Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-15

| ion. l take 20 STOCK IN any person
piety unless it governs their conduct in
life If man is a Christian at heart
he will turn to the right, and keep
straight ahead, won't he, doctor?
Heaven lies in that direction. Cracky"'
he used another provincialism-
chow that man has altered. He used
to speak we'll of everyone; now he is
so suspicious of everything. In his
view everybody is dishonest, and he
breaches against sincerity all the time.
| Now a man, in the general run, don't
! talk much about what is continuous.
An honest man don't talk about hon
esty; nor pure man about purity
Now tell me doctor, what were the
the mysteries that you have solved?'
l did so. He punctuated my narra-
tive with the provincial intersections
of the old Pokonok3t country and Mt.
Hope lands.
A year and more passed. Congress
| man Grant gave a brilliant reception
in Washington. Members of the
cabinet honored it. On his return to
Providence he was given a reception,
to which I was invited but which | did
not attend He was believed to have
purchased a denomination as congress-
man; he spent a small fortune in the
effort to secure a second election. But
he was defeated by that very want of
public confidence that his own conduct
had brought about. In these struggles
and during this period of self-evolution
in cunning, craft, duplicity and insin-
cerity, his private business had de-
clined, and he found himself not only
without the promise of public place,
but threatened with financial ruin.
In these swiftly changing days, near
the end of his term in congress, he sent
me despatch: It read:
Come. Van Ness Mansion. Wash
ington, June 10th"
The close Of long summer day
found me in one of the strangest and
most remarkable houses in all Amer
lea. 1t is still standing, but it's glory
had gone when saw it last, it was used
as public picnic ground. 1t is near the
Washington monument, on the Dor
ders of the Potomac marshes, place
of reflected sun and beautiful trees.
How noble and stately it looked
even ON low ground, as | was lead to
it from the main way Its porticos
were hung with vines. Roses were
everywhere-there seemed to have
been a flood Of them. The gate open
ed upon a cool garden of box and
flowers. In the garden was an old
cottage. 1t once belonged to Davi
Burns, the Scotchman who at first re
fused to sell his plantation to Wash
ington for the site of the city, but who
was also compelled to do so at last
And who would you have been," said
old Davie to Washington, "if you had
not married the widow Custisr
The girlhood Of lovely Marcia Burns
van Ness, who founded the Washing
ton Orphan asylum, where her por-
trait may be seen, and at whose funer-
al congress adjourned, is associated
with this messy cottage. Here liter
Moore slept, about the t:nne that his
mind must have been haunted by the
tale of the Lake Of the Dismal
Swamp"
In the main house grand receptions
used - be held in the early days Of
the republic. Mr.. Van Ness, who had
married the daughter of Davie Burns,
was the soul of hospitality. When he
died there was such profound sorrow
that a legend arose that his six white
horses all fell down dead from grief,
and that they visit the place on Christ
mas night without heads. For years
the tale of the six headless horses was
a terror to the slaves of the estates.
I asked a little negro boy ON the walk
What brought my friend here? This
is a private house"
"To be quiet, sir; massa invited him.
'maginations.
| was taken at once to my patients
room. I expected TO find a very i'll
man, but his case was so bad as to
startle me. His vitality had almost
gone; only a little remained, and that
like a dying nsAnt. was Pickering.
you are good to come" said he.
you understand my case. 1t went
away, but it has all come back again.
What has all come back again, my
friend?"
"Oh, you know-the knocking on the
door It comes just as I think that l
am going 20 get some sleep. l want
you to stay with me in my rooms to-
night and see if you can hear it.
He walked around the room nervous
! ~ turhng like Il wheel. He presently
| said
Practical politics do not pay. l
! have lost more than | have gained.
But it can't DC helped now. If I had
my life to live over again, would do
| differently"
Lie down." said l, land be calm.
will stay with you until morning"
I shall never forget that night.
TRY to Sleep" I said to my patient,
''and I will rest here in my chair. |
have made a long journey"
''It is the last that you will ever
make for me-" he answered.
II was . o'clock before the cool
shadows of night began to fall. /
watched my patient, and saw that he
was drowsy. 1 thought at last that he
was beginning to sleep, when a sudden
cry made me start
"Doctor-did you hear it?"
"What?" I asked.
cit is at the door, therer'
What is at the door,"
ooh, you didn't hear it. Let me fall
| hack and try tn sleen'