Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-10-30
AN INCIDENT AND
INTERESTING SEQUEL

We were all sitting on the club
I house porch enjoying the cool sea
breeze and sipping-well, one of the
men had tea with lots of lemon In it
but the others, their favorite thirst
eradicator. OF course, all we women
had tea-or lemonade.
We had been telling stories about
various curious experiences that had
befallen us, when Mrs. Preston gave
, the following:
zone hot afternoon early in Septem-
Der / was walking up Park avenue,
after interviewing one of the most
prominent women in Society who
was In town getting together her
daughters trousseau-who was to be
one of October's early brides.
II was feeling mighty blue; the pref
ty frocks masses of lacy lingerie, lus-
trous satin and priceless lace that
would be combined in the wedding
gown brought back visions Of my own
wedding, and my heart grew bitter
with the thoughts of years of suffering
which followed my own great day.
Mentally l cursed the man I had
married, cursed him for q weak fool.
who had allowed a brilliant mind to
become so paralyzed with drink that
I, his wife, had to take the babies
away from their drink-crazed father
and leave them in the care OF stran-
gers while worked all day and often
until late at night recording the do.
inRs of the rich and great
What right had some people TO 80
much money when l had to toll nm
ceasingly for just enough to feed ana
clothe us decently?
1T was q long walk back to the
ONCE, and had Just one nickel In my
purse. Should spend 1t for carfare
and borrow from some one at the
office enough to take me home? Or
walk? But 1t was so hot and was
tired; besides, hated to borrow.
There were few people on the
street at that hour, but there an
preached Q large, good-looking man.
neatly dressed, who stopped in front
of me, saying, Lady, could you LEND
me q nickel?'
II was 30 surprised l halted and
stared at him.
"T hate to ask you for it, lady he
continued, but want to get home to
my wife and little girl, and 1t will
take me hours to walk It.
'T inquired II his wife was i'll. 7
don't know. She wasn't well when
left home a week ago. and them, be.
cause / still stared at him (my mind
could not conceive big, strong, we'll
dressed man stopping a woman in the
street and asking for cents), he told
me that he had been on a spree for q
week and had spent his last dollar
for bath 80 he would be at least
decent to go home. But must get
home he said; L must get home ia
the wife and baby, and thought you
would give me carfare.'
Opening my purse, took out my
one nickel 'See,' said I, this is all
have. When l give 1t to you must
walk sixteen blocks back to the office
where l work. l have to work to take
care of myself and two little children
because my husband is a drunkard
Because, when he had a young wife
and baby girl he went on sprees and
stayed away from home and his busk
ness for days at a time. Take this
nickel and go home to your wife; but
tell her It was woman who gave you
carfare, woman who will help her
when she has to give up her home and
go out into the world to work through
your intemperance'
THAT was fifteen years ago. Yes.
terday, sitting opposite me on the
train coming up here, 1 noticed q
very handsome gray-haired man, evt
IDENTIFY with his wife, q fral-lookina
woman with silvery hair and kind.
brown eyes.
Several times the gentleman looked
searchingly at me and spoke to his
wife, and confess was becoming y
bit annoyed, for they were apparently
discussing me. felt 1t rather than
saw It.
Presently the gentleman came over
to vacant chair next mine and, beg.
ging my pardon, asked me II remera-
bered ever seeing him before.
"At my negative reply he repeated
the incident that happened SO many
years ago, but before he had finished
told him that I remembered 1t per.
fectly. Madam, do not know who
you are. but I want you to meet my
wife. She wishes to thank you for
sending me home to her the day
asked you for carfare and you gave
1t to me-
His wife is charming, and he
probably you all know him-he Is one
OF the leading judges in the state.
Yet I had thought he wanted that
nickel for a drink. Sometimes our
charity Is not misplaced"