Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-28


! was due largely to taat famous hash,
T which. by being sweetened with maple
sugar and favored with spices, enabled
J her to use the last scrap of every KIND OF
food material on her premises without
' cloying the mems appetites.
, She did not call for her monthly pay
, until the cashier entered complaint
against her, that he could not close his
! monthly accounts according to rule.
, Worl from me to call at the Office
brought her there in Sunday attire, in
ending her before described full dress
hat. When the rule was explained that
she must regularly draw her money, she
complied, but only to bring 1t to me, TO
request me to personally care Tor 1t TIL
she wanted it.
One day after the widows reputation
had become quite established, she, with
her head gear in position, called on me
in the same room as before, to conhde
in me that she had been asked to marry
by not few of the men, and OF them
all, she thought most favorably of Pat
rick Finn, who had been selected as
care-taker for her in the first instance,
but, after bordering well on the subject,
when she had almost said yes, the mem
DRY OF her dear departed husband with
his good character, so well certified to,
came over her and she had told Patrick,
like all her suitors once and for always,
that she would never be known other
wise than as the widow OF Michael
4 Phelan. Again came the tears as
tribute to his memory, with the remark
/ that in case heard she was TO be mar
ried, could know to the contrary in
advance.
The widow dropped in very quietly
( at my office at later date, and when
energetic measures were taken, which
nipped an impending strike in the bud,
many We're the surmises where / had
obtained the information upon which to
act. It's value to my principals, under
circumstances too intricate to be de-
tailed here, could hardly be over esti-
mated.
But the time arrived when the last
gang of workmen were finally paid oil,
and settlement of the widows account
showed over $500 to her credit. When
handing it to her, said, "No doubt
yon will take this snug sum and return
TO Montreal and open nice boarding
house therel"
"0h, no" said she, "when this canal
is opened business must go to the other
end of the lake, and / am going with il
to place they call Superior City and
have engaged my passage by the next
boat All that bad to say about the
risks and hardships involved were
wasted, and before the canal was otiiic- /
tally opened by the State, the widow I
who could not read her passage ticket I
was pushing ON 500 miles iarther to an
ticipate its commercial effect.
Two or more years passed. when paid /
a tourists visit to the then "booming" /
settlement of Superior City and was
walking with friend along its wooden t
sidewalks when l was startled 10y having +
my own name called by some one be. 4
hind me, aud on turning about, saw the 4
widow of Michael Phelan on her knees T
with her hands raised above that same
centennial bonnet, asking for "Heavcn's
blessings npon the best friend she ever
had in America.
Begging her to rise and not compro-
mise me in "a strange place, because on
lockers would think that she was plead
ing with me, rather than with Heaven,
she explained that she was the owner OF
the corner lot on the opposite side of
tho street, upon which she had erected
q stone building and was realizing a
handsome rental from part of il, while
occupying tile remainder for keeping
boarders, and had seen me go by, and
was afraid that before she could don her
best dress as she used to do at the
$500, would have passed out Of sight.
Patrick Flynn had followed her from
the $500" and was installed as care
taker of her property, but she had not
and would not prove forgetful of the
memory of Michael Phelan, or less proud
of the good character which he bore in
the could country"
Declining the request of the widow to
look over her title deeds and give my
opinion upon their legality, on the score
that the steamer on which l was max
ing the round trip was Just leaving,
let the widow In the midst of her corner
lots.
Not long after this read in leading
New York paper of an official decision, ,
rs announced at Washington, confirm
ing the right of Mrs Michael Phelan, of
Superior City, Wisconsin, to pre-cmpt a
quarter section of land, her right to do
SO without naturalization papers having ]
been stoutly contested, but on appeal,
her title TO valuable property near the J
city had been sustained at the Interior
Department.
Time passed along two or more years.
When L was passenger between two of :
be ports on Lake Superior upon the :
hen peerless steamer, North Star, with s
.ho veteran Captain B. G. Sweet in |
While passing along the I
main deck, a comedy, ruddy- faced young '
woman accosted me and introduced !
herself as the eldest daughter of the l
Widow Phelan "Inde H." said |. s
. and where is your mo,herg' "Oh,"
laid she, /" mother is down here on the e
main deck against my protest, who y
wanted to have her take couple of d
itate rooms and let us travel in the a
'abin like other people, for we can af- t
ord it, and wish you would get