News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-21

end of the lake, and | am going with 1t
to a place they call Superior City and
have engaged my passage by the next
boat. All that l had to say about the
risks and harlships involved were
wasted, and before the canal was offiic-
tally opened by the State, the widow
who could not read her passage ticket
was pushing on 500 miles farther to an :
ticipate its commercial effect.
Two or more years passed when paid
a tourists visit to Ihe then sbooming"
settlement of Superior City and was
walking with friend along its wooden
sidewalks when [ was startled by having
my own name called by some one be-
hind me, and on turning about, saw the
widow of Michael Phelan on her knees
with her hands raised above that same
centennial bonnet, asking for "Heaven's
blessings upon the best friend she ever
had in America
Begging her to rise and not compro-
mise me in 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
the street, upon which she had erected
a stone building and was realizing q
handsome rental from a part of it, while
occupying the 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 counthry."
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 was max
ing the round trip was just leaving, I
left the widow in the midst of her corner
lots.
Not long after this read in leading
New York paper of an official decision,
as announced at Washington, confirm
ing the right of Mrs. Michael Phelan, of
Superior City, Wisconsin, to pre-empt
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
city had been sustained at the Interior
Department.
Time passed along two or more years.
When L WAS passenger between two of
the ports on Lake Superior upon the
then peerless steamer, North Star, with
the veteran Captain B. G. Sweet in
command. While passing along the
main deck, a comely, ruddy faced young
woman accosted me and introduced
herself as the eldest daughter of the
Widow Phelanl Indeed" said I,
"and where is your mother?" "Oh,"
said she, " mother is down here on the
main deck against my protest, who
wanted to have her take couple of
state rooms and let us travel in the
cabin like other people, for we can af-
ford it, and I wish you would get
mother to do So"
"All right" said I, "we will see
what can be DONE" Then the widow
was interviewed by surprise and without
her conventional headdress on, but pre-
Sumea that it was i'll one of the several
sizeable trunks, which evidently belonged
20 her. Her shrewdness was again
evidenced by the fact chat. while pay
ing only deelS passage and saving prob
ably three-fourths of the cost of cabin
rates; she had tempted a space be-
hind the huge boiler smoke pipes and
fenced it off with her trunks and other
articles of the cargo, 50 that within the
barrier herself aud daughters were
quite retired and had warm quarters
while the cabin passengers were shiver-
ing in smaller and colder places upon
the unheated deck on that chill autumn
al day.
Entering into conversation as to her
leaving the West, she informed me that
she saw signs of decline in the land
speculation which had prevailed (and
which shortly afterward utterly col
lapsed and continued thus for decade
or more), and had, in anticipation of
lower prices, sold out with view of
leaving that region permanently.
"Well," said l, chow much money do
you bring away with you 2" But the
widow was slow to divulge, and at last
her eldest daughter spoke up and said ::
"Mr. Harvey, to prove that we ought
to have taken cabin passage, l will tell
you: Mother has $4,000 in gold in these
trunks, beside enough more in bank
bills to provide for all our travelling ex
penses for long journey, and yet she
will keep us ON the main deck where
poor immigrants ride. Now, as the
kind friend she has taught us to remem-
ber, will you not insist upon our having
staterooms 2"
"Oh, yes" said I; "that is reasonable
enough; but your mother has a mind of
her own, which she has certainly used
to good advantage since I have known
her, and have learned to deem it bet
ter than my own as to her own affairs. II
"But now, Widow Phelan," contin-
s,11xy 1nr hot
ought to know where you are proposing
ITO place they call Australia" she
replied, :, .,, ,o,.. HOW. Co., o.r - :.
and how to get there ?" was the next
query.
"No,' replied she; "but I am told
that at a city called New York, where
am now going, can get passage"
"Pray, what led you to think of that
distant land?" queried.
"And sure" said the widow, "I have
been informed that the governor of Aus
tralia is an intimate friend of Lord John
Russell, and therefore a friend of my
husbands, and one who will appreciate
the certificate have of the good charac
ter of Michael Phelan, as you did, anc
who will treat his widow we'll on his &C
count" Then the scene in my Office
came wildly to mind, and again l was
speechless about that document; which
1 doubted not was then, as before, neal
the widows heart
The steamers whistle announced
landing at the port of my departure
and ended my personal knowledge O
the widow of Michael Phelan. But tn
Phelan history, if continued, might re
veal her, later on, as q Melbourne rea
estate millionaire, and her daughter
as among the aristocracy, riding in thei
own or their husbands carriages.t. Al
these issues may have hinged wit
those narrated upon my keeping m
face straight and my heart warm, whel
that talismanic certificate was tried upo
myself in that August day away back i
1853.
That this supposition is not unexample
may be proven by recalling to mind that nc
long after the date of those occurrences,
widow located at one of the mines in Cole
RADIO, who took in washing and mending froI
the miners, married one of her customer
: who developed into a bonanza king, " and 81
into n leader of the fashionable world of Pari
The little girl of the COS playing abou
her washtub has, during the sos, marie
the Prince de the scion and heir
the oldest and most aristocratic noble fami
| of the Eternal City, and the movements
the 'bonanza" family or any of its membe
attracts the attention of society and of ii
press of both continents at the preseI
, time.
SUCCESSFUL 6FFAIR.
JU;ro (Io Inv b1cbopI n ,obye;oiopN