Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-07
Godfather Green.
By Mrs. Parr.


| would choose for you"
A mother was speaking, talking to
an only son-the subject under discus
sion was matrimony.
But you Gear soul, did you ever see
anyone yet whom you would have
chosen-in your eyes [ am a paragon.
l stand alone-among my species it
would be impossible to find a match for
me-.
Mrs. Brodie laughed softly, she was
perfectly aware of the infa tuatio she
had for her son. NO, no. she said,
you are wrong there; besides you
may have a pair without their being
exactly q match, or even quite equal. [
should have no difficulty if you let
yourself be guided by me in finding
"a but here her son stopped her
Il know what you are going to say
he cried, ''but it's of no use, mother,
as | have told you 20 times before.
Bessie Adams and L will never be more
than brother and sister,"
That 20 times has been all in one
week, Sam
Simply because we have talked the
matter over. But, mother, now be
sensible, do. Let US suppose rhat l felt
an inclination towards Bessie. What
would become Of my chance with God
father Green, L ask you?"
Mrs. Brodie heaVed a ghost of a sigh.
well, there [ must confess that you
have handle against me. Bessie is
painfully straightforward, but, oh, Sam,
she is so good and amiable; that you
cannot deny"
Deny! | think she's an angel, and
for that very reason, if for no other,
most untitled for me. What | want is
tact, delicacy-somebody who could
wheedle a bun from out of a bears
paw if necessary"
And do you think that these quail
ties are to be found in Miss Denman,
do your
Sam saw that his mother was soft
ening, and prepared himself to i'm
prove the occasion.
For the first time in his life, so he
now believed, he had fallen in love
neutrality-suspicious. with the most
bewitching little bundle of charms ever
produced by dame Nature.
They had met at a dance, and, oh,
salve to Sans vanity, the introduction
had been desired by the lady. 1t is
needless after this to say that matters
progressed very rapidly. Miss Den
nam's sister asked Sam to her house.
Sans one thought was to bring his
newly found treasure under the eyes
of his mother. A meeting had been
effected, and the young lady having
departed, Mrs. BrOdie was delivering
her opinions of her sons prodigy. AS
has been shown, they were not of I'M
mixed enthusiasm, but what mother
does give Il Whole-hearted appreciation
of the one who is likely to Supplant
her? Mrs. Brode was but mortal,
and perhaps for this very reason her
ear was ticlled by those words, tact,
delicacy, and Godfather Green.
1t is said that every family has its
household sceptre; the sceptre OF the
BrodieS was Sans godfather. This
infirm and apparent" 'nOtfenslye Old
gentleman interfered h their pleas
their plans Everything they proposed,
rejected, or carried CIT, began and
ende with one and tho same sentence,
but what will Godfather Green sayE
He was Haunted before their friends,
who in spite of their irritability, found
themselves impressed with 4 certain
respect for a man who, by the prospect
of his death, could during his life keep
his possible survivors in such awe.
That Mr.. Green was rich seems super
fuous to say, and that Sam was ap-
pointed his heir was understood by
everybody Mr.. Green's deceased wife
had been the late Mr. Brodles first
cousin. With no children of his own,
Mr.. Green had elected to be Sans god
father. and, though well aware that
Jabez was his fathers and family
name, had made it point that the boy
should be called after him. Samuel
Green Brodie was inscribed on the
small slip of paste board which, III ac-
cordance with the demands OF genteel
society, Sam left at the doors OF MS
friends A whole stack OF these lay
scattered over the card plate of Mrs.
Webster, Miss Denman's sister, every
one of them left during the first IL
aays of an intimacy which had rlpened
so rapidly that Sam no longer STOOD on
this ceremony The peculiar tat-tat-
tat of his knock had become familiar,
and the maid servant who opened the
door would smilingly tell him that MISS
Clara was upstairs, or should the lady
chance to be out, that she was certain
not to be long. Wont you come IN
and wait, sir!'
Feeling that this introduction to his
mother would be a sort of stamp 10
the matter, Sam thought the time had
come when, without any seeming de-
sign. it would lie eXpedient to say a
little regarding his position and pros
meets: Therefore on their way to Mrs.
Brodie, as he and the fair Cecilia walk
ed along, he managed in very adrolt
way to lead up to the subject.
I'm in the custom, you know" he
began.
.Oh! are you?' said Miss Denman,
interestedly, as if the fact was perfect
Iy new to her.
"Ours is the Excise branch Of the
department," continued Sam.
..Really, is it," She could hardly
have seemed more surprised had he
mentioned that he was IN the pay OF
the public eXecutioner.