Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-10-21
A ROvER's FORTUNE.

Romantic Story of German Tramp-Th
Adventures Of the Prince Of MiddletOwn.
"A Remarkable Career.
Reading Correspondence Philadelphia Times
A few months ago, William Grossmar
was a tramp in Eastern Pennsylvania
Now he is literally spending $4,000
that sum being the first installment O
his Inheritance from his fathers estate
in Germany. Grossman has settled il
Longswamp Township, Berks County
and already owns stable of nine fas
horses. His first cash receipt from Ger.
many, was $4,000 in gold; then he re
ceived 81, 900 In currency, and then g
draft for $25, 900, which he has deposited
in a bank for safe keeping. In q
few months more he expects another
large 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 az
the "Prince OF Middletown," for in that
obscure village he has located for the
present. His marriage is ono of the
most romantic 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. haram-scarum young German, and
his desire was to escape siege of years
of University life. He wanted to come
to "free America" and partake of some of
tho iOva Of tho Nau World
Said he the other day: 81 came to this
country for experience and to see strange
sights. My remittances from home came
right along. When I had money spent
it like lord with my friends of the road,
and when / had none IIput up with the ups
and downs of tramp life as well as the
rest of them. I didn't care, neither, be-
cause I was happy, and the lite agreed
with nae. had a soft bed at home, a
good table, plenty Of wine and fruit and
good society. I got tired of that. I pre-
terred the free open country of Pennsyl-
vania, with its fat barns and hospitable
people. never wronged any one but
myself, but I got along irst-rate.
loved the woods and springs and noun
tain scenery. A tramp has no cares.
He Is absolutely free so long as he can
keep out of jail. A smart tramp need
not get into trouble. All he has to do
is to keep out of bad company and do
nothing wrong himself. That was my
plan."
When dressed and shaved, Grossman
is an intelligent-looking German, with
regular features and dark hair, medium
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 hum 5000; then he bought trotter
and light buggy for $4OO; from gen.
tleman at Alburtis, he bought double
team for 5000. His passion for horses
soon became known, and in few days
about dozen stock dealers from Allen
town, Reading, Kutztown and other
places, visltsd Middletown with strings
of fine animals, and suddenly that here
tofore quiet backswoods village became
an active, busy horse-market. Grossman
bought until at least twelve horses were
in his stable, and he had to quit for want
OF stable room. He was jolly purchas-
er, and didn't pretend to know much
about horsefesh, nor did he seem to care.
The maiden name of his wife was Miss
Susan Hilbert. She is the daughter of a
Lancaster County woodman. In the days
OF Cheeseman's poverty he first met her at
her fathers home, where Grossman came
one pleasant afternoon in Autumn. He
rested by well and very soon he saw a
dark eyed maiden at the gate. He en-
gagged her in conversation, and finally
she asked him whether he wanted a
drink of water. "No," said he, with a
rogulsh twinkle, "if you have cider or
something stronger will suit me better;
water is too common" The young woman
was charmed with his impudence, and
she soon produced pitcher of hard ci-
der from the cellar. A plate of apples
was then set before the eyes of the good
looking young German. This acquain-
tance soon ripened into love. Grossman
obtained work on nearby farm and
courted the pretty Susan as often as he
could. Finally they were engaged, bnt
Grossman never told his afianced that
he was the son of wealthy German
landholder across the sea. They were
married by the village parson and lived
with the BRIDES parents. Grossman,
however, soon learned that marrled life
of that kind was not as he expected and
hoped, so he determined to leave that
section of the country. He was wild
and impetuous, and he thought the
union was beneath his station. Still keep
ing his secret, he suddenly disappeared
and became tramp again. He collect
ed number of the jolliest tramps on the
road that he could find, some of them
had been students in the old county like
himself. They knew him by his assumed
name. When his remittances came they
had the jolliest of reunions. He had nc
desire to return to Germany. His
mode of life had a charm about
it that he could not resist. Finally word
came from Germany that his old father
had died. Grossman went into sincere
mourning. HIS father had been a kind
parent to HIM, and had written him
many letters begging him to give up his
wandering life and come back to Ger.
many again. With every dollar sent tc
the wayward son was fathers blessing
Grossman's bride, in the mean time
had secured legal separation. Wher
Grossman's father died. the tramp sor
determined at once to give up the life or
the road. His first thought was of hii
dark-eyed Susan. Without her he coulG
do nothing. He wandered back to hi.
old home. To his great astonishment he
learned that she had married gypsy
horse-trader. He resolved to find her and
he succeeded. To his great Joy
he learned that she could be far happier
with him, her first love. He then told
her that he had fallen heir to fortune.
Arrangements were at once made with
the gypsy husband. Grossman bargained
for his wife, and the gypsy listened tc
the proposition. The gypsy accepted a
$50 bill, said goodbye to Susan, and
Grossman and his first love happily de-
parted for ner fathers home. Another
divorce was quickly obtained, and Gross
man and Susan were again reunited II
happy marriage. They are now living
apparently contented in their new home
and Grossman is living like primo,
with his bride. He Is lavishly spending
1 rnauov h1rk &ha hrsd0 xri%h ~, oxro A.