Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-05
THE UNION OF;
TWO ESTATES
(Original.]


pie of opposite sexes owning adjoining
estates are induced by their elders to
marry, thus carrying out the modern
commercial plan Of community of
interest,"" and so it was in this case.
Towle went to college, then travelled
abroad Miss De Veaux, after COM
pleting her education, chafed that she
had been born rich. She pinned for
vocation.
One June day Towle was wandering
about his grounds and before he knew
it found himself in the De Veaux es-
tates. A young woman in the costume
OF q trained nurse was resting on "a
board seat between two trees reading
or studying. Towle. who had been
carried through long illness by one of
this PROFESSION and had a great ad-
miration for them as a class, raised his
hat politely.
Il beg PARDON" he said. "Will you
tell me who is i'll at the house?
She hesitated to reply.
mo NATTER" he added. II have no
right to pry into family secrets"
Indeed. I have-I mean we have
not been informed Of her Illness"
"Why should you be informed?"
1t occurred to Towle to play a part
and learn something about the lady
whose interests and his were identical.
"Well, am Mr.. Towle's business
man, secretary, general utility man.
He lives on the adjoining estate Had
heard of Miss De Veaux,s illness l
should have suggested the propriety of
bis writing to express his concern. He
would have directed me to write
letter, and in this case he would have
copied it in his own 'hand and sent it
to Miss De Veaux"
"Bless me. Is that the way these
rich people express sympathyY
"Usually"
But thought there was some talk
of Mr.. Towle's marrying Miss De
Veaux. How could he be so coldly
methodical with her?'
HE has never seen her His family
has long owned it's estate here, hers
only few years, during which both
Mr.. Towle and Miss De Veaux have
been getting an education"
II see. Doesn't he rather shrink
from such a cold blooded union?
Hes practical fellow, with no
romantic nonsense about him."
''Then he's not like Miss De Veaux,
who is in full sympathy with that 70.
nance which is at the bottom of every
true heart"
II am surprised. supposed Miss
De Veaux was rather practical. I
have heard that she is proposing when
she comes into this estate to organize
staff to assist her in devoting her
immense income to practical charity"
"Her postgraduate education, so to
speak, is directed with that end in
view"
Towle sat down on the other end of
the board and beat the grass with his
cane.
II wouldn't suppose" he said, that
Mr.. Towle would care to marry that
sort of woman. They are very well
to admire at distance, but they don't
work we'll in double harness"
6 I'm quite sure Miss De Veaux
wouldn't care to marry a man who
would write her a letter of sympathy
drawn by his business man."
Towle sat for a few minutes with a
sober look on his face, then turned to
the nurse with a smile. 1--WE are set
Ting the affairs of our betters as
though they were our own. Suppose
we drop them and chat about other top
les that ID, If you don't mind making
an acquaintance in this way"
"A trained nurse can't be squeamish."
The pair talked for an hour. then
parted, to meet when the nurse came
of duty for an hour of recreation the
next day. In this way they kept up a
series Of meetings for several weeks.
Meanwhile Towle had sent q letter of
sympathy with flowers to Miss De
| Veaux, asking to be allowed to call as
soon as she was able to receive callers.
One day he received formal note
signed by Miss Edna Knapp, Miss De
Veaux's secretary, informing him that
she was quite recovered and would be
pleased to see him. Towle was some
what startled at this method Of. COM
munisa don. but Miss De Veaux might
be still too weak to do her own CORE
spondence. He did not much care, FOR
be had been captivated by her nurse.
When Wadsworth Towle was usher
ed into the drawing room where Helen
De Yeaux, arrayed in plain but becom-
ing costume, awaited him he started.
Miss De Veau1 and her trained nurse
we're one and the same person.
Pardon me sending you note
through nay secretary. Mr.. EoWle. I
should have madef an except ionn to my
rule II 1our case, but since your note
lsof cond g nae :csps from Jear