Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-14


but he bore it manfully, and did
everything in his power to enjoy the
life she had determined to live I was
one continual round of balls and
theatres, and the modest fortue Of the
old sailor rapidly melted away. The
old man was thoroughly unhappy,
out what could he do? One night the
wife went to the theatre without her
husband and came back raving over
the beauty and ability Of a young
actor, the star of the company, and SO
fascinated was she that during the
engagement not a night passed but
found her In front Of the fOotlights.
She was introduced to him, as we
found out afterward, and represented
that she was q yOuag girl on 8 visit
10 the Hub. She allowed young
Prescott, as we will cali him, to per
ceive her infatuati0n, and learned
from him that be intended TO go to
Europe for brief resting spell at the
expiration of his engagement.
up TO this time not friend Of the
Captain in New York knew Of his
marriage. and of this his wife was
aware When she learned Of Pres
colts trip she wheedled and coaxed
old Arnold to allow her to go to En-
gland, and after a weeks wordy bat
Ties he gave in. This brings me to
the time when I first met her. One
warm summers day, while 7 was
busy, IN walked the old Captain, and
IN an awkward, stammering way in
troduced the counterpart of that pic
! t7Trc IN ,ooa q G Miss P5Il;z,are I,Ie ,,1ooo
| Apparently he was afraid l would ask
for the details of his marriage if he
told me she was his wife, and so took
refuge in the falsehood. He told me
she was not well, and wanted to
travel for a few months. Gould I
give her o small credit on my London
| friends. While this conversation
was going on the girl leaned over my
desk, her color coming and going, and
when I said I would issue the credit
she jumped up, seized both my hands,
and joyfully cried: oh, Mr.. Harris,
how good you are
Il thought she was going to kiss
me, and old as was, 7 would gladly
have taken it from one who looked so
charming, and from whose eyes ap-
parentIy only childish innocence and
glee at the prospect shone. All,
can see her now, and never have
seen g fairer picture than she made as
she trlpped about the old Office, MAX
ing its walls ring with her Joyful
talk which more than once in her ex-
Ultation ran INTO little snatches Of
song. When we came to settling the
details of the credit old Arnold wish
ed it fixed SO hat for five months she
could draw about 940 monthly, and
this was done. The next day she sail
ed away on the same steamer with
Prescott. ] heard afterwa1d, when
we came to go over the whole miser-
able business, that all the way over
Miss Blilings-f0r she travelled under
that name-laid siege to Prescott in a
way that, without awakening suspic-
ion of a scandal, allowed everyone on
board to beconae aware Of her infatu-
alton for the handsome young actor
In good time the steamer reached
Liverpool, and, two days after, while
Arnold was IN nay Office, I got tele-
gram from cur London house say
ing:
miss Billings married to Prescott.
who accidently killed himself. Send
some one over to take charge of her."
I showed 1t to the old Captain,
and never to my dying day shall I
forget the horror that overspread his
features as he read the message.
Good God my wife married, he said.
Harris, there must be some awful
mistake. She is not my niece, but
my wife, and then he told me the
whole story. We were never able to
find out why Prescott had put an end
to himself, as the wretched woman,
when [ afterward saw her, either
could not or would not tell. What
she did, was to go to the London bank
ers. draw cut every penny Of the
money that was to last her for five
months, working on the feelings of
the good-natured Englishman by say
ing that she needed money for funeral
expenses, and then, when she had got /
the full sum, wheedling them by her
artless and fearful way out of 920G
more, to take care of herself and get
back to her friends in America. She
came back at once, but never, [ think,
saw the old Captain again. He retir-
ed from sight, heartbroken and crush
ed. He loved he still, but could rot
forgive her. and, when a few years
later he was laid at rest, a few old
shiprates and myself were the only
ones to follow him to his grave. So
you see that two lives were blasted by
this arch siren, and [, in suggesting
marriage to him, was the innocent
cause.n
But what of the woman?" asked
his visitor.
"Ah, me! That is something that
gives my heart a wrench whenever I
think of it, and tonight that picture
recalls it painfully. We'll, well, [ will
tell you," he added mournfully, while
he continued pacing in short, quick
steps the handsome dlning-room.
''When Mrs. Arneld-Prescott, or who
ever she was, returned, sheo sold the
old mans house and for few months
lived upon what it brought, squander-
ing the money right and left as the
fancy seized her. [ kept sort of run
of her actions, and as far as I ever as
certained she was as heartless as she