Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-25
AN OLD MANS MISERY.
A Queer Looking Fellow who Sa YES
His Money for an object
Rocky Mountain News.

| w mar is III
Somebody must have pulled the
! string"
Three for quarter kind, and this
is the only one left Only nickle,
as we want to get rid of the stock"
These and similar remarks were
made by a lot of fresh young men who
lnfest portlon of Larimer street, and
insult every one who passes
The object at which their borrowed
| shafts Of weak wit were directed was
a little, old man. He was certainly
an object for ridicule or for pity, it
was hard to determine which.
He was q queer looking genius.
Below the medium height, thin and
emaciated, face brown and wrinkled,
black, beady eyes, scanty gray beard
over all his face, bushy black eye
Draws, iron gray hair, thin and long,
with just the suspicion of tuck to
the ends, His clothes were black,
SHINY, SEEDY AND ILL FITTING.
His hat was a relic of by-gone days
a cross between a bell crown and a
sawed-o Derby. His shoes turned
up at the toes and down at the heels.
The queer looking old gentleman
was Professor" Richard Belvan. a
gentleman who announces that he
will give private instruction at night
| to persons who have not had the ad-
vantage of educational facilities.
From the looks of the Professor"
one would suppose that he wasn't
well patronized
To judge Of what he really does do
IN his business, News reporter called
on him last night. The Professor"
occupies couple OF modest rooms ia
pleasant quarter on the West Side.
Have you many pupils, profess
"Well, l have enough to keep me
busy at night. There are girls who
come in to have me write letters for
them, and who make pretense of
learning something, but they don't
want to learn any thing. However,
as long as they pay me SO cents for
every love letter I write for them I
don't care.
I HAVE SOME PUPILS,
young men, who are very anxious to
learn and do learn. There are plenty
of young men in the city who can
barely read and write, yet have man
aged to acquire smattering of
knowledge by hearing other people
talk. They prove apt scholars, and [
can turn them out in a few weeks
with fair smattering of knowledge.
They are then able to help themselves
by reading"
IF it is as you say that you are
making good living out of your bus
mess, why is it, if a fair question,
that you do not dress in better taste?"
Il have had that question. often
asked, and as often have [ refused to
answer, but by giving my story pub>
Lefty it may help me along, and I
will tell it to you. [ am saving nav
money
TO FIND MY DAUGHTER ~
"Where is she?"
Il have asked that question thous~
ands of times. I feel assured that
she isn't dead. I have searched the
world over for Der once and will
search it over again [ will find her
yet. To make nay story as brief as
possible. Twenty years ago [ was
living in London, England, with MY
little girl who was then five years of
age. Her mother died about a year
before. | was bank clerk getting a
very good salary and was laying bv a
little for rainy day. had brother
in India immensely wealthy. He had
promised to make my daughter his
heiress when he died, and he kept his
word.
IT was ignored in the will and such
were It's provisions that another per-
son than myself was appointed to take
care of her property until she became
of age. [ didn't care much. I was
making enough to support us.
"Weli, the whole thing in a nut
shell is my daughter was stolen. and
from that day to this I have been
searching for her.
I EXPENDED MY SAVINGS
in searching Europe. I went back to
LondoR and worked until had saved
enough TO search Asia, Africa and
Australia, and did so.
81 returned to Europe. While in |
Milan, Italy, went broke. Being
good lingulst and having noticed an
old man writing letters for TIE peas
arts, l set up in the business for my
self and made money enough to come
to America. Since in this country [
have supported myself in the business
L am IN now. By rigid economy I
managed to save enough money every
two OF three years to continue my
search. [ have been back to Europe
five times since came to America,
and will
GO BACK IN JULY.
Have you ever got trace of your
child?'
"Never. But I shall not give up
the search. Something tells nae she
is yet alive. [ don't know why she
was stolen. Her money is untouched
There are upwards of $4,000, 600 to-
her credit IN the bank of England
No one can touch it, and if she is
not found I suppose it will go to the
crown"
Just then an old woman came in to