Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-18
HAPPY ACCIDENTS.

house on London Bridge, the accident was
a happy one for the plucky apprentice
who took header and saved the baby
heiress from drowning; for, in grateful
guerdOn Of the lads ready courage, when,
in due time, baGy developed into pretty
maiden, Sir William would listen to no
weather. sutton, yOwing that he who had
saved the lass from death should possess
her for life, and, the damsel being of the
same mind Edward Osborne married the
daughter Of the merchant prince and lived
happy ever afterward.
That WeI-Tewarded dive was common
place act Of devotion beside that by which
a page once proved his love for his mas
ter, thanks to the peculiar method Of cure
adopted by the physician of William Of
Orange when the smallpox threatened to
bring the Princes life to an end. Moth
ing, the doctor said, could save the pa
tient unless some healthy young man be-
came his bedfellow, and, by Unfolding him
closely IN his arms, should impart suffi-
cient heat to his body TO force the obsti-
nate disease to break out Williams page,
Bentinck, volunteered for the dangerous
office. The experiment succeeded, and
the faithful youth escaped unframed to
share his masters rising fortunes, became
Prime Minister of England, and founded
ducal house in the land of his adoption.
SuOlling across the fields near Sayes
Court, Evelyn came upon a dismal looking
house and, peeping in at window, saw
q young man busy woOd-caving. Slip
ping inside, lie beheld "such work as,
for curiosity of handling, drawing, and
studious eXactness," surpassed anything
of the kind ne had yet seen. Evelyn told
the King OF his find; and, obtaining en-
ployment for the genius he had so unex-
pectedlY unearthcd, started Grinding Glib
bons on the road to fame and fortune.
SherWin, the engraver, might have end
ed his days as a chopper of wood if he
had not been called into Mr.. Mitford's
drawing-rOOm to receive some orders
while the young ladies were amusing
themselves drawing. Seeing his wood
cutter taking earnest note of what the
fair artists were about, Mr.. Milford asked
if he could do anything that way Sher-
win said he did not know that he could,
but he should like to try. Paper and pen
Gil were placed in his hands; and, spite
of his stiff and callous fingers, he pro
duced a drawing that astOniShed all pres.
ent, and which, being presented to the
Society Of Arts, gained the untaught
draughtsman the society's silver medal.
Thus encouraged, Sherwin betoOk him
BURN, and won for himself a name in the
world of art.
Sharp, the painter, owed the favor he en-
joyed at court to an odd misadventure. 1t
was the custom for the royal attendants,
when the King passed along the Hobbies
Of the palace, 10 clear the way by crying
out: Sharp, sharp, look sharpr This
cry reaching Sharp's ears as he was pre-
pairing colars in a room in the palace, he,
thinking he was called, rushed out to
meet the impatient caller, and, coming
into collision with His Majesty, the
painter measured his length upon the
floor From that time George III. lost
no opportunity Of pushing the fortunes of
the artist so strangely introduced to his
notice. Sharp rose through his own fall.
HALL Pasha was indebted for his rise
in the world to such an everyday occur
renee as the upsetting of q lamp. He
happened to be doing some tinman's work
in the apartment of the Sultana Valide,
when that lady knocked down a much
priced French lamp, to the utter derange-
ment OF its internal economy. Despair
ing Of finding any mechanic in CONSTANT
nople capable of repairing the damage,
the Sultana proposed sending it to Paris,
WhereupOn the young tinman offered TO
try his skill, and succeeded IN putti' = the
lamp IN good order again. The pleased
owner recommended him to her son, the
Sultan; and he, after testing the capacity
of the Sultana'S prOtege in various ways,
ultimately appointed him TO the office of
Grand Master of Artillery; an appoint
ment HALL Pasha justified by inventing a
new cartridge, improving the armament
of the forces, and completing the defenses
Of the Dardanelles Greater things still
were expected of him; but as an accident
brought him to the front, so an accident
brought his career to an abrupt close, and
deprived the Port of an able servant.
Wallensteiu the magnificent, the self
absorbed captain, who never lost but one
battle, might have remained a fool all his
life had not his brain been started into
activity by his head trying conclusions
with the pavement.
NIabillion was little better than an idiot
until he fractured his skull, in descend
ing stone staircase without using his
feet
Foote, If his powers were not devel-
oped by an accident, was enabled to turn
his wit and mimic talent to more profita-
bic purpose through losing q lee by fall
ing from his horse when riding in the
Duke of 1ork's company; that obtained
him his Haymarket patent, bringing him
years of prosperity, a prosperity that
might have been lifelong could he have
steered clear of offending a revengeful
woman.
BY a much slighter mishap than the
breaking of limb the stage lost a good
actor, but the theater's loss was the
worlds gain. We have reason to be
thankful that cold in the head prevented
Charles Dickens keeping his appointment
with the Covent Garden manager, and
compelled him to postpone giving them a
taste of his histrionic quality till another
season. Then, says he, Z" made a great
splash in the gallery; the Chronicle opened
to me; | had q distinction in the little
world of the newspaper which made me
like it; began to write; didn't want
money; had never thought of the stage
but as a means of getting 1t; gradually
left off turning my thoughts that way;
and never resumed the idea. See how
near | may have been to another sort of
lifem See how near we ali may have
been. but for that cold, to never knowing
Pickwick, Old Weller, and the irrepressi-
BILE Sam, Captain Cutie, Dick Swiveller,
Micawber and the host of friends whose
names are familiar in our mouths as
household words To such a trivial ac-
cident do they owe their being; just as
the red-skinned heroes of Fennlmore
Cooper would never have been heard OF
but for their creators being wearled out
of all patience by dull novel until,
throwing il down in disgust, he eX-
claimed: "I could do better than this