Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22
The Worm turned.

Wesley Steritt was a thrifty soul
and enterprising. In early youth he
was a crossroads genus. The country
housewives, when their children had
a new hat or a new knife, or the like,
used to say at school tine:
"Go'long now, and don't let Wesley
Sterrit trade you out o that. Don't
swap with him at all
No casual observer would ever sus-
pect him of Shrewdness-a fact which
he turned to his own advantage in
many ii bargain-but Wesley had, as
though nature provided special com
pensation for the shortcomings of per-
SOnal attractions, a peculiar indiffeI'-
ence as to eXternalities, whether his
own or those of other people He
valued above par that which he had
and below par that which he had
not; he was always in the attitude of
conSenting to an exchange rather than
that of seeking it; he never fixed
price and never accepted one as long
as there was a chance for Il better.
He was one of those people who
could swap a bushel of corn for
buShel of corn and profit by the
TRANSACTION, maintaining a reputation
for fair measure and inch for-inch
honesty. He removed at 16 from
Flat Rock to Shilo. He was rapidly
advanced to $40 month and then to
partnership in a dry goods store. He
soon became sole owner of the bus
mess. He added a line of school
a
or twelve months, insured everything
and got burned out He went to Fair
burn. He flouriShed of course. He
expanded, as it were, to the limit of
his opportunities. His enterprise was
revelation to his competitors. He
had toys for Christmas Valentines
for the 14th of February, flags for the
Fourth of July
"A leedle too sharp" some crOakers
said, commenting upon Wesley Ster-
rit'S methods, intending to convey the
idea that he might some day over
reach himself-'iest a leedle bit too
smart"
There were rumors that he sold
whiSky-very profitable that, because
very risky, the town and county be-
ing dry-but the Grand Jury never
did anything With it, and Wesley
continued to prosper. He attended
church and Sunday-SchoOl regularly,
ingratiating himself to a degree with
the denomination that had most adj
herents In the neighborhood. Event
ually he began specializing in cotton.
ALI
pliers and received equally mysteri-
Gus answers. The telegraph operator
told all about it confidentially. The
rumOr was speedily corrobOrated, as
it could be in none but small town
where everybody knows everybody
else and everybody elSe's business.
He don't know how to let we'll
enough alone" the neighbors said of
Wesley. He's in too big a hurry to
get rich He's gittin' over his depth"
Fairburn held its breath a while
the expression is semi-figurative, of
courSe-in expectation of cataStrO-
phe. the sudden humiliation of Wesley
Sterritt. The negroes who heard the
white folks whispering about it.
looked for the earth to open up and
literally swallow Inn UP. There was
no financial crash, no crack of doom,
no sensation of amy sort. The man
simply continued to prosper. The
town rubbed its eyes and looked again,
to be certain Wesley was still there
and then deliberately settled down
to the conviction that he was a great
financier-a man who could hold his
own in the conflict with the money
Kings in Wall street. He came to be
regarded as an oracle in the matter
of speculative investments. No list
of trustees or directors could be COM
plete without his name. He was
offered the Mayoralty and declined the
honor. His store burned UP, fully in
sured-a fact which some envious
people and the insurance adjuster
referring to the similar experience in
Shiloh. made a suggestive coincidence
but Wesley collected the money and
removed to Atlanta. Some people
wondered why he did not go on te
New York at once instead of stopping
in smaller place. limited field
like Atlanta. What he should have
foreign to the purpose of this nara
tive, which Is designed to record wha
he did do. He started business il
Atlanta. He was amply successful
He was dissatisfied.
One evening, after good day
business, he went home in thought
full silent mood. He had little appe
tite for supper. His wife-yes indeed
he had wife. 1t is strange hov
naturally one who knew Wesle,
Sterritt at this time might, in tellin
the story of his life, forget to mentio
the existence of Mrs. Sterritt. Their
was little about Mrs. Serritt, eNcep
her existence, to be mentioned in tina
connection. Even in the account give
by her old neighbors of the marriage
the one time in her life when sh
had said 81 wilr'-She was mad
subordinate and incidental OF the col
Sidertion of a grist MILL which Wesle
was commonly said to have marriet
the wife passing as a sort of incun
brance upon the property. Poor W,