Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-26
4 SHOPPER BY PROXY.
A Practical Love story.

THEY formerly lived in Madison Square
and moved in the best New York society.
The father, Wall street man, lost his
money, and the wife, two sons and two
daughters lived on the East Side, and the
best society knew them no more. Isolena,
the youngest of the family, had accepted
the situation with becoming fortitude. She
had three trunks laden with the spoils of
Saratoga and Newport. They would keep
her in clothes for two years, and so long
as the spoons held out to burn, to her
boarding house fare she could return. Aft
er the crash the father did nothing in par
ticular, and the mother took to her bed
The sons, never having done anything
during their prosperous days, now kept
sternly in that noble path The elder
daughter, in fit of desperation, threw
herself away on book-keeper with $500
year, and was buried in Jersey. Isolena
Van Rensselaer,, being a person of sense,
sold the silver and jewelry a bit at a time,
paid the family board bills, and SO kept
the wolf away.
Weeks passed, and the store of spoons
faded slowly. How much longer could
they live on silver-ware? The wolf had
already bayed the gas-lamps in Third av-
enue, just around the corner, and the sound
kept her awake in the night.
One day there came letter inclosing a
check for one hundred dollars. Her hand
shook as she unfolded the crisp paper
and sudden tears filled her eyes. Were
the family miseries and poverty so wear
ing upon her that the sight of check
shook every nerve? And how had
Heaven raised such friends in their hour
of need?
It was only letter from Cousin Mary
Pelham. Cousin Kitty was to be married,
and Mary wished to furnish one room in
the new home. Would Isolena be so kind
as to do some shopping in the city-get
nice chamber carpet, and have it sent up
by express? Glad to find something to
divert her mind, Isolena went shopping
among the carpet men, selected what she
thought would please and fit the pre-
scribed measure, paid the bill, and re-
turned home tired out and minus fifteen
cents paid for car-fare. Two days after
came letter saying that " the carpet
was lovely, and we are all so much
obliged"
The next day Isolena counted teaspoons
and figured out their position. There
was just enough plate to pay the board
bills exactly six weeks. She appealed to
her father. He, poor man, had trouble
1ubO 60 I'D |,
was dying. For time the lesser griefs
were lost in the greater; and then the moth
er crept away to peace and her grave,
weary with the miserable disasters of the
family.
The day after the funeral Isolena asked
her father for her portion, and he divided
his living among them all. Isolena's
share was the spoons and some diamond
rings. The family was broken up and
ruined, and each selfshly looked out for
himself. The men went to the bad gen
orally. The elder daughter furnished her
parlor with her share of the wreck, and
Isolena sold diamond ring and put an
advertisement in the Tribune, Eoensng
Post, Herald and american Agricetlturist
Then she found another and cheaper
boarding place and sat down to await re-
suits, or starve.
Within a week a million people read
this advertisement:
MADEMOISELLE ISOLENA, purchaser
Ill of dress goods, gloves, hosiery and
millinery. Persons at distance desiring tc
purchase dry goods, etc., in New York, may
address Mademoiselle Tsolena. Every kind
of underwear and small wares bought
goods and colors matched, and the bes
selections made at the lowest prices
Terms, 5 per cent All orders must have
the money inclosed. Goods sent by ex
press or mail at purchasers expense. Ad
Dress 1872 West Twenty-fourth street, New
York References Taylor d Co.
Stewart, Lord & kinsey etc.
Three days Mdlle Isolena waited
In heartsick Impotence, and thel
here came three letters. One contained