Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-06
WANTS TO BECOME A NURSE.
Descendant of President Adams Study
ing in a Hospital.

Studying in the training school for
nurses connected with the Presby-
terrain hospital at Philadelphia is
young woman in whose veins flows the
blood of one of the most noted families
il American history. This maiden
who wishes to be a professional nurse
is Emma O'Neill, great-granddaugh
ter OF John Adams, who was the sec
Ond president Of the United States and
one of the founders of the government.
Miss O'Neill will soon enter upon her
So cond year. 1t is required of each
pupil to render three months of night
duty each year, and Miss ONeill is
just now responding to that require
ment. Her living is as. methodical as
that Of the army student at West
Point Despite the fact that she is
scarcely more than 20 years old, she
possesses in not a small degree some
of the characteristics of the distin-
guished family CT which she is a proud
descendant. Miss O'Neill has made a
host of friends among the officials and
attaches of the Presbyterian hospital,
all of whom speak Of her in the high
est praise, both as a young woman OF
Christian virtues and a ministering
angel to the sick. In appearance she
is Of fair height, with a form that
would attract attention anywhere. She
has a wonderfully expressive face, with
eyes that ale lustrouse not to say be-
witching. For the street she dresses
in excellent taste, a richness in sim
pljcity. Clad in the garb of a profess
sional nurse, with the conventional
light blue dress, white apron and cap,
she is a subject for a camera
Miss O'Neill'sl mother-Hortensa
Adams O'Neill-was of a family Of
four daughters, noted in Philadelphia
alike for their beauty and grace OF
manners. She died a year ago last ALL
gust, and there closed a life that had
Tor a number of years been an active
participant in an everyday romance
! that was replete with pathos, and in
which the daughter is said now to have
taken UP the thread where the mother
laid it down,
In her youthful days she fell in love
with young man, Edward Heatona
who reciprocated her affection. The
young man was of one Of the oldest
and Wealthiest families in the city. In
| due time the engagement was an
nounced and preparations for
the wedding pushed forward A
| few days previous to the event, how
| ever, Miss Adams saw fit to break the
engagement, and married Charles
! O'Nelll instead, a young man whom
she had only seen a few times. Hea-
ton keenly felt his rejection by the
woman he loved, and subsequently
died of a broken heart. After the
wedding O'Neill and his bride went to
housekeeping in a modest home. They
lived together happily, and, as the re-
suit of the union, there came one
daughter, Emma, who is now learning
| to be a nurse He died after a few
years from a chill. Then the brother
of Edward Heaton, George, appeared
on the scene and made love to the
widow. He is very wealthy, and was
! lavish in his attentions to Mrs. O'Neill,
and it was generally known among the
friends of both that they would have
been married long ago only FOR the
violent hatred of Heaton's mother for
Mrs O'Neill because of her reputation
of Edward. For nearly ten years Geo.
Heaton waited patiently for the death
of his mother, when he should be made
Eappy with his bride. His mother
died in October, 1895. Shortly after
ward Mrs. o. Neill was stricken with
paralysis and died in the following
August. Emma, the daughter, was to
have been married June Il, 1896, to a
young clerk in a store on Eighth
street, near Arch street, but 1t became
necessary to postpone the wedding be-
cause of her mothers illness. A week
before Mrs. O'Neill's death Emma was
taken sick and laid up for several
weeks. When she became GONZALES
cent she broke off the match with her
lever and commenced studying to be a
professional nurse. Now rumor has it
that Miss O'Neill and George Heaton,
her mothers lover, are to be married