Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-06-07
H, B. PHILLEO, Editor.
Liked the Town.


Yesterday gentleman with his Goa t
| tail pockets full of baggage, strolled into
the office of the Gorham House and regis
tered in a bold, free hand. the name of
"Aristachus II. Desplaines, Crestline,
Ohio" Then he lazily picked up tooth
pick and leaned gracefully up against the
counter and nodded affably at Andrews,
who wore on his usually placid brow the
expression of man who is anxions to
have something to hold. Mr.. Desplaines
apparently failed to notice this express
sinn, and said, with a sudden glow of
enthusiasm:
Il like this townr'
No one dissented, and the stranger,
after moments pause, to allow the senti-
ment to impress itself on his audience,
went on:
"Yes, sir, like this town. There is
an air of enterprise, of activity, of restless
progress and tireless industry about it that
invites investment. The streets these peo-
pie have hewed out of the solid rock, the
elegant business blocks that have risen
from the pathless wilderness, the cease
less hum of machinery and stroke of the
hammer call loudly for Eastern capital to
come here and hand in hand with labor,
coin new and added wealth ont of the
rugged rock, the mine, the quarry ard the
loom. Yes, sir, like this town. This is
the place where my money stops"
The stranger paused again. Most of the
audience had ceased to chew their tooth
picks and were looking at the orator with
an air of interest. Mr.. Andrews brushed
an imperceptible grain of dust from the
sleeve of his coat and softly whistled bar
from the Bohemian Girl" Mr.. Des-
PLANES continued: .r
I" Yes, sir, do like this town. hadn't
been here half an hour, hadn't talked
with dozen business men, before l said,
Here is the place I know the spirit of
a true town. And it isn't only live, but
it's safe town. | can put my money
into any one of the half-dozen enterprises
that have been brought to my notice here,
and turn it at eight per cent. every year.
Safer and more profitable by far than the
wild spirit of speculation so rife in most
other cities, that promise the operator
ruin. And / will-what?" ?" he added,
sudde lily glancing at the clock, "half
past one already? How the time has
slipped by. l had nearly talked away my
dinner. The way to the dining room, if
you please" he added, little haughtily,
as man not accustomed to ask for things,
but attended by servants who anticipated
his requests and orders.
The clerk instead of flying around and
Mr.. Desplaines to the dining
room, merely glanced at the capitalists
clothes, and murmuring the customary re-
mark about the duties of baggageess
guests requiring them to deposit some
thing before banqueting.
What?" shouted Mr.. Desplaines,
Fagt III tq aRaEEt in vadyapaGes2 paGs JMJ6f M66ff
I'll buy your beggarly little
town and have it moved into the river.
Pay in advance? Here, give me blank
check book, somebody. III drain your
miserable little village banks so dry they
can't change ten-cent piece for three
months to come. Porter, bring down my
trunks and boxes and carry them over to
the other hotel. Take them to the depot
and carry my card to the President of the
rolling-mills and tell him to dine with me
at the Palmer, in Chicago, next Thursday.
I'm off. Pm out of this poverty stricken
town by the first train that will carry me-"
And half an hour afterward Mr.. Des
PLANES was seen walking across the
bridge, comfortably eating a piece of
bread and chewing raw onion, regard
ing with lofty disdain the policeman who
stood at the Burlington end of the bridge,
and warned him farther away.-BurlSag-
ton Hdaok-Eue.