The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-10-07
A PENNSYLVANIA PRINCE.
Tho Romantic story Of German
Tramp His Peculiar Love-NIalxing
---HiS Sudden STREAK OF Good Luck
and Final Return to Domestic Bliss
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
A few months ago William Grossman
was tramp in eastern Pennsylvania
now he is literally spending $4,000,
that sum being the first instalment Of
his Inheritance from his fathers estate
in Germany. Grossman has settled in
Longswamp township, Berks county,
and already owns stable of nine fast
horses. His first cash receipt from
Germany was $4,000 in gold; then he
received 81: 1000 in currency, and then
draft for $25,000, which he has de-
posted in bank for safe-keeping. In a
few months more he expects another
installment of solid cash from over the
sea, the result of the sale Of his dead
fathers vine-clad hills along the Rhine.
Grossman is now known as the Prince
of Middletown, for in that obscure vii
lage he has located for the present.
His marriage is one of the most roman
tic on record, and the fact that he spent
$500 day for knick-knacks for his
bride has exercised the gossip of all the
country round. Eight or ten years
ago Grossman landed at Castle Garden.
He had shipped at Bremen. He was
a wild, harum-scarum young German,
and his desire was to escape a siege of
years of university life. He wanted to
come ''to free America" and partake
of some of the joys of the new world
Said he the other day:'I came to this
country for experience and to see
strange sights. l had few cares My
remittance from home came right
along. When had money spent it
like lord with my friends of the road,
and when I had none 1 put up with
the ups and downs oftramp life as well
as the rest Of them 1 didn't care
either, because I was happy and the
life agreed with me. l had a soft bed
at home, good table, plenty of wine
and fruit and good society. got tired
of that. l preferred the free, open
country of Pennsylvania, with its fat
barns and hospitable people. never
wronged any one but myself. ButI got
along frst-rate. loved the woods and
springs and mountain society. A tramp
has no cares. He is absolutely free so
long as he can keep out ofjail. A
smart tramp need not get into trouble.
All he has to do is to keep out Of bad
company and do nothing wrong him.
self. That was my plan"
is an intelligent looking German, with
regular features and dark hair, me-
dunn in height, compactly built, and
he is quite talkative. He purchased a
house and lot in Longswamp township,
for which he paid $4,000. His first
horse cost him 5000; then he bought a
trotter and light buggy for $40O; from
a gentleman at Alburtis he bought a
double team for $3.50. His passion for
horses soon became known and in few
days about dozen stockholders from
Allentown, Reading, Kutztown, and
9th er places visited Middletown with
strings of fine animals, and suddenly
that heretofore quiet backwoods village
became an active, busy horse market.
Grossman bought until at least twelve
horses were in the stable, and he had
quit for the want of stable room. He
was a jolly purchaser, paid cash for
much about horse-fesh anyhow, nor
QlO he seem 10 care.
The maiden name of his wife was
Miss Susan Hilbert. She is the daugh-
ter of a Lancaster county woodman.
In the days of Grossman's poverty he
first met her at her fathers home,
where Grossman came one pleasant
afternoon in autumn. He rested by q
well, and very soon he saw a dark-eyed
maiden at the gate. He engaged her
in conversation, and finally she asked
him whether he wanted drink of wa
ter. s.No," said he, with a roguish
twinkle, s'ifyou have cider or some
thing stronger it will suit me better;
water is too common" The young
woman was charmed with his impu-
dence, and she soon produced pitch
er from the cellar. A plate of apples
was then set before the eyes Of the
good locking young German. This &c
qnaintance soon ripened into love.