Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-06

after every fresh search and disap-
pointment, "No use, Josie, tell you
everything goes against honor and
virtue. Il you want to be pointed out
as pattern OF all excellences. you
must be in secret p natural and prac
teal william"
So the years went by-f fifteen of
them. The 10 = was not forgotten.
They lived In a society where people
have little else TO do but remem Der the
antecedents Of its members, and Char
les Day and his wife very often felt
the influence OF Jonas accusation.
The two men never spoke. If they
passed each other on the drive Jonas
cracked his whip Extensively, Or Mrs.
Terry looked scornfully at the shrink
ing couple; but they had long ago
said all to each other that it was pos
sible to say.
In the fifteenth summer after the
loan Charles went yachting, and on
one memorable Night was shipwreok>
ed. Almost by a miracle, and after he
had sunk thrice, he was rescued. The
first words he uttered to his wife were
"Josie, have found the I 0 y. Write
down just what I say: Shakespeare,
Knights Edition, vol, w.. page 213,
fourth compartment, fourth shelf,
fourth book
Josie wrote it down; but he was so
restless lest anything should now hap
pen to the library that be returned to
New York as sooa as there was the
least safety in doing SO. When he
arrived at home he went stright to the
library, and, putting his hand on a
certain volume, opened it at the page
he had indicated, and there was the
lost [ o =.
when l was drowning, Josie, the
last time I sank, everything I
ever did became in a moments
fash as clear as day TO me, and I saw
myself putting the note liz the place I
found it. 1t is wonderful. But it is
true, and, Josie dear, thank God my
name will be cleared at last"
The clearing of his name Was
Charles first thought, but after it
came the very satisfactory one of
making jonas pay the principal and
interest due him. ''And after that is
done, Josie, [ shall sue him for de-
famation Of character, and make him
pay for every insolence."
This was no Idle threat. The next
morning Charles lawyer confronted
the false hearted scouadrel with his
lou, and entered proceedings at
once to recover. Jonas at first tried
to compromise, but this offer Charles
tPd ~o4i5Y to 5es sss he said tbat
though punishment for cowardly
and wicked deed be long delayed, it
is sure to come"
And perhaps the social and com
mercial world in which these two men
moved never had a more vivid ilustra-
ton of this truth. The business that
had been built upon fraud and a
wrong crumbled away as if touched
by some whitening hand. The court
awarded Charles Day principal and
interest, and subsequent action for
defamation of character gave him, in
reparation fer his fifteen years Stand
cred name, $4,000.
''But by that time the frm Of Jonas
Terry was unable to meet such 3
claim. He shut his doors in dishon-
or, and fled in the darkness OF night
from the thousands whom he had
robbed,
cit is a great punishment" said
Josie, sorrowfuIly; and he has four
little boys"
"It was q great crime, Josie; and
the wrong to my purse was the least
of the wrong"
But Mrs. Terry, sitting in her
wrecked home, took different view
of the case. CHARLES day is entirely
to blame" she said; ''his weakness
and his lazlness threw the temptation
in Jonas way. II is the weak men
who make the wicked ones"