Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-20
A FLEEING FORTUNE.

after wealth What good would it do me
now? My habits are settled, my passions
are extinct: quiet, freedom from pain and
care, and the preservation of my eyesight,
are the only blessings I crave. | have
enough for food and clothing; not enough
to temst others to flatter, cajole, and de-
ceive me- But early in life l longed for
riches with an unwholesOme yearnlng;
money seemed to me the greatest gcod,
vet even money was not worth tolllng Tor.
When I INDUCED in airy castle building
which was very Often-l always PIC
tured myself as finding treasure; land
ing double event at tremendous odds;
having q fortune left me; or becoming
suddenly rich in some equally faclle man
ner-never slowly, by hard work. In
many novels, the hero, poor, determines
to achieve wealth and fame at the end of
one chapter; and when the next opens,
he has done so. The intervening years of
bumdrum are jumped. wanted to jump
them too. / was quite willing to be ten
wears older and ten thousand times rich
er. could such bargain have been made.
But it couldn't; and / dawdled the ten
wears away, and was just as poor as at
the commencement. And yet was once
for few hours, actually and literally,
rich man; and it happened in way which
my fancy had not pictured.
I was fond of travelling about, and my
small means caused me to seek inexpen-
sive modes of conveyance. My legs were
the cheapest: and walked all over En-
Gland Scotland, and Wales; but the coast
stopped me, for | could not swim the
channel. Pay for my passage l must,
but l would pay as little as could help;
so | chose long sea route from London
10 Holland AS the boat started in the
small hours of the night, | passed the
evening in mild dissipation. Dined off a
chop and cheese with pint of cooper"
followed by pipe and glass of rack
punch. Sat in the pit of theater from
curtaln-rise to curtain-set, only leaving
when the brown holland appeared. Then
q potato at singing-tavern brought me
to half past twelve, and it was time to go
TO my inn in Holborn for my luggage.
This was not extensive, consisting merely
of a leathern bag, which could be worn
when liked as knapsack; and with this
in my left hand, and stout oak stick
tipped with formidable ferrule in my
right, I sought the Docks. This must
seem so very eccentric to young people
of the present day, thst | think it better
to mention that it was upward of thirty
wears ago: cabs and habits of luxury have
considerably increased since then. In
the neighborhood of the Tower, the
streets we're quite deserted, and
it was a curious experience to hear ones
footsteps re-cchoing in the very center Of
the capital Of Bustle. The traffic, rolling
backward by the main arteries of the
city, only reached the ear as faint, NUT
He'd murmur, like that of the distant sea.
Turning into small Place-a triangle Of
houses, with paved court in it's center
however, I came upon group of three
men, who seemed TO be engaged in scuf-
fie, and supposing it to be drunken row,
I was passing on without notice, when
one of them called out "Murder!"
What fine old English word that is
how expressive! The sight of it in large
print gives the blood pleasant curdle,
and forces the purchase Of an evening
paper upon the man whose coppers would
never be charmed out of him by any SIM
pie assassination. But heard in the
stiffness OF night there is a muttered hor-
ror in the word which is appalling.
| am not a chivalrOus man; l shrink in
stinctively from mourning danger or even
discomfort on behalf of friend, let alone
q stranger; but there was an earnestness
about that cry which arrested my steps.
Again, in more stitied tone: Murder!
Help"
I advanced toward the group, and
saw, by the light of dim lamp, that two
Of the Inen were STOPPING over third,
who lay on the ground. One of these
rose on hearing my footsteps, and warned
me with an oath to go my way and mind
my own business; and as / did not heed
him, he raised his right arm and ran at
me. Knowing something Of fencing, [
lunged as he came up, catching him low
in chest the with the ferrule Of my stick,
and he rolled over into the road with
gasp and a groan, and lay there, doubled
up. His mate stood up, hesitated a mo-
ment, irresolute, and then turned to flee;
I struck him over the head as he went,
but failed to bring him down, and he got
away. Glad enough to be rid of him, |
went to the assistance of his victim, who
still lay on the pavement; but he was not
seriously injured, and when | had loosen
ed his neckcloth, and poured some Of the
contents of my travelling flask down his
throat, he was able to get up. Fortunate
~ for him, garroting had not been yet
cultivated to science, and he was only
quaTter-throttled.
His first care was to feel a pocket in
side his waistCoat, having done which,
ne SdlO III :. lCuC vi Ety
have not got it? Thanks to you, young
man, they have not got it You won't
leave me? You will see me to the boat?
I can walk. o yes, 1 am better now"
Don't be afraid" said /; II will not
leave you till you are safe. What boat
do you mean?"
''The Rotterdam"
"Wny, I am going by that myself. |
am glad you can walk, for we have not
got overmuch time to lose"
We were not more than q quarter of g
mile from the wharf, and had half an
hour to do it in; but did not think it in
cumbent upon me to go to the assistance
of the man who had served me as a
7,5astyon, and still lay in the road; so we
went our way, and left him there; and
whether he came round presently, or re-
ceived any permanent injury to his con
stitution from that poke in the stomach,
/ know not.
The man | had rescued was gray-hair
ed, with wizened face deeply scored by
wrinkles, and frame which did not
seem capable Of making the stubborn re-
sistance which he must have done in de-
Tense of his property. The cab in which
he started for the docks had broken down,
and, afraid of being late, he had taken a
short cut through the by-streets on foot,
and had been set upon by the rascals
with whom found him. That was the
simple account he gave me on our way
to the wharf, which we reached in time
AS for the luggage, that had been taken