The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-28
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the oldest inhabltant cannot recall when.
as boy or man, Billy" ever did an hour
OF labor
If the boy did not work he was kind
/ son. repaying his mother with 4 pleasant
/ comradeship. and had no bad habits. IG,er
as he was he did not fan IN love. and
( when his mother died he was stin fancy
( free.
Soon after the mothers death he moved
from the larger house they had occupied
to the small red cottage in which he was
eventually to immune himself. AID until
his life was bHghted ana he could no
longer bear the sight of womankind lie
had q servant.
In the spring Of 1854 there came 70 Ards
ley from New York Tompkins Oden and
his daughters. Catherine and Margaret.
Odell had formerly lived near Ardsley
and the two girls were born near by. He
had gone TO the city. and there the girls
had been reared.
The ill-health Of Catherine. then wo-
man grown and the elder OF the sisters.
had caused Mr.. Oden TO lease for the
summer cottage on the Saw Mil river
road. and there the family lived until the
following fall.
William Fisher fell in love at first sight
with Catherine Oden He paid her the
most devoted attention all summer. It
was plain that Billy was in high favor
With Miss Catherine. but no one to this
day can tell whether an engagement ex-
listed between them or not.
Some declare that Billy was too lazy
TO suit Mr. OdeI. who had made a COM
potency by hard knocks. and that the
fact OF the sutton having few thousand
dollars did not prevent the old man from
opposing the match.
st any rate, however. whatever the
plans for the future. Tompkins Oden and
his daughters set sail for New York City
before daylight one morning on the mar
ket sloop Nancy. commanded by Captain
lode" Wisey 4 relative.
Although it was a dark morning, with
clouds ominous of storm. Billy was on
the wharf at Dobbs ferry to tell his
sweetheart good bye.
The sloop sailed away. never 10 return.
She had proceeded only few miles down
stream when she was struck b q fierce
squal that came rushing over the Pals
AIDES
over she careened while the waters
rushed over her. and finally she was en-
gulfed. Every soul on board persisted
The news Of the tragedy soon reached
Billy at Ardsley. which is two miles
each from the river and is said to have
struck him as though he had received \
blow from a hammer
ror days ne was stupehed. he haunted
the shore near where the sIoop went
down waiting for the searchers 70 bring
IN the body Of HIS sweetheart. He uei-
Their ste nor drank and conducted himself
Ike one who had lost his mind.
GATHERINGS body was recovered far
down stream. and was taken 70 the city
home Billy attended the triple funeral
az chief mourner by common consent. for
every one knew that he had been deeply
n love with Miss Odell.
after seeing his sweetheart laid away.
Billy returned 70 Ards,ey He was
never the same man after that he avoid
ad those he had known Tor So ru1ny years
and spent much tire alone IN the forest
o. in his-itte cottage
HIS only awakening was when there
was a calI ~ arms O. protect thc Union.
Ffe became inbuel with the military sair-
r ard might have gore e. the frrrt 1s
so'6ier rad rot his wariiEe ar5or been
hecEed hy the ses.ing = s,rne Dotta
.erry bows who had icirs5 the Fls-r-se-
.rth New York raIu1teers ana Who utsh
i --c slessuezs bern - the Conflicts they
we're 90 see. piayed parks lg7l the se-
late W;Giam.
-Biay went 70 New Ya-k aas sorzs,