Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-12

There had been two days Of fog, fol
lowed by two more Of tempestuouS
winds, with high sea breaking ever
and anon over the deck of the ship,
making it almost impossible for those
passengers who were fortunate enough
to escape the miSeries OF NAL de mer
to indulge in those daily promenades
that are so lnVlgoranng portion of an
ocean voyage. The few who We're able
to be about We're naturally thrown
more or less in each others society, and
by the time clear weather called the
invaIds from below the coterie of
good sailors were pretty thoroughly
acquainted.
had crossed many times, and a cy-
clone or a calm made no difference to
me, and though | should have preferred
good weather, owing to the pleasant
social atmosphere contingent upon ma
lures caprices, 1 was still not altogeth-
Ell in the dumps when our first four
days were such as TO give me an op-
portunity to revel in the treasures of
the very very complete library l found
on board the Teutonic.
During my many trips to and from
the book cases | came in constant
contact with a pleasant-faced man
whom, from the cut of his clothes, l
judged to be a minister. Nor was /
mistaken in my surmiSe, for later on
in one of our moments of acrobatic
agility caused by a sudden lurch Of the
ship he entered into converse ton about
| the weather, and after a few moments
, talk presented me with his card, which
bore the name of ''LuciuS Boswell, D.
D. | gave him mine in exchange and
found that it was a lucky lurch of the
ship that had thus thrown us together,
for he proved a most delightful compan-
ion, whose views were broad, whose
Intelligence was far above the average
and whose opinion of men and affairs
was based upon a rare knowledge of
human nature and a more than Ordin-
airy keenness Of perception.
He had read much, and in our daily
talks | was constantly charmed by the
clear and incisive criticisms that he
brought to bear upon the products of
master minds, and whether it were
prose or poetry. abStruse treatises or
the latest airy bit of fiction, he appear
ed to be convelSant with them all, and
in his gentle, unassuming way, he led
me daily into unaccustomed paths of
literature and opened my eyes to the
depth and richness Of mind that was
a veritable storehouse of learning.
Little by little he told me of himself
saying that he had a charge in far
away country town and that in that
little hamlet he had left his motherless
son. a boy Of II. When he mentioned
the lads name light came into his
eyes and tremOr into his voice that
proved to me the wealth of affection
centered in his heart for this one
treasure whom every revolution of the
giant paddles was being separated
farther and farther from him.
Though surprised to hear that his
was small church, and a cOngrega ton
composed largely Of plain farmers and
their wives, [ knew that sooner or
later he would tell me why his wealth
of intellect was, as it seemed to me,
, wasted upon those so little able to ap-
!, 'preciate it. The confidence came before
[ expected it, for seeing, perhaps, the
open question in my eyes, with the
, franlkness that was part Of his ma
: ture he answered it at once.
Il know you wonder why accepted
a charge in that wild unsettled section
of the west, but it was a matter OF
conscience, and l have never regretted
when my wife sickened and died.
. Here his voice broke, and though my
} heart was full of sympathy, manlike
; l could do nothing but grasp his hand
: and in voice gruffer that usual say
L go on Somehow my touch seemed
t to do him good for he braced himself
l UP and with forced calm went on
. with his recital.
S 1T is all very well for me out there
d I'm q man, and I don't mind roughing
? it Il bit, but my wife used to pine fol
t the civilization we had left behind
S knew, though she never said a word
), but bore all the hardships with almos
/ divine submission. The people are
honest, well-meaning folks, but they
e don't know how to show what they
K feel, and we were more or less isolated
and though a man fiatters himself tina
q he can fill p Woman'S life, he can't dc
|. it, for she yearns for womanly sym
e pathy and Womanly intercourse, though
/ she may love him with her whole
d heart. Of course, in such a region
/ skillful physicians are scarce, and after
e the baby came, whether from neglec-
e or through ignorance, something wrons
: was done, and in two short days
was left that most helpless of helples;
Ibeings-a widower with a tiny child t.
a bring up.
Il when I looked around me at thu
Il carelined faces and work-hardene(
u hands [ pressed the little form to N!
: breast, and in my anguish thanked Coz
: that the child given to my keeping wa!
/ not girl. Since then 1 have worked
u for my people and my son. He is tn
e one bit of brightness in my life. w
e are companions in every sense of tn
e word, and the greatest grief Of m,
I" life, next to parting with his mother
} was the parting from him, but [ dit
q it for the best. and hope to be re
q warded for the sacrifice"