The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-03-01
A Strange Tale.
A LEAF FROM THE LIFE OF BUSINESS MAN IN
CHICAGO.


There now resides in The city of Chicago,
a gentleman well known in business circles,
and whose paper is good on change for a
very respectable sum, whose lot il was in
the early portion Of his career 10 reside in
the city OF New Orleans. This was many
years ago-away back in the half decade
OF 1880 to 1895. He had gone .hther from
I the North penniless 10 earn a livelihood
for himself and in pursuit OF that fortune
which all youg men hope TO reach, but
which few ever attain. Shortly after his
arrival in The crescent city he fortunately
succeeded in securing position in an old,
and well established mercantile house,
| where by his industry and uniform trusts
worthy conduct he secured the confidence
OF his employers and rapid promotion up
through the several departments oil the
] house to the counting room.
! For the purposes OF this narrative we are
called upon to select a coguomen for the
/ gen leman before proceeding further. And
! since this sketch is published without con-
! sultation with him, we feel obliged 10 give
1 him name other than that by which he
! is known in the commercial walks of life,
! and with the tile of MIR. s. our readers
| nust be satisfied.
| Mr.. s. had been SCARCELY two years
engaged in tischarging the duties OF his
| position in New Orleans when he became
snamored of daughter of one of the MEM
! bers OF the firm. Deeply engresssd as he
,ha 1f
/ life, the tread OF all absorbing trade failed
| TO crush out the genller sentiments OF his
( heart, and The jlnging of the dollars could
I not drown the sweet music OF intefchanglng
| vows of constancy and of plighied ialih.
His affections were rsciprocated, bu; though
"Barkis was wiin" the parents wers not.
With all the pride OF aristocracy, and con-
tempt OF honest labor which formerly and
does still chayacierize the Wealthy o: the
South, they sneered al the loves of the
young couple, inierposed objections, and
forbade intercourse between them.
As natural consequence, cianJest:ne
meetings were held and an elopement pro-
ecied aud consumma:ed. The parties re-
turned to New Orleans one day man and
wife, but 10 receive no blessing or forgive
ness from the parents of the lady. Mr. 5.
vas dismissed from the service OF the firm,
and for more than mouth struggled hard
10 maintain himself and the wife now de-
pendent upon his eyeuioLs. His efforts
were not crowned by The most perfect sue
cess, and his life was a continual! struggle
for existence, poor and eheerless at that
One son was the result OF the marriage,
aud with his wife and child, Mr.. S. strug
gled on, met on almost every hand by the
prosecutions OF the father. Unable longer
to reconcile himself TO such life, a sepa-
ration was mutually agreed upon, The lady
returned with her child 10 her fathers roof,
aud Mr.. S. returned 10 his home in the
EssieIn States.
SIX months after his arrival al he North,
Mr. S. received a New Orleans paper con-
tanning he announcement OF the death oil
his wife and infant child. Attached TO
them as he was, though compelled by adj
verse circumstaces to leave Them, he
mourned Tor them sincerely and believed
them dead few years afterwards he
met with a lady whose good qualities OF
mind attracted him and whom he subse,
qnenly married. and with whom ne lived
happy Tor many years, raising family OF
! sons, two OF whom are 10 day residents OF
the city of Chicago.
in The natural course OF events, Mr.. S.
removed 10 the ives; many years ago and
! became one OF the seekers alter fortune,
upon what was then considered almost the
frontier. Chicago was then but small
and comparatively unknown town, though
the tide OF emigration was beginning TO sci
rapidly iu this direction. He was shrewd
and speculative, and his former experience
had rendered him well qualified to turn to
advantage such opportunities Tor the aggran-
dzement OF whatever he possessed as came
iu bis way. He prospered IN business and
year after year accumulated additions 10 the
gains of The previous year. Chicago and
he great Northwest sPrang from an insig-
nIficant village and sparsely settled coun-
trJ TO great city and prosperous common-
wealths. His own pecuniary advancement
was no less rapid, and from that time until
the present, his life was marked by no
more important eTas than is the common
history OF business men in This community
and might be written OF hundreds of others.
Some years ago his second wife died, es-
teemed by her friends and wePt and loved
by those 10 whom she was nearest and
dearest
We will not say that during all this lapse
of years the mind oil MIR. S. did not fre-
quently revert 10 the scenes OF his earlier
days, and 10 the strange vicissiudes through
which he bad passed. II would have been
wonderful indeed il be had not pondered