The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-02-03


woman hater. Many amusing anecdotes
are told of the efforts made by the fe-
male cohorts to tame and capture him,
but have space only to mention a case
which was crowned with partial
success. The captain of one of his
ships having died, Joshua not only
made himself useful in settling the eS-
tate, but put graceful finish upon the
transaction by making an offer of his
heart and hand to the widow, who ac-
cepted him on the spot. A house was
bought and furnished and preparations
were made for a quiet wedding, but at
the last moment Joshua's courage gave
out, and the widow retired in high
dudgeon to her home on Cape Cod, and
made preparations for war. The great
merchant prevented breach of promise
suit by dispatching his confidential man
to Cape Cod with a book of blank checks
under his arm and instructions to make
the best terms he could with the indig-
pant widow; but it was only after a
stormy scene that her lacerated affec-
tions were healed by the application of
generous pecuniary dOuceur. 1t was
currently reported that Joshua paid
$4,000 for this first successful love
affair.
This episode occurred when he was
fifty-five. From that moment Joshua
became an inveterate enemy of the sex;
if he had failed to admire women be-
fore, he cordially hated them now, and
there seemed not to be the slightest
chance of his ever meeting with another
romance. Church corporations, mis-
sionary societies and charitable institu-
tiOns marked him for their own, and
watched with eager interest the steady
growth of his large estate. The general
surprise may be imagined when, at the
mature age of sixty-two, he won and
welded a woman of half his age, and
set up as married man on Cape Cod,
the scene of his early fishing exploits.
His wife, who was an amiable lady, was
Phoebe Snow, the daughter of Deacon
Snow, of Brewster, Massachusetts,. She
died within a year of the marriage,
leaving an only child, Joshua Mont
gomery Sears, who reached his twenty
first birthday last Christmas Day, as
already mentioned. The father lived
two years longer, and died at the age of
sixty-five.
THE YOUTHFUL HEIR
passed the frs. eight or nine years of
his life at Yarmouth, in the charge of
his fathers relatives. He was then
placed under the care of the Hon.
Alpheus Hardy, of Boston, who was one
of the executors, and has from that time
to the present had the supervision of the
young mans education. Mr.. Hardy had
several sons who were passing through
the academic course at AndOver,
Massachusetts town whose famous old
school has given it the name of "the
Rugby of America" Little "MOntv
Sears" as he was then called, passed
some years there, and as he had at the
same time the advantage of frequent
visits at the refined home of Mr. Hardy
in Boston, twenty miles distant, and the
watchful care of his guardians family,
who spent much time at Andover, he
could hardly fail to develop into a cult
waited and accomplished young man.
After leaving Andover he spent some
time in Europe, before entering Yale
College two years ago.
In person, Young Sears is well made
and vigorous, with fresh complexion,
good features, blue eyes (Which he
knows how to use), and bright red hair. |
In spite of his hair he is said to be ami
able. 1t has been stated that during
his minority he has been always kept |
in ignorance of his pecuniary prospects, |
and that his first intimatiOn was the |
announcement of his |
great wealth which he read |
in the Boston Journal en
Christmas morning as he sat at
breakfast. This is not true. The ex- |
ecutors very judiciOusly avoided having
the subject of his wealth mentioned to |
kim while it could be prevented; but |
when he was about twelve years old he
was told of it by some OF his school
mates at Andover, and he is said to have
assumed for a brief period some unbe-
coming airs.
But Mr.. Hardy, learning of this, inn
took care to correct the false
value he was putting upon his fortune,
and he is said never since then to have
shown any disposition to make a golden
calf of himself.