River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-01
MASTER RICHARDS NAV.

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EXpectIng all things in an hour
Brass mouths and iron lungsi
MASTER RICHARDS MAN.
may say that was brought up in the FAM
", for it is now nigh on to 80 years since
came into it. and 1 was then lusty youth Of
lmost %. 1t makes me tremble when 1 thinB
Of it to find that IN a few months shall IL
half century old Well, during those 81
years I've seen and known some startling
things in the family, but nothing more so than
what I'm about to tell
OF course use no real names, and 1 shall
call my master Richard, though this was moi
1t all his real name any more than that of TIE
family was Stratton, which / shall call them.
Master Richard STATIONS father was very
practical man, who had come from England as
boy married now York lady and made a
large fortune as a merchant He had but one
child, son, Master Richard, and of him he
made IN idol, especially after the death of his
wife, who departed this life, beloved by all,
when Master Richard was five years old
Ihave said that Mr. Stratton was a very prac-
zeal man; ana he showed it when be employed
ne, stout and dilligent lad of 20, freshly ar
lived from a rural part of England, as care
aker Of Master Richard, then a handsome boy
,fthree years old French BONES, fresh from
.reland were not tlen in fashion, and pleased
Mr. and Mrs. Stratton to intrust Master Rich
trd to me rather than to some half-witted nurse-
naid and l am confident that they never re-
yretted it.
How fond I became of that boy, and how
veil he deserved all the care and devotion
avished on HIM taught him 10 ride, to run,
% jump and to drive and that / might teach
Them again TO Master Richard Ileaned to box
and use the sword. | really felt if that boy
belonged to me, and / do believe ii at it was on
my account that he should not be separated
from me that his fatehr employed a tutor and
had Master Richard educated at home instead
IF sending HIM away to school: aud, farther
than that, when it came to college years be
sent him to Columbia so that had daily care
Of him, instead of sending him to Harvard,
which l knew was his first choice.
All these years passed very rapidly, and
may say very happily and Master Richard al
gavs treated me with the highest consideration
never allowing me to feel for an instant my in
'erionty, but on the contrary, always placing
before me his desire that should uphold hi-
and my own pride by acting as if I was gen
lemen and the equal of any one. as long al
was honest and behaved myself | was his own
man and felt II au honor Before strangers he
always called me Mr. Brown, but when alone
he would call me Brown, and sometimes Bob,
which latter cogn0men ! liked much the best
But now comes the first opening of what
sall the dark era Master Richard graduated
with highest houors, and had chosen the law
for his profession, since il seems that in tins
country every man, no matter what his wealth
0r tastes, must be something and he began e
study for it, Then II was that Master Richard
fell in love / knew il before his father did,
and was the medium Of correspondence f0I
he boy made a rortidant of me in everything,
and did not hesitate in doing anything to for
ward it, feeling tlat his father must approve
of the lady.
Miss Alice Sylvester was simply beautiful.
and I heard that she was accomplished as
she was beautiful She was of unimpeachable
family, and for her age, which was only 9.
was one of the pronounced bellies of society.
1 knew that Master Richard was engaged "a
her, and he told me when he made his father
acquainted with the fact, and soon afterward
I found that it was whispered freely about Al
first it was easy to be seen that Mr.. Stratton
was pleased with the match, though he limited
az much 10 me as TO say that he thought his
son was too young to marry. Then, after the
affair began to be well known. it was evident
that there was some cloud lowering between
father and SON
One day when Master Richard was ont Mr..
StrattOn sent for me to come into the library
and put me through the severest line of ques-
tiOling ever underwent iii my life, and ii was
all about Miss sylvester, and much of Il, as |
then thought, of a very curious kind, bearing,
as Il did, on my impressions OF the lady's per
sonal looks and conduct | answered him as
best could but he did not seem satisfied and
afterward wien 1 thought the matter over ]
got suspicion as to what he was driving at and
remembered that several times when l had
been ordered to deliver a letter or message.
personally 10 her, she had acted in way that
| Thought a little strange, but as attributed il
TO her being IN love-though was never that
way myself-I thought nothing of it Mr..
Stratton gave me no orders to keep the inter
view with him secret, and so l told 1t TO Master
Richard, who at first was very angry, but
afterward laughed at it, though he made no
explanation week later Master Richard
came III very much excited and angry, aud said
10 me.
Bob haveyou seen anything about Miss
Sylvester when YOU have been there for me,
hat looked as though she had been using
stimulant. either wine or opium
Tho question shocked me, and was obliged
% confess To HIM that had noticed singular
eyity IN Miss Sylvester at tunes, but that had
1ever thought of attrbuting il to that cause
until after his father had questioned me- aud
hat was not prepared now to pronounce it 50.
Then he said the anger flashing out of his
yves.
DO You know that DR. Willsey, that old
scrub. has dared 70 presume. because he has
beeu our fanny doctor for 80 years, to come
between my father and myself by telling him
thai Miss Sylvester il an irretrievable victim
to stimulants, especially opium?"
How did ne know it, Master Richard:'
asked
He saws he has known it for several years. and
that he had her several times under his treat
ment for it. It's lie, but my father believed
It and even If it were true I'd marry her and
trust to love altorward to cure her of the habit
if she had it,
1 could uotlIelp approving this, though my
heart mlsC-vc. because | knew that Master
REGARDS whole life WIS absorbed III his love,
and that without her his life would be waste
of time Two or three times after this | saw
that my boy WAS excited and almost wild with
suppressed anger, but he did not speak, until
one evening some weeks after the last CONVEX
sation. when he said 10 me:
''Boh, | tIn gong to put stop to this lnfa-
nous slcnder. | have ordered carriage to
be here at o'clock, and in the meantime Won
must pack my trunks, and hold Yourself ready
to 60 with me. [ shall marry Miss sylvester
tonight and e-morrOw ! shall depart for Eu-
rope. | have written e. my father, and he can
forgive me or not as lac pleases, but am not
afraid of the final result"
I had nothing 10 do but to obey orders and
at O'clock. when the carriage came, we were
ready Mr. Str&tton was out he generally
wae az THAT hnur-at his club and Master
Richard land the letter for Inn ON the library
tNeia and we drove away 10 hotel where he
saw bis trunks deposited II elegant rooms
which he was as careful in selecting as though
h and his bride wero to inhabit them forever,
instead oC i1F a single dav
Ehau we drove to Miss Sylvester's residence.
Her Only parent was her mother, d scheming,
Fashionable woman, who, Of course, favored
the match. lint whom Master Richard did not
hike, and had several times said TO NE that
when lac married he intended TO keep his wife
IS much away from her mother as possible
The two ladies were expecting us and were
prepared In lOmnuteS we were all on our way
TO the clergyman's. Miss Sylvester her mother
Master Richard and the bridesmaid. Mamie. a
Swiss girl very pretty, but mustsav | did
not like her, though / can say without vanity
that she had made plenty of advances 70 me
] was on the box with the driver.
How supremetv beautiful did Miss Sylvester
appear that evening IN her plain travelling
dress. as she stood mp before the minister 70 be
made Mrs. Richard Strattol- Il was all over
in few minutes, and then she was a wife
Her mother tried TO cry little. but II was a
failure. as was also Nannies attempt Ii was
i that ought to have cried, and / would have
had been able to see little into the future
The marriage over, We drove back 70 the
brides mothers house. where we LETT that lady
aud took on board Mrs, Richard STATIONS
trunks and returned TO the hotel There was
s no shadow upon that marriage, and il seemed
as though they were as happy q couple as
could bs found anywhere; for though Master
Richard had married against his fathers CON
sent ne had not TO depend on Mr. StrattOn for
nQuey He had very fine income OF his own.
lett him perfectly uncontrolled by hiss mother,
and the bride also had property Of her own.
left by her father. Besides that, had savings
G about $500. which | drew from bank and
took with me i'll case Of emergency.
i gave the Governor a chance to come and
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