Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-08


seize the guards as fugitive slaves, who
were beyond the pale of law and protec
ton, and to carry them off to Cuba. This
was exactly the kind of rlan 10 secure the
concurrence of his desperate companions.
They caught the idea at once, and
marched the tied and gagged men down
10 the seaside, seized a schooner in the
harbor, and by daylight were sailing for
| Havana with their late guards tied down
! the vessels hold as mar ketable slaves.
Arrived at Havana they sold the chooner
and their captives for $2,7O0, which sum,
being evenly divided, Cronan with his
share of the spoil came back to the South,
| got married, and went into business with
partner in New Orleans. But, instead
OF attending to his business, he took to
gambling as a more rapid as well as
more easy way Of recruiting his shattered
| fortunes. Losing in play he drew sur
reptitiously from the funds of the firm,
| hoping by turn of luck in cards to be
able to restore the distracted money and
thus save his honor.
| But Nemesis would not have it thus
| The 1evengeful goddess decreed that he
should drain the cup of bitterness to the
dregs. When the guilty man saw detec-
ton at hand, rather than abide his fate or
seek refuge in suicide, he left his wife
and friend and business and took flight,
arriving in San Francisco in 1866.
Cronan was in every way an extraor-
binary man-tall, of soldierly bearing,
and of fine presence, he was withal high
! ly accomplished. A brilliant converse
tionalist and splendid linguist, he could
converse in French, Spanish, Italian and
German, as we'll as iii English and Celtic
He was also mathematician, could steer
a ship, construct a fort on the most ap-
proved principles of engineering; was an
architect, machinist, eXcelled in chirog-
raphy, was a tirst-class bOokkeeper, a
musician, singer and skillful fencer-
In short, he was in many respects a sec
ond Admiral CrichtOn. He arrived in
San Francisco without dollar, and was
! glad to get job at shoveling sand With
his other natural qualities and qualifica-
tons he was gifted with a cheerful, hope
full disposition, which nothing could dis
turb. He did very well at sand shOveling,
and, though ambitious, was content
| When he had been about three months in
the city he began to make acquaintance,
not among the hoodlum classes, but with
respectable merchants, who, it is needless
to say, admired his versatile powers, and
resolved to help him when opportunity
offered. He was initiated into organiza-
tions and clubs in the city, which widened
the circle of his acquaintance, and Cronan
understood the tact and art Of making the
most he could of the circumstance. An
advertisement appeared in one of the
morning papers from the Anatomical
Museum, on Montgomery street, calling
for person to translate into English the
French inscriptions on specimens just de-
| livered at the museum, such translations
to be written in good legible hand.
Cronan applied for the job and gotit. He
was paid ten dollars day for the work
and gave the utmost satisfaction to his
employer. 1t would be supposing some
thing beyond human nature to think that
he was in a hurry to get through with
the job. Whenever he completed dozen
translations or so his fertile imagination
would suggest some improvement in the
work. His employer, who knew very
well he could make the public pay for it
all when his museum was opened, readily
adopted every suggestion, and Cronan, in
the receipt of his ten dollars day, was
recuperating fast. In fact he thought
Nemesis had forgotten all about him.
But she was on his tracks still One
morning he was strolling up Montgomery
street, jingling his gold in his pockets and
Eliminating whether he should try game
of chance once more or put on the arm of
virtuous resolution and keep aloof If he
won he could go back to his wife in New
Orleans, pay his debts like man, and
resume business with his friend but then,
again, if he lost-ah, there was the diff
Guilty! While bordering in this way he
reached the corner of Post street, where
two or three men happened to be stand
ing engaged in conversation. AS he was
brushing past, one of them lifted his hat.
"Ah, Colonel" said he, "you here eh
Glad to see you. IT'S some time since we
met
Really, my dear sir"
You don't know me, eh?' interrupted
the stranger
"Ihave some vague recollection of you, y
returned Cronan, but can't place you just
at this moment
"Let me aid your memory" observed
the stranger. DO you remember the
Wilderness 2"
g should think So" replied Cronsn,
still cudgeling his brains.
DO you remember the one-armed man
you wanted to have shot as Union spy?''
said the stranger, Haunting the armless
sleeve in the others face.
Certainly, sir, certainly" returned
Cronau, quickly, but without the change
of muscle. ''You are the man, I be-
lieve Your name is Smith, if l don'i
forget"
You don't forget That's my name.
And now, my dear Colonel, since you re-
member nv name YOU must also remem-