Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-12-18

gers 10 ledfe Tue sup, sne presented
him with this little cross as a keepsake.
1t is an heirloom, sir, and very DID,"
She laid it on the table. It was a
small cross, richly studded with differ
snt colOred stones, and had small ring
At the upper end, rs if intended to be
suspended from necklace. On the
pack were engraved the words: "Elsie
Markham, Dec. 4, 1742."
G Is this your name?" I asked.
"NO, sir. 1t is the name of one OF
my fathers female ancestors, ever so far
back, when the family spelled their
name with an e."
"Indeed! And has it been in the
family ever since"
eyes, sir. When my fathers aunt
gave 1t to him ne was as much surpris-
ed and proud as if she had given him
her fortune; and if she had not gone
ashore SO Suddenly, | am doubtful
whether she could have induced him to
accept it, for he thought she was going
too far and honoring him too much.
After we got out to sea he was looking
at it and showing it to me nearly all the
time.
"When we were about six days out, u
she continued, "my dear father fell
overheard and was lost. At least, so we
all thought for awhile. He used to be
on deck until very late at night, long
after / had gone to MY berth; and on
this fatal night he was heard to utter a
scream, and Immediately afterward
there came faint splash.
"The men on watch ran to the part
of the ship from which the sound pro-
ceeded, but saw nothing, and my dear
father was never seen again. Indeed,
few knew that a man had been lost
overheard until the next morning; and
when we found that he was missing,
every one was at loss to account for
his falling overheard. The sea was
smooth at the time, the guards of the
vessel were high, and my father was
never known to venture into the rig
ging; so that 1T appeared impossible
that he could have fallen overheard &C
cidentally. Then, when it was known
that he was heard to scream, and that
he had at least one hundred pounds in
money on his person, suspicious were
excited of foul play. Conferences were
held in the cabin by the passengers and
the crew, and it was not long before it
was agreed to search the whole ship for
evidences of the murder.
at was thought possible that some
one might have stolen my fathers
money, and then thrown him overheard
to make it appear that it was lost with
him. Search they did, in every part of
the ship, but nothing was found which
furnished the slightest clew to a murder
But since [ arrived in P [ have dis
covered that my hus-no, [ will not
call him my husband-that that wretch
in the other room murdered my fatherl"
Here the poor girl leaned her head
upon the table, and was very soon wild
with grief again. Meanwhile q knock
at my front door informed me that the
policeman had arrived.
What can I do for you, Mr.. Dur
and p he said, in deep bass voice.
81 have got man in the next room
whom suspect of throwing this lady's
father overheard at sea, week or SO
ago, and drowning him. | want you to
go into the room and watch him until
[ can finish my conversation with the
lady. Meanwhile, talk to him and see
what you can get out of him."
Every good, sir" he replied, as he
entered the room, and locked the door
after him."
"Now, madam" I said, be kind
enough to proceed with your nara
tive"
"Well, sir" she replied, making a
powerful effort To com pose herself,
"before we had been out at sea day,
[ made the acquaintance of the man
in the other room. l know nothing
about him, except from what he told
me himself. He is a Swede, and his
name is Ole Anderson. AS you see, he
is very handsome young man. When
you have heard him converse, you will
discover that he is also very eloquent
and persuasive person.
GAS his appearance was So genteel, [
was willing to make his acquaintance
on shipboard, and as he was so hand
some and entertaining grew very fond
of him. He said he sprang from a
noble family in Sweden, that he was in
good circumstances and was travelling
for pleasure. He professed great ad-
miration for me, and [ could not deny
that liked him.
"My poor father was wiser than I,
and took a violent dislike to him. This
mortified Anderson exceedingly, and he
often walked the deck with my father
until midnight, trying to convince him
of his responsibility and to obtain his
permission to cultivate my acquaintance
but all in vain. Meanwhile he had ex-
tracted from me q minute account of
my fathers circumstances, even down
to the exact amount Of money he was
carrying with him to America.
"When it was discovered that my
poor father was drowned, l was pros.
trated with anguish and Andersen was
my greatest comforter. fell violently
me. | was about to land in foreign
country, where | had not a friend nor q
shilling, and l thought it gracious
providence that l had, during my voy-
age, gained not only friend but a
lover-wealthy, intelligent and devoted
who could protect ana support me
under any circumstances. Before we
landed | had promised Andersen to
marry him before the sun went down
on US in America.
81 was as good as my word. We put
foot in P at six o'clock in the morn
ing. We proceeded at once to the
jerks House and had breakfast. By
half-past nine o'clock Andersen had
brought to the hotel marriage license
and a minister, and 1 stood up with him
in the parlor, in tie sight of several
people, and was married to him. AS