Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-10

| hearts, and each Of the older men was
afraid that 10 might marry his daughter
and come under the parental roof for sup
port. Theories about 10 were plenty
among the men who talked about him.
but none of them were fattering to the
young mans character: counterfeiter,
burglars accomplish, confidence man,
horse thief, fugitive from justice-there
was some one to prove that. 10 deserved
| each OF these unpopular appellations,
while the only theory in the least degree
tolerable was that of a scatter Drained
youth who consumed quarts of hair-oil
and read the New York Rona01scer-he
believed 10 was an exiled Prince in dis
| guise; but even Princes were unpopular
among the Woodworking population of
| Kingsboro.
| One cool night, several weeks after JOS
appearance at Kingsboro, the opposing
theorists as to JOS character INDUCED in
many-cornered and very lively duel 1t
was during season when sudden atmos-
pheric changes made most of the Kings
boro people bilious; otherwise the bitter
| ness with which the conversation finally
came to be characterized would have
been inexplicable. Squire Ripson 50 far
forgot his years and dignity of character
as to call Bill Burth, his temporary host,
fool for holding that Joe could be moth
| ing worse than well-to-do young man
enjoying himself, while the aggrieved
/ Bill, Notwithstanding the kindliness of
! spirit which was proper to man who
was Methodist class leader, called the
! Squire a liar. Both men were upon their
feet, inclining slightly forward toward
each other, and looking words which
should never be spoken, when suddenly
the mail-stage drew up with crash at
| the door. The Postmaster threw a last
parting glare at the Squire, and hurried
out for his mail-bags, while the whole
| party followed to see who might be in the
stage. The light streamed through the
| open door into the stage, and the villagers
saw inside single passenger, whom they
recognized as a Cincinnati salesman,
| through whom some of the Kingsboro
merchants occasionally purchased goods.
They were about to turn away in mingled
disappointment and resignation, when
suddenly Joe Madison, who had Just ar
rived at the Office, sprang into the stage
and threw himself upon the passenger,
while the stage turned quickly, the driver
whipped up furiously and started for the
! hotel
The stares which passed around the
party of spectators were simply appalling
in their darkness. At last Squire Rip
son recovered breath enough to gasp:
"Detective!'
No such thing!" shouted Bill Burth
through the delivery window. Its
probably the poor little fellows brother,
and he's been waiting for him weeks
longer than he expected to-"
A derisive smile played over the hills
and valleys of the 'Squire's face, and he
the reader of the New York Ronoancer
abandoned his theory of the disguised
prince and suggested that 20 was high
wayman; that he knew travelling sales
men carried lots of money: that he was
! robbing the salesman; the driver was in
league with him, and like enough they
were mile from town by this time
| instead of going to the hotel. "Jack
| Sheppard was little fellow" said the
theorist in evidence.
"I'm going to the hotel" said the
Squire, starting for the door and followed
by the whole party. A moment later the
| door of the Postmaster's inner sanctum
was heard to slam, and Bill Burth came
running to join the crowd. Sol. Turner,
who carried crutches and was soon left
behind, shouted appealingly to them to do
nothing until he got there to see, but no
encouraging answer was waited back to
/ him.
The hotel was gained, and the stage
stood before the door, but the consequent
failure of the theory of the Ronaance1's
reader could not stop the impetuous rush
Of the villagers. They crowded into the
public room of the hotel, but neither 10
nor the stranger was there. In mo-
ment, however, a door opened, and good
Mrs. Butler, the landiady, appeared with
a smile on her face and tear in each eye
81 know what you men are after" she
said Don't ever talk about woman's
curiosity again. The whole story is this.
10 Madison is woman, and Mr.. Brown
was her lover. They had some sort of a
lovers quarrel, and parted angry. She
made up her mind she was in the wrong,
but by that time he had started on another
| trip. She once heard him say he never
missed gong to Kingsboro, so she came
! here in a suit Of her brothers clothes, and
has been waiting for him ever since, poor
girl. And they've made up, and are ever
so happy, and are going to be married to-
morrow. And I've known about it all the
! time, and I'd have done just what she did
if I'd have been her"
The last clause of Mrs. Buffers speech
was enough to set 10 Madison right in
everyone's eyes, for Mrs. Butler was one
Of those women who are trusted by every
one on questions Of propriety. But it is
doubtful whether her hearers on this par
ticular occasion remembered this portion
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