The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1900-11-24
WON BACK LOST FORTUNE.
How = Nervy Philadelphia hoy Re-
covered the Estate Left by
Ills Father.

church OF Germantown. was one OF the |
best-known clergymen IN Philadelphia, |
and was hooked upon as one OF the
wealthiest in the Presbyterian minis
| try. With his wife, highly cultured
and educated woman, and his son,
William n. otingcr. ten years Of age,
he lived handsomely. almost luxurious
ly. in one Of the most artist oeratie sec.
tions Of Germantown, says the Chicago
| Chronicle.
DR.. Ottinger was popular among his
parishioners, and his death. coming
suddenly and Unexpectedly. proved
shock which. In its saddening effects,
was not merely confined to the pretty
suburb in which his best efforts had
been eXerted.
A second shock came later when Il
was discovered by his will that his
estate was in decidedly muddled con.
dition- The property was distributed
literally to the four winds, and it was
not long before controversies arose as
TO the legal right of the widow and son
to several disputed claims somewhere,
no one seemed to know exactly where,
in the far west.
Shortly after the temporary settle
ment of the estate the wife and son va
Gated their handsome residence, and
moved TO less pretentous apartments.
Dame rnmor had IL that the income
left the bercaved ones was insufficient
to maintain them in the style TO which
they had previously been accustomed.
and that, in fact, their means were now
decidedly limited.
II was while gossip was at It's lowest
ebb that hopes ran highest in the
breast of Mrs. Ottinger. William was
then mere boy. but his youthful am.
bitions and castle buildings had dis.
covered plan OF action TO the strug-
Cling mother, and she managed ac-
cordingly. Each succeeding year
found her still struggling. and each
succeeding year found her hopes near
er realization, her son nearer his ma
tnrity.
All these years OF waiting, however
had greatly impaired the circum.
stances OF the ottingers, and when VIII
liam reached his nineteenth birthday
things had become desperate. Then
Mrs. Ottinger disclosed her plans 10
her son.
Two weeks later he resigned. his po.
sition in the book department OF q
large store, and, taking his bicycle
along. started for North Dakota, de.
termined TO trace and find the proper.
ties over which the lawyers had been
arguing pro and CON for years.
Nearly week later a tired youth
a1ighted al lonely little railroad sta
ton in North Dakota, 4, $50 miles from
home, and that night William 0tiingei
experienced his first taste OF western
life. That the taste waSnot altogether
pleasant TO him, used as he had beer
an his life TO eastern civilization, car
be easily imagined
In the many wearisome days that fol-
lowed. each marked by It's constantly
attendant disappointments, young OF
finger plodded from town to town
Each meager clew that his persever.
ance brought to light was run dogged'
ly to earth again before its evanescence
compelled IL 10 be abandoned
Thus he worked from day 10 day
with no encouragement for the NOR
row. He blamed his nonsuccess, how.
ever, to lack of experience on his
part. lie stroye while days grew into
weeks and weeks into a month, until
one afternoon, while knocking about
in Grand Forks, be stumbled upon n
new clew that demanded disentangling
81 Il
heart he realized his energies were at
last aiming toward the proper goal
At last, with a degree Of satisfac'
ton, born only from n knowledge Of
! having performed task well, he noti'
fed his mother in Philadelphia that he
had accomplished his quest, and that
the boundaries OF three Of the richest
farms in North Dakota had been estab-
lished beyond any further opportunity
for squabbling among the eastern
lawyers. The titles were proved clear
and with copies Of the deeds in bis pos
session young Ottinger turned his face
homeward.
1T was al this juncture, when his
hopes seemed brightest, that a new oh
stacle confronted the youth. The In
voluntary lengihiness Of his western
search had seriously depleted hii
finances, and be found that his re
naming money was far from being
sufficient 10 carry him again across
The states.
In an hour the brave boy outlined {
plan, and the next day he started from
Grand Forks on his bicycle. determined
to travel as far east as the dnra bihty Cd
rubber and steel would permit the
wheel 10 carry him. As the 1,5o0-milt
mark was being clicked off by his cyclic.
meterth the wheel met with mishap, and
Ottinger was once more facing df.
lemma. The difficulty was but tenn.
porsry, however. for the young man
found that his pilgrimage awheel had
brought him TO point whore the rail
: road rates and his remaining finances
adjusted themselves admirably. Short.
! ~ after making this discovery he was
hurrying home as fast as steam propul
sion could carry him.
|
Uncle SANS Chinese Title.
The United States is known in China
| CT K..a he kaoufff.tl ..oa,,,