River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-20
WHICH GIRL?
The Provision in the Win That
Proved q Puzzler.

The Provision in the VIII That
Proved o Puzzler.
Louis WOrthington sat behind the
closed doors Of his newly-acquired Office
and struggled with his thoughts How
full of hope seemed this great wealth
that had come 20 him so unexpectedly.
after youth of mere competence And
vet the condition, No one dreamed of a
condition, not even his mother. When
his old uncle had died suddenly, and on
the reading of the will il was discovered
that Louis was sole heir, every one felt
that he must be happy Here he was IN
possession of the great iron mills and
other properties, which every one had
expected would go 10 charities, since old
Mr. WOrthingtOn had always professed
the greatest dislike for his brothers
widow and her son. There was no dis
appointed relative to make Louis life
burden. and how could he help being
content? But they did not know the
contents of that awful letter the lawyer
had handed him, marked: For my heir
to be opened Immediately after my
death" A few Instructions as TO the
mill business, deal OF advice as TO his
general conduct in fe, the grimly char
acteristic reason for his magnificent be-
quest, that If tie last Worthington
could be saved from going to the dogs,
so much the better. and then this dread
full sentence. that seemed to stand out
in letters of fire IS Louis gazed on the
blank Office wall.
ssAnd for all This, only one condition
II within six months you are not en-
gagged to be married and in one year
are not married, l shall expect you, on
your honor as a WOrthingtOn. to divide
nv property between the State Reform
School and Harvard University, for /
ion't believe man can be successful in
life unless he has a smart wife before
he is twenty-six or seven"
"A smart wife, And his nephew
thought of the poor little married
woman he dimly remembered as Aunt
Susan A smart wife, What Yankee
his uncle had been. And was that not
like him too. that he, a Connecticut man
born and bred, should leave his money
to Harvard. in case Of his nephew's de-
lection? And he had known il would
be doubly bitter for Louis. who had such
innate love for his own Alma Mater.
Yale But how could he fall in love 70
order? He was far too honorable TO
think for an instant of marriage with
out love. And vet it would almost
break his mothers heart to give up the
fortune she had so priced for her boy.
And being a healthy-minded American
young man, he had no special desire TO
give il mp, himself.
At least he need not tell her vet, and
he must try 10 find some girl he could
care for So. sitting at his uncle's old
desk. he thought over all the girls he
could remember in his bOyish days,
mechanically writing their names on a
great sheet of business-paper. After
his college life he had travelled two
wears abroad as a tutor-bear-leader, he
always called il. in college phrase-Of a
Western youth. He had enjoyed these
years, for the boy was bright, but now
the latter had come home for college.
and Just as Louis was looking for an
other position his uncle mad died SO he
could have only childish recOllectiOns
of Trainville, where he had seldom
spent a college vacation, and finally his
list narrowed down 70 three:
Virginia Black.
Mary Crawford.
Jessie Bancroft.
These he knew TO be refined and edu-
ated girls. He did not think of en-
larging his list by girls outside OF Train
willie, for he did not know one who
might fill the place he wished; and why
should he go elsewhere, anyway? One
OF these girls would do as well as any.
He sat some time longer in thought,
then tore up the sheet of paper. left the
Office. and walked rapidly home. He
and his mother still occupied the old
house until the larger one his uncle had
built should be thoroughly refitted and
ready for them His mother was only
too glad TO see him home early, and
they sat down in the shabby little
veranda that held 50 many childhood
remembrance for Louis. After little
desultOry talk the latter said:
sBut / haven't half asked after my
old scaOolmates. moth :. Where are
Allen Benton and Dick White9 Its
full, wear since I heard from either. .
When she had given him all the news
sne could Of the boys. he added-Oh, 50
carelessly:
And the girls? Virginia Black
where is she? Saucy as ever?-
Virginia. Why. she married year
and half ago. I thought ! wrote you
A New York mana really low char
seter. thought"
TOO bad he answered. sympathet-
ically, inwarily groaning: ''one chance
gomez After a moment he inquired:
And Mary CrawfOrd?''
'-Oh. she is still here. and a very pref
" girl: modest and sweet. as she always
was. do think she is as nice girl as
lever knew"
A good mark went down for Mary. and
then
Jessie Bancrofte~
Her father is United States Con-
gresham from our district Wv, you
know. and they live in Washington.
not even spending their summers here.
She's very bright and attractive, I be-
lieve, though / haven't seem her late
ly-"
Was his list TO contain but one name?
He must make one more effort.
Aren't there any newcomers? Who
has the Bancroft place."
THAT is closed; but there is one very
interesting new family here-the Ches-
ters-at the old Goodwin place. There
are three of the children. Gladys. Dot
and Joe. Gladys is twenty-five or three;
Dot, perhaps, nineteen-I don't know il
she is. quite: and Joe fifteen They are
all very pleasant Mr. Chester man
ages the cotton mills across the river
from your uncle's-yours. L mean They
were rich once, am told, but through
somebody or others rascality lost all
their property. and now only have his