Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-03-26
Il L. L.

"Dld you hear tina. Mir. Howe, a pa, =
ner Of Mr.. Ene-ick's. IS dead?-
No, did not. replied Mrs Delaro.
1T occurred some time ago. said Mr.
Wilcox. land heard downtown that this
limerick is returning from Bueaos
Ayres- having closed out his business
! there Also that he is going 20 sell out
| altogether. He is rather queer fish. I
am told. some of his business transac-
| tons not being quite as square as they
| might be- The consequence is that he
is not spoken of very well among bust
ness men and has few friends"
Then l hope that you will en-
/ deavor 10 see him as soon as he arrives.
for Percy was very anxious that you
| should He seemed TO have some idea
| that you will know the man." said Mrs
| Delaro.
| You may depend upon it I shall do
| my best 10 see him when ne gets here,
for am as much interested as anybody
in knowing who he really is"
| For the next week or two there were
no new developments either in regard
10 Percy Lowell or the Bregys' fortune.
| Eugene and his mother. acting on the
/ advice OF Nh Blodger, made rapid
| preparations 10 leave for France, and
had even taken passage on the La Gas
| coigne'' for the early part OF May
Mr.. Wilcox was suffering intense
! anxiety on account of not hearing from
/ Percy. and longed for the time TO come
/ when he would receive some informa-
| ton By mail from the American Consul,
. 10 whom he had telegraphed asking him
| 70 make inquiries In fact SO great
was the old fellows anxiety that he
/ began 10 show signs of It in his feat
ures. The old gentleman was very TO
| bust and could have com batted success
| fully any severe physical trial, but the
stress Of worry on his mind owing TO the
halo Of uncertainty which surrounded
the fate OF his chosen friend and COM
/ panion were too much for him. He
grew restless. sometimes even irritable.
and finally was told by his medical
adviser that he must cease TO trouble
/ himself so much or he would be very
sick man Still nothing could divert
his thoughts, and OF the day that Mr..
/ limerick landed IN New York from the
Rio steamer, Mr.. Wilcox was compelled
TO take to his bed. The strain on his
| mind had been too much and he had 10
succumh Mrs. Delaro and Armida had
done their utmost TO cheer him. and had
/ endeavored 70 force him 10 eat and
drink. and take amusement to divert
his thoughts, but their efforts were OF
10 avail.
In delicately- bedroom in
the house near Gramercy Park was
gathered 4 small company, wisttully
/ gazing upon a bed whereon lay the
/ quiet form Of an old man. The little
| group consisted Of Mrs Delaro and her
! daughter. Mr.. Blo1ger and physician.
! and they were sadly watching their
good friend, Mr.. Wilcox, tie tide Of
| whose life was fast ebbinC away.
Joel Wilcox was an old man who had
! lon. since passed the three-score-and
| ten milestone on life's highway. and
| slight cold. added to intense anxiety.
| on account of the man whom he had
! grown TO love as a son, had produced
/ fever which proved too much for his
| vitality. The old fellow had outlived
| his day and generation. though. indeed,
/ he had in his younger days cut adrift
! from all his relations and early asso-
/ Citations. In the latter days of his
/ prosperity he had not made many
| friends Though he could count &C.
/ Quaintances by the hundreds) as his re-
served and simple nature rendered him
| fearful lest men should only like him
| for his wealth and the influence which
wealth brought with it For Mario
I Delaro he had conceived a hearty Iik-
| ing, and how well he had proved the
genuineneSs of that friendship these
pages have told. Besides the Delaro
! family. Percy Lowell was the only per-
| son who had found the way to Joel
Wilcox's heart, though the old-time
| friendship with Blodger had been cor
daily renewed OF late.
Although SO few were the personal
friends Of the kind hearted old million
| aire, very many were those among the
poor and needy. the tried and the
tempted-those who fought on the
| losing side in the battle Of life-who
had known what it was TO have the
friendly help. material and moral, of
Joel Wilcox Truly of this old man it
might be said as il was said of One
greater than he-''he went about doing
good" And now the end was near. II
was late in the afternoon of lovely
day IN mid-winter. such a day as is only
known in the northern latitudes OF
North America Away in the western
sky the crimson sun was fast sinking,
lighting all the horizon with golden
radiance and. for the nonce. gliding the
closely-built streets OF the great me-
t-opolis until its spires and roofs shone
resplendent as the palaces OF fairy
| In.M-I.