Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-14

fer"
| Paul Waldron's trouble changed anC
warped his whole nature; it hardened
him as nothing else could have done
Yet TO no man living did he make any
complaint.
lie said nothing of what had hap
pened; he went about his work fol
some days as usual, but with a grim
determined look on his face, and his
voice seemed to have taken quite an
other tone.
He knew that there was legal redress
| for him; he could have claimed his
child. But he was too proud. If she
had voluntarily left him, let her go
The law Of the country might force his
heartless wife to return-might compel
her TO come back to him; but he dis
dained any such assistance-he held
the law in contempt.
ii she has left me of her own free
will he said to himself, I will not
take her back because the law is in
my favor. Let her do as she will"
Nor would he write to appeal to her.
she shall not know what / have
suffered-she shall not laugh over my
pain" he said to himself. II will never
write to her. She has left me, and
she shall not know what becomes of
me-"
What he suffered-his desolation,
anguish, despair-none but Heaven
knew. 1t changed the whole nature of
the man-it hardened and embittered
hint made him unlike himself He
brooded in sullen gloom over his
wrongs, and then his gloom would give
way to passionate anguish and despair
Only a few days after this death
blow he received Il letter giving him
excellent news.
One of his inventions had been
adopted by wealthy firm, and they
had written to ask him to give up his
present occupation and accept an en-
gagement with them.
1T is the first step towards fortune"
he said; and then he looked round on
his desolate home.
IF she had but been here!" he
thought; and the news which two
months since would have seemed glori-
Gus to him did not even give him one
moment of pleasure. The only bright
side he saw to it was that he would
soon be away from Ashburnham.
He resolved that he would tell no
one, that he would send the little maid
home, and then in few days leave
himself, without revealing whittier he
had gone.
$50 all trace of me will be lost" he
said; and, if she should so far re-
my existence as to make any
inquiries about me, no one will be able
to answer her"
To Squire Schofield he said merely
that he was leaving Ashburnham. Who
could know the depth of pain, the
anguish, the bitterness, the torture of
love that came to him as he
looked round upon the little home he
had once thought an earthly heaven?
Farewell to all his hopes and dreams!
Farewell, bright, beautiful face that
had lured him to his doom! Farewell to
the little child who had been stolen
from him, whose tender arms were to
clasp him no more.
If the silent stars could reveal Sc
crets, they would tell of the man who
spent the whole of the long night in
the woods-who wept out there the
passion of grief that was consuming
him-who cried aloud against the wife
who had forsaken him, and the proud
man who had tempted her away, They
would tell of one long night spent in
such sorrow as few men endure; and
then of a cold morning dawn, when
that same man went his way, changed,
embittered, reckless with his own de-
spair.
Fortune Otter showers her richest
gifts on those who court her least.
When Paul Waldron left Ashburnham
he was utterly Indifferent as to his
future. He cared no longer to win
wealth. What could wealth do for
him? 1t could not heal his wounds or
give back to him what he had lost. 1t
was perhaps for that very reason that
wealth was showered upon him. He
accepted the engagement offered to
him, and the firm were quick to see
that they had closed with no common
man. After short time he was Of
fered a junior partnership which he &C
cepted indifferently enough. Later on
one of the firm died, and he received
one half of the business.
Everything he touched seemed to
turn to gold. When he had money of
his own, he speculated, utterly careless
as to whether he lost or gained. Every
speculation was grand success. When
his partner wished to retire he was
able to purchase the whole of the
business. He did so, not caring whether
ne prospered or failed. His genius for
! invention seemed inexhaustible; be
made enormous sums of money by tax
! ing out patents, and in eight years
from the time he left Ashburnham he
was spoken of as one of the most pros
porous men of the day.
| Rich now almost beyond 1.-The dreams
of avarice," he devoted himself to the
| interests of the working classes. He
! Iectured, he made speeches; he soon be.
came known as popular leader Of
Radical opinion. If by the use Of keen
passionate language he could have
reused all England, he would have
done so, and have led on fiery, excited
masses to the destruction of all arts
tocrats. He hated them with a vehe
ment, burning hatred-he would have
devoted his life to their extinction
There were times when he wished tina
a revolution like that of France Nigh
sMeen every titled man from the fac