Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-11
DAVID NJ. STONE ANNOYED.
Troubled by FlOrIsts, Granite Dealers and
Widows.


From he Tribune.
David NJ. Store, the editor 10 chief Of
the JOWHGI Of Commerce, has been made
the victim of a most exasperatiDg kind OF
imposition within the past nine months,
since the death of his wife, his companion
for the past forty-six years. Mr.. Stone Is
now over three score and ten years, but he
by no means looks ii. He is a tall, erect,
finely formed man Of digniied bearing,
united with that happy urbanity which
chsraeterizes the true gentleman of the
old school. Mr.. Stone is a capital CONVEX
sationaliSt and he has a sense Of grim hu-
NOR which stood him we'll in stead Last
evening ~ he narrated the trains Of cir
cumsiGnCCs which have followed him since
his wiie's death. This narrative followed
upon an inquiry made to Mr.. Stone rela-
tive to the report that he vas about to
marry his ward, a young lady said not yet
to be in her twenties.
''You would be surprised" said Mr..
Stone with calm dignity, after showing the
visitor to q seat, Ito learn of the Strange,
almost unnatural, and really impish an
noyance TO which | have been subjected
since the death of my dear wife. / marry
again? My dear sir, my wife's presence
Is with ne Cd much To- If before her
death. IL seems to me that she has mere
ly gone on a short journey in which | am
Sure 10 follow her. 1t is as If she had
taken a ear to Central Park, and | was to
follow her on the next n to join her
there"
MY wife had hardly died." continued
Mr.. Stone, when cards from florists, mil
liners and mantna Wakers began 10 shower
in upon me. Then came psrsonal calls
IRON this same source. These people had
their minds full OF floral designs, full of all
sorts of designs which they considered APP
prOpViate to the occasion. After the burial,
dealers in marble began calling upon me
with designs Tor monuments. They would
see no oGe but myself. They told my niece
or rather my wife's niece, whom we
adopted, and who is 10 me ~ my own flesh
and blOOd-;hat they must see Mr.. Stone.
| saw them until | got tired. One day a
man called who insisted on seeing me. !
was huy in my study writir. az editorial
for the Journal Of Commerce. The man was
impOrtunate. lie declared that he must
see me on a vital matter. finally dropped
my work and WeRt out to him. lie was in
the greatest apparent distress.
80, SIR said he, 4 feel for you in your
affection Then be hOahcOed, aud the tears
ran down his checks ~ he continued;
what q terrible aflictionr Then he made
a movement toward his waistCoat pocket,
drew out . card and banded it TO ME amid
his tears, IS he went N: Sir, If can do
anything for yOu 10 granite - He got
no further. | was indignant. | thought
that this was the last straw which wOuld
break the camel's hack. | rose abruptly,
and, pointing toward the hall, / said:
"'Sir, there is the door,
40, if 1 can 10 anything for you IL
gran
1.-THE door, sir l repeated indignant
ly, and he passed out and away.
"SOOn after this / became the recipient
of letters ard opportunities from widows
They came from all quarters. They sym
pathized with me, and all had An idea
that / ought to do something for them.
One widow who lives in Ciasson avenue
and owns two hOuses came To me and said
"'Mr. Stone, how lonely you must bs
here! You have such q eautiiul conser'
vatory and such q splendid array of flowers
q. am SD fond OF tlowersl Now / could
sell nv two houses and T-weli h want
ed to know il | could not give her q place,
I WA dcafto her entreaties. One widow
from Pennsylvania wrote to me
three times. She thought | must be
~drsadfulIy lonely here, too, Then the
widows kept on calling. They came fro
all over BROOKLYN and from elsewhere
They declined to state their business "a
the ssrvant. They always came IN the
morning or the evening, when they knew
/ would be at home, and they always
pleaded important business with me per,
s~onally. They would see no one else
Finally I became so annoyed and eXas-
perated that l had the servant PIT out q
bulletin"
@Mr. Stone rose, went into the hall, and
brought hack the following card, printei
sn heavy black type, some six by iour
inches in dimensions: