Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-22
j. Brown, Deceased.

THE door-bell rang and as l opened the
door | saw a woman in black on the steps
"a woman so tall and thin and solemn
looking that I wondered if e150,O00
would be any inducement for her to utter
a hearty laugh.
" want to talk with you," she whis-
pered, as [ stood there holding the door
Is it about picnic-the heathen-
tracts-a new boOk-a suffering family
cruel Observation-Disclosures son, runa-
way daughter or the police driving your
COW to the pound?'' | inquired
g / want you to write book for me"
she sighed, wiping a tear from her left
eye.
| tried to induce her to put it off until
daylight, telling her that [ couldn't posi-
bly, write q book that night and catch over
four hours sleep; but she seemed so de-
termined, her face kept growing so solemn,
that | opened wide the door and placed
her a chair.
She pulled off her black gloves, held a
Grape handkerchief to her eyes, and
sobbed:
q He was such anoble mani"
" You are speaking of-of-yes ahem-
Of the late-the Late
of my husband,'' she sighed.
and your late husbands name was
was-'
Brown-Jephtha Brown, although in
writing him up you may speak of him as
]. Brown"
81. Brown, deceased. You want that
for the title of the forthcoming biography,
do you?"
"WeII, that sounds kind O. euphonious
and soft, don't it?" she asked, brushing
away another tear and folding her hand
kerchief.
"Well, it's fair title 1t isn't as ro-
mantle as j. Brown; or, The One-Eyed
Ranger or as taking as Brown the
Brigand; or, The Wait of the Sea-
He had two eyes, she solemnly whis-
pered, land though they were sore most
Of the time we couldn't truthfully speak
of him as one-eyed. And he wasn't a
1iiSeI-Ilc h6pG q WOOu-ydru.
We'll, having secured the title, you
may now 90 on and detail his eccentrici-
ties-narrate his victories and his failures
-particularize his habits, hopes and am
bitions"
He never gave me a cross wordr' she
sighed, after moments thought.
THAT'S good"
Never but once" she added. Zone
day when he came home and found me
cutting up one Of his shirts to make tail
for Jacky's kite he scowled and said
Mary Jane, you'd better trade your brains
off for brann We lived together thirty
eight long years, and that was the only
cross word, and I know he repented of
that forty times over"
81. Brown, deceased-noblem an-kept
a wood ard-never gave his wife but one
cross word-repented of that forty times
well, go on, madam
He was good provider.''
Good providence onr'
Never said anything when my rela-
tives came"
- RelaJlVeS came"
Didn't find fault when was sick"
c. When [ was sick.''
"Was kind to his family
g Kind to his family-yes.''
"Well, that's about all, she said, after
folding and unfolding her handkerchief
and trying hard to recall other matters.
That will be chapter one, madam, and
it will read: j. Brown, decease 1-noble
man-kept wood yard-never gave his
wife but one cross word-repented of that
forty times-good provider-never said
anything when relatives came-didn't find
fault-kind to his family-supposed to be
in heaven"
That's elegant" she whispered, almost
smiling, but it won't make very large
book, will it?''
Madam, l am as blunt as | am home
ly, and I want to ask you plain ques-
ton
'YOu-you may"
"Well, now, instead of going to the ex-
pense of this book why don't you get mar-
ried again?'
"Oopr' she shrieked, throwing up her
hands.
Yes, madam, why don't you find
another husband just as good as the la
mented J. Brown 80
Ne marry?" she gasped.
Yes. madam. You are not an aged
person-you have traces OF beautv-vou
| have kind heart-you could love-
I'D die first!' she gasped, giving me a
| look cf horror.
Il Know better, madam J. Brown was
undoubtedly a good mau ard all that, but
because he happened to die it cannot be