Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-16

There were a few struggling houses at
the place, and a small country store, in
which could be found something in every
line. Strolling around alone that after
noon. met native who addressed me
Familiarity as Myers. did not correct
him, and when we went into the store
the man there also called me Mr.. Myers,
and when left them they both had no
doubt they knew me and that my name
was Myers
That evening Rev. George Beecher
and his wife and mother, and all his
dogs and guns, arrived at our lodging
house, and from him [ learned that tie
prairie chicken shooting was as good as
the duck shooting, and | determined to
try it the next morning early. [ found
a man who knew the country and had a
horse, a wagon and a dog. He agreed
to take me out. But before | concluded
with him l asked him if he knew where
Mr.. Myers lived. He said that he had
never seen the man that he knew of, but
he knew that man by that name lived
in a cabin some six miles back in the
woods. He said that we would pass
over some fine prairie going in that d.
rection, and we arranged to go.
That evening, while DR.. Kimball was
chatting in another room with Harrison,
Lockwood and the Beecher family,
took the empty champagne bottle, filled it
with water, drove in the cork, tied it
with Irvine from a guncase and then
pressed over it some tinfoil which | took
off from a package of cigarettes. then
took out the doctors only remaining bot
tie Of real champagne and put the harm
less water in its place. The wine hid
in my kit for use the next day.
We were off long before daylight, and
spent a pleasant morning in beating the
prairie. We bagged number of birds.
We travelled toward the residence of Mr.,
Myers, and about noon reached it. 1t
was log cabin of three rooms, one of
which looked like the summer camp of Il
gentleman. There were guns and traps,
boots and books, cigar boxes and some
old magazines lying about in careless
confusion. We found a woman in
charge, and an old man who seemed to
be nearing the shore line.
| asked the old fellow if Mr.. Myers
was at home, and he replied only by a
quizzical look and an idle wave of the
hand. But the woman eyed me from
head to foot and disappeared hastily.
The old man thought [ was Myers him
self with different clothes on, but the
woman took me to be his twin brother.
Presently Mr.. Myers himself appeared.
1t is not worth while to describe him.
Whoever has seen me has seen him, and
after that no one will doubt that he ap-
peared well and behaved better. Ac-
cording to the custom of country people.
he gave US the best entertainment the
house could furnish, and appreciated
with zest the favor of cigar which |
was able to offer him. After dinner.
while we were lingering on the bench
by the old cabin door, [ bethought me Of
my stolen wine and proposed that he
join me in a post prandial glass, which
tasted very we'll out of a brace of tin
cups.
When a good flow of good feeling had
been established by the cheering wine
and by our pleasant conversation, tried,
as adroitly as [ could, to draw Mr. Myers
out. He did not seem to be suspicious,
nor at all reticent, but seemed most of
all to enjoy friendly meeting, no mat
ter how short, with person nearer his
own level than those with whom his life
was spent. He told me that he had lived
in the cabin for two years, doing moth
ing but passing the time, He amused
himself at fishing and hunting, reading
and sleeping. In the summer time the
members Of a shooting club came up to
Puckaway, and he spent day now and
then in their congenial society His
long winters, however, were tedious and
desolate enough, and did not fail to ex-
tort from HIM that the reason why he
endured them was because he had be-
come soured, and was disguised with
the world and had turned his back on it.
When thought it safe to venture it,
the conversation suddenly took this
turn:
Murray, you ought not to bury
yourself in the woods like this.
He with look of mingled alarm and
urprise)-Murray, did you say?
Yes; and to give it all l might say
Charles Wilson Murray, alias Myers.
He-Who are you and what are you
after?
IL am nobody in particular, and
am after nothing.
Heidi ever meet you in Philadel-
phia?
Never: never saw you before to-
day.
Heidi you come out here on pur-
pose to see me?
Yes. l was mistaken for you in
the village yesterday, and / wanted to
see what you looked like.
He-How did you get my name?
IL was once before mistaken for you,
and was arrested in conseq1ence I was
confronted by three ladies and charged
with theft, but the charge was made
only to secure my arrest. They wanted
me, or rather you-nOt anything which
they thought they had lost.
He Three ladies! Two elderly ladies
and one about twenty-five?
Yes. They called themselves Mrs.
Seymour, Miss Susan Timberlake and
Mrs. Murray, your wife.
ae-My lnotherin-law, Mrs. Seymour;
my Aunt Sue-bless her old sOul-and
my Fanny! But, for the sake of mercy,
tell me about it. When, where and how
was it?
then told him what | have already
related about my arrest, and l also re-
peated much IF what was said at the
Gibson House when | called to see them
there, and l spoke of the baby.
The mention of the baby transfxed
hint eclipsed all thought of every