Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-04-20


The story respecting the shoes was
unearthed by Chicago reporter from
VIM. Gee, whose shoe store is at the
north approach to the Clark street VIA
duct. Mr.. Gee was given the human
skin to have tanned and made into
shoes. He did not relish the work. and
did not undertake it until he received a
letter from prominent Chicago doctor,
who vouched for the high standing of
the man. This doctor was subsequent
y seen by the reporter. and he told the
following story regarding the man and
the shoes:
Ten years ago." began the surgeon.
" a young law student, who came to
Chicago from Virginia, fell desperately
in love with the only daugh-
ter of d wealthy contractor
living on the North Side
His affection was reciprocated, and
the young people secretly plighted their
troth. This was done in the face of
decided objections advanced by the
girls parents to her lovers suit. In the
first place, they considered their daugh
ter too young to become engaged, and
secondly, the uncertain prospects OF
the law student did not warrant his
taking such a serious step. All this
they had told him kindly and pleasantly
enough. But he was young, hot blooded
and very much in love. He chaffed at
the ban placed upon his social inter-
course with their daughter and despite
their avowed disapproval became en-
gagged to her.
Shortly after the family went to
OconomOwoc where they had summer
cottage. Thither the young man fol
lowed his fiancee, meeting her secret
Ky and enjoying many stolen interviews
with her at that delightful resort. One
morning Florence told her mother she
was going to picnic with some young
friends, to be gone all day, and if she
did not return until after supper not to
be worried. Instead of doing as she
said she met her lover and together
they boarded a train and went to Ra-
cine, where they were married before a
justice of the peace. Whether the mar.
riage was cOnSummated [ do not know.
The young wife arrived home that night
in good season and her escapade re-
manned a secret.
ga few months after this foolish af-
fair the girls father failed in business.
The law student meantime had been
admitted to the bar and had gone to
Minneapolis with q view to entering
practice there. After six months alb
sence during which he had correspond
ed very regularly with his wife, through
the cOnnivance of a mutual friend, he
returned to Chicago to find the young
woman no longer prospective heiress,
although the family was still in fairly
good circumstances.
Maurice was received cordially by
her parents, but the reception accord
ed him by his wife both puzzled and
displeased him. She appeared annoyed
at his presence and several times treat
ed him so cavalierly that he left the
house in high dudgeOn. When he once
suggested that the fact of their mar
rage might as well be proclaimed she
vehemently protested against such a
course until he could afford to give her
a home which he confessed he was not
then able to do.
cat this stage of the drama the hus-
band in name only began to grow
jealous Of the attention paid to his
wife by a board of trade man, some
years his senior, whose reputation as
a Lothario was well known about town.
The girl appeared infatuated by the
fellow and accepted his gallantries
with an eagerness that marked her
for an easy prey to his insidious snares.
She avoided her husband constantly,
treated him with marked coldness |
when he did manage to see her, and in
a hundred ways showed that she no
longer loved him.
zone night he saw her at the thea
ter with her new lover, and something
prompted him to watch their move |
ments. He followed them after the |
play to a gay resort, where private
winerooms were provided for its pa
irons. He managed to secure an adj |
joining room, and, applying his ear to
the wooden partition, overheard enough !
to convince him that his wife was I'M
true to her vows. He searched until |
he found a peephole and through that
aperture saw his wife lavish endless
kisses upon her board Of trade friend.
He watched the wine disappear, and
with set teeth, noted the various stages
Of drunkenness ensue. While both
were almost maudlin he heard the man
who had supplanted him joclllarly pro-
pose to his companion that she prove
her affection by permitting him to
brand her with his bronze intaglio seal.
She at once consented, and with drunk
IN gravity he heated the seal at the
yas jet and suddenly applied it to her
partially exposed knee.
THE girl shrieked as the hot metal
scared her tender flesh and the pain
nearly sobered her She insisted upon
,eing taken at once to a doctors Office
or treatment, and led the way down
tairs. / was then unmarried and slept
It my office ON State street Chance
ERECTED them to me. Although it was
ong after midnight I sat reading by
my student lamp, when the outer
'ell rang and the now sobered PAIR q
walked into my reception room Inc r
Dung woman was suffering consider S
BILE pain from the scared wound, which t
fastened to alleviate by the use OF '
UGH Ointments as were at hand.
lso wrote a prescription for soothing !
)tion to be applied when she reached ?
ONE. \
seHer husband never saw her but once u
fter that until she lay on the dissect C