Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-14
TIE WRECK A WOMAN MADE.
New York Times.

New York Times.
The old banker pushed back his cup
and, removing his glasses, gazed
musingly for q moment or two upon
the wealth Of plate and glass scattered
about the table in front of him. Ap-
parenfly his thoughts were far away,
h1s kindly face showed that, while
the inner man Was satisfied with the
dinner, things other JhaR dinner oc-
cupied his attention. Banking. flew
say he said at length, lis prosiac
and hunGrUm business, one day being
exactly like its predecessor, and diff
ferlng IN nO wise from what has been
and will be until the end of time. But
this is not true, as any banker can
tell you. We have some curious ex-
periences, and picture ] saw to-day
brings up very wildly to my memory
from my Office, brought destruction
to two homes, cut off by suicide a
man IN the full vigor of youth and
success, and finally wound up by the
death from starvation Of the principal
actor in the hOrrid drama. sy.-.e
Il will SS&ow you the picture, for I
bought it, }" saying which the old gen
tEeman rang th8 bell, and IN a moment
~ servant appeared with the picture.
1t was that Of q woman, or rather
girl, of not over nineteen, with a
laughing, happy face, her dark hair
ripping down over her shapely fore
head, her cheeks flushed with the
rosy hue Of health, and the spirit OF
fun and eayety dancing In her deep
black eyes. That" said the old
banker, as he got up and paced up
and down the rOona, ''is the exact
counterpart Of the woman who did
the mischief, and had I not been as
sured it was fancy portrait, could
have sworn il was taken the day I
first laid eyes upon the siren. I will
tell you all about it." he added conf
dentially, but, as the story is a tcue
one, I will change the names. All
concerned In it, I believe, are dead,
but I don't want to hurt anybody
feelings.
SIN the good old times before the
telegraph had ruined the China and
East India business for the captains
who sailed the big firms ships had
a ship commanded by as honest and
good fellow SIS you would care TO
meet. Every two years ae would
come sailing home with teas, silks,
and spices, and, when fifteen years
ago cid age began to creep on, he had
amassed FROM bis little operations
about $4,000. One day, while the
ship was in port, he came in my office
and said:
"'Mr. Harris, I'm going to give up
the seat
Nonsense, Arnold, I said 10 him,
you couldn't rest easy on the land.
but the old fellow was frm in his
resolve and despite my advice remain
ed on shore. Well, more miserable
man never lived than was the old cap
tain. He dawdled around toe wharves
enyioUsly watching the ships prepar-
ing for sea, and used to worry the life
out Of me BY his almost daily visits.
Finally [ said to him, j0kingly:
" Arnold, why don't you get mar
ried9
apparently the suggestion made
no impression upon him for time,
but after week or two it seemed to
have taken full possession of him. He
paid visit to Boston, and from that
grew out all the complications and
tragedies which followed. One night
lonesome and utteraly at loss what
20 do, he strolled into q theatre where
The Black Crook was the attraction.
Among the laughing. dancing cory
phees was young girl, not apparent
~ over eighteen, whose face was Of
the prettiest, and this attracted the
old man. He saw the piece out, but
was uneasy all the evening save when
his charmer was upon the stage. He
went home IN q thoughtful mood, so
he afterward told nae, but the next
night was at the theatre again. This
continued for 9 week, at the end of
which hss was desperately in love. The
black-eyed siren had captivated him,
and when at, length he mustered up
courage 10 tell her of his love she had
had time to find out all about him
and his affairs, and she consented to
become his wife. She was the dapgh-
ter of a shoemaker IN East Boston.
and unaccustomed TO have any money
to spend. They were married quietly
and without notice TO any OF the cap
fain's friends. and for a few weeks the
old man was In fools paradise. she
induced him to buy q house and fur
nish il royally. The old man Eueful-
Iy consented, and IN tWlnklng
bio slice of his fortune went, Tor sne
insisted that the house should De pu'
in her name.