Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-29

business in few years had become so
great that he found it necessary to re
turn TO Boston and establish house
in that city. He sent his brother.
Charles 2. Hemenway, to South
America to manage the house there,
and. remaining himself in Boston. en-
Iarged his operations until the magni-
tude of them demanded every moment
Of his time. He even built his own
ships, and made additional profits by
carrying his own goods. He owned
sugar plantations i'll Cuba. copper
mines in South America, and had bust
ness relations with the Earrings of such
magnitude as TO astOnish even that
colossal house, and the whole of this
immense business he managed him.
self.
About fifteen years ago, however, he
discovered that his mind was affected,
and, after drawing up power of attor-
ney contiding the management of his
business to his brother and one or two
trusted friends, he went voluntarily in
to retirement, and placed himself I'M
der the care Of an eminent medical man
at Litchfeld, Conn. He was moody
and brusque in manner and spoke
very seldom, but read the papers con-
tinually.
When, during the year 1878, the
preparations for the Graphic transat-
lantic balloon experiment were going
on and the newspapers We're full of in
formation and speculation on the sub
ject, Mr.. Hemenway was observed to
show some interest in the matter,
though he never spoke of it. When,
finally the ascension was made and the
air currents carried the balloon not out
over the ocean but over Connecticut,
| it passed close by Litchfeld. and when
some persons near the cottage where
Mr.. HemenWay resided made remarks
about the balloon, he threw down the
periodical he was reading, and eXclaim-
ing in great excitement, ''By gracious!
| must see that balloon" rushed out
of doors to behold the magnificent
aerostat sailing grandly through the
skies.
The intense and sudden excitement
cured him of his mental malady, and the
next day his friends were astonished
at receiving telegram worded thus,
9 Bring on your trial balance-Augus-
tus Hemenway" The brother tele-
graphed to the physician and received
for answer, "Patient perfectly recov-
ered.' Mr.. HemenWay received his
brother with his former urbane and
polite manners, and examined the bal
ance-sheet with his usual business sa-
gacity. A few days afterWard he
walked into his cOunting-rOOm in BOs-
ton, and quietly resumed his accus-
toned employments. His business
had enormously increased during his
thirteen years of self-imposed retire
ment, and he took up the management
of the different branches with his ac-
customed energy and marvellous sue
cess, and when he died he was proba-
bly, one of the Wealthiest men in the
world.
Mr.. HemenWay made no secret Of
the cause of his restoration to complete
mental health, and | understand that
Mrs. LeOnoWens, the Well-knOWn aU-
thor of an interesting book on Siam,
when on a visit at Mr.. Hemenway's a
few months after his return to bust
ness, heard the whole story from his
| lips at the dinner-table one day.-COr.
". 7. Graphic.
THE New York Times of a recent
date reports the following: ga poor
seamstress named Bridget Barry was
arrested yesterday morning and ar
raigned before Justice Duffy, of the
Washington Place Police Court, on the
| charge Of throwing q stone at and
breaking the windows of a Sewing
Machine Company. Several months
ago the seamstresS purchased sewing
machine from the company for sixty
five dollars, which she agreed to pay
in monthly installmentS. Not being
in condition to pay the last INSTALL
- II, JoIJ 10