Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-29
HOW MR.. ISHAM CHANGED HIS MIND.

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and picturesque hill-farm, whereon were
trout brook, pickerel pond partridge
coverts, and a substantial, roomy house,
quite comfortable, though somewhat old,
and large enough to accommodate the par
ties he annually brought up with him for
hunting and fishing.
Mr.. ISham was a SOciable man who al
ways had kind word for his neighbors
and asked so many questions about farm
ing stock and crops that be became quite
popular in that region.
One mild April morning, as his neigh
Dor Farmer Stoddard, was driving past
<'Isham Farm" as the rich merchants was
called Whereabouts, he was surprised to
see the owner come bowling and smiling
toward the gate. II ran up from New
York last night to see if it was beginning
to thaw out here" he said, 'and to carry
out little project which [ have had in
my head all winter. | have thought that
IN place like this, some business that
would make local market for the pro-
ducts of the neighboring farms, would be
a great benefit to the owners. 1t has oc-
CURED to me that would put up two or
three cider-mills and a distillery Or two
over on Stony Brook. That would make
demand for all the superfuous grain
hOlOdDouLJ do Woll do lOI Cil0 dppltS
which hear are frequently left in great
quantities on the ground to decay in the
numerous orchards.
"There were cider-mills and a distillery
here in town when 1 was a lad" replied
farmer Stoddard, grayely.
"Is that SOP" CURED Mr.. Isham, still
chirp and pleasant in his manner. Odd
they do good business?"
II Will show you what they did if you
jump into my buggy and ride with me
two or three miles, over here to my
brothers."
Cali right" replied Mr.. Isham. II am
glad to go with you. [ thought l would
speak to few of the leading farmers
about this project of mine, and you are
the first one [ have seen since my return.
[ don't know that [ have ever met your
brother whom you are taking me to see."
"Quite likely not, replied Mr.. Stoddard.
He owns farm in a retired locality in
the north part of the town. He was
chosen Overseer of the poor at our last
town meeting, and all our paupers are
now quartered there. Here we are" said
the intelligent, thrifty farmer, as he drew
up his sleek bay FLY in front of a long,
low, red house, on the south side of which
were a dozen or so of wretched samples
of humanity were out summing themsel
yes. They looked tOlerably clean and
well kept but were very decrepit, and
gazed out from sore eyes set in blOtched
and sOdden faces. Two, one man and one
woman were insane. The woman was
known as aunt Huldah;! was greatly
taken by the handsome city man, and ran
after him, as he with Mr.. Stoddard, walk
ed through the door yard toward the
large barns, calling on her fellow-paupers
to 'see what a beautiful lover" had come
for her at last.
"Poor, demented creature" said Mr.
Isham pityingly, as he passed through a
gateway and escaped from her repeated
and vehement protestations of affec-
ton
lit is a sorrowful sight, indeed" said
Mr.. Stoddard. ''She lived near the dis
tillery was speaking to you about. In
those, her younger days, she used to board
the help then employed about it. By de-
grees she herself came to like the cider
brandy made there, and of which nearly
everybody in the vicinity drank as freely
as of water. Finally the doctors said her
brain had become paralyzed. She is
harmless, and SO is kept here rather than
at the asylum, where, for two or three
years she was homesick and very unhappy,
She has no near relatives and, of course,
no property.
"That is Captain Bull, one of our form
er business men," continued Farmer Stod-
dard pausing before a thin, bent, pallid-
faced old man, who was saving wood in
weakly way, in front of the woodshed
when l was boy the captain carried on
a driving business"
'Yes, yes, to be sure" spoke up the
L. -
endeavoring to straighten himself up. Il
owned distillery, and did do a driving
business, and no mistake-but somehow l
lost money. My wife used to say that
was the best wholesale customer that |
had. Perhaps | was, for l never went
dry in those days although 1 have had
TO since I came here. He! he! A good
many people used to say that the old
still was no benefit to the town. Perhaps
it was not, but it made a market for what
was raised around here. | tell you, [
made a prime article as cider brandy
and corn whiskey, too; yet there were al
ways some folks in the town that cursed
me for it."
"Where are the men that worked for
you in your distillery, your neighbors who
had money invested in it, and those in
this region who were the largest consum-
ers of you fine brands of whisky and cider
brandy" asked Farmer Stoddard in a
quiet wa
"He! he!" sickly laughed the captain,
'those who are not in the burying ground
are right here now waiting to be carried
there"
sit is a fact" said Overseer Stoddard
coming up just now and greeting his
brother, and after an introduction, Mr..
Isham shat every one of these boarders
of mine, was brought hither directly or
indirectly by that old distillery. The little
nunchback girl over there by the door is
a grandchild of the old captain with whom
you were just now talking. His only son
married daughter of Aunt Huldah. They
were both burned to death one midnight
not many years ago, through the careless
ness of drunken husband, who set the
house on fire. The poor little creature
was badly burned, but was saved alive, is
the unfortunate offspring of that union.
Oh, it was hell upon earth, over there in
the ''Still village" when l was boy! At
last the more res pectable class of the COM