Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-11-24
Besides. it would be impossible =:

sanction. Besides, 1t would be impossible !;
the coffin is already screwed down"
The attorney took the young man aside.
I" This may prove" said he, " more serious
affair than you suppose. | 60 not know to
what extent you are benefited by his will;
but if you feel so confident that your uncle
made no clandestine marriage, do rot lose
the best opportunity of disproving the claims
which at present this certificate certainly
seems to justify"
Considering the matter in this new light
Mr.. Halyard consented, and carpenter was
fetched to open the coffin. The four gentle
men entered the room, leaving the lady down
stairs. Mr. Plumtree had no sooner seen the
| body than his doubts were at an end
Il knew this poor gentleman perfectly well
| by sight" said he 1" have seen him in his
uniform hundred times but the person ]
married was of different appearance; he
was stouter, darker in complexion-in short
| this was not the man. -
At this instant there was violent ringing
at the bell below. Mr.. HAYWARD stepped out
OF the room to give directions that no one
should be admitted, but was metby a servant
on the stairs.
you please, sir, there's female be-
low wants to see Mr.. Crumstone directly
! said the footman.
The attorney was summoned and went down.
| The new conner was little woman dressed
in rusty black; she was putting very hard. as
if she had been running for match against
| time.
Mr.. Crumstone began to think it was an
other so5-daSart widow, and assumed a stern
demeanor as he inquired her business.
Is this Cap'en Haylard's house, sir 20
she gasped at length.
The attorney nodded ..
ooh, please, sir, I'm so glad There's been
| female party here calling herself the Cap
| ems widow, amt there, sir ,"
"Well," said the attorney, "what then "
ooh, please sir, she amt no more his wild
| ow nor | am sir--no-nor yet so much: for
l ham widow, sir; but she amt no widow
at all, sir, but wife to Bill Halyard, the ship
wright's man down to the docks; and please.
| sir, it's all makeup; and when I heard of
| it, ran as hard as could to you sir, that's
| wot did"
81 told you SO, gentlemen" said young
Halyard, as the admiral joined them; q
knew this was an infamous hoax"
{" am afraid it is, indeed sir" said the at
torney, looking very blank &C Why, good
gracious me, I forgo-why where's the
wo-"
"Do you mean the person who came with
you in the 'ackney coach, sir ?" said the SER
want. rz-
-" Yes-where is she ?"
"She left the house while you was up
stairs, Sir; she said she couldn't wait no long
er, sir, nd as there Was no mediate hurry for
business, sir, she would look in again another
day."
"And told me you would settle for the fly,
sir" said the driver, who had just come in,
touching his hat.
The admiral, convulsed with suppressed
laughter, walked to the window: and endeav-
oring to appear very serious, only succeeded
in looking unusually purple.
A quarter of an hour afterwards work
man entered one of the out-houses occupied
by artisans in the dockyard. The house, or
rather shed, was divided into portions-viz.
a ground-foor, and loft or bedroom above,
communicating with each other by means of
a step-ladder.
Finding no one in the workshop. the man
went to the foot of the ladder and shouted,
Chill Halyard!"'
Hullo !" said voice up stairs.
ty!"
"What about ID"
ooh, don't know. Some row your mis-,
sus has got into, I Think" said the man.
"Howsever, you're to look sharp"
All right-Pll be down directly"
There was pipe lying on the table below.
The man took it up and filed it with some to-
bacco from pouch which he carried.
g He had strolled up and down, smoking,
in front of the house for some ten minutes or
so, when, tired of waiting, he re-entered the
md e II . :,
There was no answer this time
"Bother the fellow he's gone to sleep, /
think" said the man, and sprang up the lad
der.
He found Halyard lying on the foor-not
asleep but dead-with his throat cut.
The rest of the story is soon told The
poor wretch had entered into conspiracy
with his wife to obtain pension from the
Admiralty, fancying that as he bore precisely
the same name as the deceased captain, she
might pass herself off as his widow
There is reason to suppose that his wife
was the originator of the plot He had him
self hitherto borne an excellent character
and now, overcome with remorse and dread
of the consequences of his crime, he had
committed suicide on the first alarm of dis
cOVery.
His wife made her escape; and in spite OF
the tragical and unexpected issue of the af-
fair, it is believed that no steps were taken
towards her capture punishment. Gle.
News Paragraphs.
London is now connected with Sidon and
Jerusalem by telegraph. How strange to
see the old Bible lands invaded by modern
inventions and Improvements
The Grand Duke of Tuscany has prepared
a protest against the project of making Flor
ence the capital Of Italy, as contrary to the
rights reserved to him by the treaty Of Zu-
rich. -s- ~
Secretary Fessenden has declined the Ger
man offer of thousand million loan, on the
ground that he has noauthority to negotiate ;
but says the subject will be communicated to
Congress.
Two Rebel Congressman had a fight at the
Spottsylvania House, Richmond, on Sunday,
growing out of the negro question. One ar
gued that the negro should be armed and the
other contra.
Our forces on the lower Mississippi have
captured one thousand head of cattle, and
scattered two thousand more that the rebels
were trying to get across the Mississippi for
the support of Hoods army.
The Russian and Belgian Ministers at
Washington have been instructed to proce ed
to Mexico, and congratulate Macmillan, per-
sonally, on his accession to the throne of that
country. This was hardly expected of Rus
Sia