Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-01

became Susie's great pleasure to sit
beside me and ask me again and again
for the stories I remembered of her
fathers boyhood and youth. his col
lege life, our many excursions, and,
above all, of his marriage and the gen
tie wife and mother so early called to
heaven.
She dearly loved these talks, and no
memories were more precious than my
description of her fathers pain in part
ing from her, and his desire to win
money in California only for her.
Time softened Susie's grief, and at
eighteen she was one of the sweetest,
most winning girls ever saw. With
out being a wonder of erUdition, She
was we'll educated, had fair musical
| talent, and sweet, well cultivated
voice. She was tall and graceful, and
when she was introduced to society
with Joanna, my handsome 5urrette
daughter, both became popular.
Albert and VIII, my boys. were
older than the girls; Albert in business
with me. and Will at college, the
winter when Joanna and Susie made
! their debut.
| It would take me quite too long to
! tell of the pleasures of the young
folks during tkis winter, but Joanna
was won from us by Cuban gentle
man, and Susie became, If possible,
dearer than ever.
Spring had come, when one even
ing Albert came into my library,
where [ was noddiRg over a book,
having worked buslly all day. He
fused about the books in nervous
way, quite unlike his usual quiet man
ner, and finally said, abruptly.
Father, you have often said Susie
is as dear to you as one OF your own
children"
looked up amazed at the opening
speech.
"Well9" I asked
''Will you make her your daughter
in fact by giving her to me for a
wife?"
Dear dear! To think [ had been so
blind. Susie had In truth become so
much one of our children that was
as much astonished as if Albert had
fallen in love with Joanna.
But I soon found, when Susie's
blushing face was hidden upon
my breast, that she, too, had
given away her heart, and was only
too well pleased that no stranger had
won the precious gift.
In September they were married,
my son and the child of our adoption,
own for home, having old-fashioned
ideas about such matters, and believ-
ing it is better for young married peo-
pie to live by themselves and assume
housekeeping cares.
The new home was a gem of neat
ness under Susie's dainty fingers, and
and the spirit of perfect love kept it
ever bright. Having been brother and
sister for many years, Albert and
Susie thoroughly understood each
others dispositions, and [ have never
known domestic happiness more per-
feet than theirs.
Susie's first child, named for her
father, John Harmon, was two years
old, when one morning the mail
| brought me letter 10 an unknown
hand froa Cincinnati. | opened it,
and upon large sheet of paper found
written, in a scrawling hand, three
lines:
DEAR SIR: Will you come to me at
AZ NJ street without letting Susie
know.
JOHN HARMON.
At first believed it hoax. John
had written bold, clerk-like hand,
clear as print. This was a scrawl,
struggling all over the paper, uneven
as the first penmanship of little
child.
But the more [ pondered over the
| matter the more I was inclined to
obey the summons. So pleading busi-
ness, saying nothing of the letter to
any one, | left by the night train for
Cincinnati.
No. AZ NJ street found to be a
boarding house for the poorest classes,
and in a shabby room, half furnished,
found an aged, worn man, perfectly
blind, who rose to greet nae, sobbing.
Fred, I knew yo. would come"
why, old friend" [ said, when
speak, chow is this2 We thought you
were dead"
"Does Susie think so?"
eyes. We all gave you up"
"Do not unaeceiVe her, Fred I
meant to come back to her rich, also
to crafty every desire of her girlish
heart. Do not let her know that only
a blind, sick wreck is left for her to
call father. Tell me of her, Fred.
Is she wens Is she happy?
She is both, John-a happy wife
and mother"
Married. My little Susie2"
Married to Albert, my son, of
whom you may judge when I tell you
folks say he is his father over again"
81 would ask no more for my child, !"
SAID John.
Then in answer to my anxious
questions he told me the story of the
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