small farm and
live tew hump
The girl gave warm sfgh Of accept
ance, leaned her head against the hon
est breast Of the hardy youth, and look
ed up into his face as much as to say,
if you want anything take it.
The man snatched a kiss from her ru-
by lips, sprang down the cheese boxes.
and exclaimed, 'If there's a minister
or justice of the peace on this boat, I've
got job for himr
Il am a justice of the peace,' re-
marked venerable looking old man
from \ ork State; ''remount the cheese
boxes, and you shall be a married man
in less than five minutes.'
'Well, hold on Squire? :Ihaint got
no money, but I'll give you an all io-
fired good AK
"Never mind about the pay said
the worthy squire; s$I'll take my pay
! in saairo Won hanny',
The fellow remounted the pile of
Icheese, clasped the hands of his dearly