Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1891 — SHE SAVED HIS LIFE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SHE SAVED HIS LIFE.

The Sacrifices of a I'evoted Wife for HerHusband. At No. 101 Ottawa street, in thecity of Grand Rapids, a modest business desk bears this sign: “b. wait, lumber.” and promptly at 9 o’clock in the morning a sturdy old gentleman with a flowing white beard Bits down at the desk to work. Seeing his strong, square shoulders and his clear, steady eyes, no one would imagine that this pleasant-faced, man had been through more of the ills of life than, perhaps, any man in Michigan. In 1837 Col. Wait became interested in securing the liberty of the Canadian provinces. He was then a prosperous lumber manufacturer, but so thorough was he imbued with this idea that hespent night after night drilling men in barns and out of-the-wav places and iu seeing them properly armed. The events of the Canadian rebellion are now matters of history. After undergoing innumerable hardships, going without proper food clothing ia the midst of a Canadian winter, he was finally captured by the British troopsshortly after the battle of Short Hills. When resistance was no longer possible a British officer demanded his sword. Colonel Wait refused to deliver it. A motion was made to the soldiers, but the Colonel saw it and, drawing itfrom his scabbard, he grasped the point with one hand and was about to break it over his knee. “Hold on,” said the officer, “you may keep your sword.” He kept it, however, only a short time: Then he gave it to a friend, who secreted it in a stump. Years afterward he made a persistent search for the weapon, but it was never found. Shortly after Colonel Wait’s capture lie was tried for high treason, convicted and sentenced to be hanged on the 25th day of April, 1838, at 1 p. m. Then Mrs. Wait determined to saveher husband's life. Taking a young infant with her, she sought the authoriand finally secured a conditional par- - don. But there were no telegraph lines in those days, and the date of execution

was near at hand when she received the important document. Stage horses vere driven faster than they were ever driven before, and steamboat boilers were crowded to their utmost limit.

On the day set for the hanging, the steamboat bearing the faithful wife was far out on Lake Ontario. The dock was reached at 12:30, and a friendly sheriff appropriated a fast horse which a farmer was riding, and reached the j ail in time Colonel Wait was then transported to Van Dieman’s Land for life, and was there employed in a rough convict gang. Being a man of intelligence, he finally secured a ticket-of leave. He was allowed, however, to work only in a district twelve miles square. After many months he, together with several companions, made arrangements with the captain of an American boat to pick them up out at sea, and one dark and stormy night they put out in 4 an open boat. The vessel missed them in the darkness, and they drifted in their open boat for thirteen days, having nothing to eat but the fish they secured fiom the sea. At last they were picked up by the same captain with whom they had made terms. The Colonel’s troubles were not over yet, for the vessel was wrecked off the coast of Brazil, and it was many months before he saw his home again. In the meantime a pardon had been secured, and he was a free man again. Worn out by her exertions, however, the heroic wile died the following year. Colonel Wait has always been prominent in lumber circles in the Northwest, and has made and lost fortunes. He was the first editor of the Lumberman's Gazette, and for several years one of the owners of the Northwestern Lumberman, published iu Chicago.