Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-10-19
The cOmical chance that wouI6

come over his face was very AMUSING
| to any one who saw it. Indignant
| splttlngs and smashing of the apple
| against the trunk of the tree were gem
orally sure to follow, accompanied by
uncomplimentary explanations. The
deluded boy would then sneak over
the wall, walk away, and never look
back. It seemed all at once to occur
to him that he had been stealing.
About year and half after the
"black fox affair, VIII Dover came
one day to the orchard while we were
gathering apples. He asked what we
would take for the apples on the cold
| hyp critic tree.
We thought at first that he was jok-
ing, for he knew the flavor of the
| apples.
Finding he really wanted them,
grandfather told him to take them
| and welcome"
The next day, VIII came with oxen
and cart, and gathered quite number
of bushels Of these apples. We could
not find out what he intended to do
with them, but concluded he had some
| sharp game in view.
This was about a week before the
| county fair, such as is held each year
in the autumn in many of the agri-
cultural counties of New England.
With us the fair was one Of the
great events of the year. All the boys
made point Of being there two days,
and if possible every day while it was
! held.
One of the first objects that met the
eyes of my cousin George and myself,
on entering the fairgrounds, was Will
selling apples at stand built Of bright
new hemlock boards.
1t needed but glance to enable us
to identify the apples, They locked
temptingly luscious, piled up in open
willow baskets on the stand before
him. Behind the sharp salesman there
were ranged tier of bags full OF the
"hypocrite'' fruit.
Will was singing out, Justify
"Apples, Applesl Here's where
We get yer nice golden-reds! Only one
cent apiecep'
The public responded heartily. 1t
was as good as play to us thoughtless
boys. We thought but little of the
sin, but a great deal of the fun. We
stood at little distance, and watched
the WY faces and heart the surprised
calculations that burst forth, as the
purchasers walked away and took their
first bites.
Whenever Will caught sight of our
grins, he would tip us wink and
slyly smooth down his face with his
hand.
1t was a good-natured crowd of
kindly country people, else Will would
hardly have been allowed to continue
the deception.
But before the day was over, many
a malevolent look was cast at him by
the passers-by. He braved these and
| still prospered, as new corners were
constantly pouring in from all parts of
the county.
| About noon the next day, however,
a crowd Of eXasperated lads upset the
stand and pelted VIII off the fair
grounds with the remainder of his
own stock in trade. But as he had
cleared about fifteen dollars he was
satisfied.
Now this was nothing but a palpa-
bic fraud, and a very mean sort Of one.
But we thought VIII a wonderfully
sharp boy. Who but VIII could make
fifteen dollars out of a lot of apples
not fiji for hogs!
Before another year had passed,
Young Dover began to feel the need
of wider field for his I" sharp" oper-
ations than that afforded by his native
county. He had come to be thought
dishonest, even by those who had
laughed at his sharpness.
He went to seek his fortune, first to
| l. Vi U1dllll, dIlu dlG0I ~ UIuI0 Ill ~ 6W
York. We heard reports occasionally
Of his sharp doings.
Once he had a shop, or rather a
room, on Nassau street, and was agent
for an electric mouse-trap," also for
a certain magic compound to pro-
mote the growth Of the beard" and a
number of other disreputable articles.
He afterward visited his native town
once or twice, dressed smartly and
looking well.
We, his old school-mates, remarked
that his bright, sharp eye had taken a
certain hardness of glance that was not
quite pleasing to encounter.
1t was whispered, too, that VIII had
packages Of counterfeit scrip which
! he would sell "cheap" for cash. 1t
was so well made that it could not be
told from legal money.
From that time we heard little or
nothing concerning him till the notice