River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-03-24

to pursue his profession in Abbeyyille
it must be confessed that he had oc-
cupied larger place in Nettie's
thoughts and day dreams than was
safe for such an ardent member of
a Bachelor Girls trust.
While Jack was deciding on the sit
uation for his Office and apartments
he stayed at the Williams. residence.
One must be civil to a cousin, even
if he is a distant one and you are
a prominent member of a Bachelor
Girls trust. So Nettie accepted many
invitations to walk and ride with her
big, athletic-looking cousin. Jack
Wilson was not a believer in pro-
crastination. When he wanted any
thing he wanted it very badly and
very quickly. And one evening, as
they were returning from drive, he
asked Nettie a question, question
she had been longing, yet half afraid
to have him ask. And then Nettie
suddenly remembered her half-forgot-
ten duty, her solemn, but unheeded
VOW as a member of the AbbeyVille
Bachelor Girls trust.
Fortunately Jack Wilson was law
yer, and still more fortunately, as ne
assured Nettie, he had made spe-
cial study of the antitrust laws.
He pointed out the danger Nettie had
run in joining a combination which
was so plainly illegal. The Sherman
law, the laws to prevent the restraint
of traffic, innumerable state and fed
eral laws explicitly pronounced sucn
O. trust as that of the Bachelor Girls
to be illegal, as striking at the dear
est rights and privileges of free-born
American citizens which had been
guaranteed them by the constitution.
Nettie in terror crept closer to Jack
and slipped her hand in his. Would
she be arrested, cast into jail, per-
haps sent to prison for life Tor ner
fragrant disobedience of the Sherman,
the interstate commerce and other
Notwithstanding laws? But JACK
assured her that he would look after
her legal rights. Only-otherwlse all
his efforts in her behalf would be
null and Void-he must first collect
his fees. But as bad luck would have 1t,
nd Jack was collecting the afore-
sid fees in spite Of Nellie's slight re-
sistance, the buggy swept out or the
shadows into the glare OF an electric
light. There Oh the crosswalk, under
the light, were three devoted and loyeI
members of the Bachelor Girls trust.
The next meeting of the trust was
the most stormy in the course OF its
existence. Nettie was denounced as
traitor to the cause and the trust.
She was charged with rank disloyalty.
In vain did she plead that she had
simply been seeking legal advice for
the benefit Of the trust. The denunci-
atoms continued. At last Nettie lost
her temper. Worms, il trampled
upon, will turn; and if worms why
not pretty girls? Nettie rose in her
wrath and threw a bombshell into the
meeting by announcing that Laura
Hopkins, the president and founder or
the trust, had set an example OF dts
loyalty, that she had made up her
quarrel with, the man who had
thought her as near perfect as a girl
might be, that, so far from discour-
aging him, she had by her conduct
helped confirm him in this belief.
The faltering members of the trust
turned to Laura in impatient ex-
pectance of an indignant denial from
her lips. But alas, the bushes and
embarrassment of Laura proved that
the president and founder of the Alb
beyville Bachelor Girls trust had set
the example of disloyalty.
With treachery within and tempta-
ton without the trust was plainly
doomed to failure. Nothing was left
except to formally disband. No res
olution of censure was upon Nettie.
Instead she left the meeting in tri-
umph, arm in arm with the late presi-
dent. The young men of Abbeyville,
however, warned by the danger which
they had SO narrowly escaped by the
downfall of the trust, were discreet
in their triumph and individually and
collectively tried to prove that the
need for such an offensive and defen-
sive alliance had passed The result
was that none of the fair founders of
the trust seemed to regret it's untime
ly end. And Nettie was least of all
regretful.
when you put up your Office sign"
she said, shyly, to Jack, sit ought to
read Jack Wilson, Attorney and
Trust Breaker"
But Jack modestly demurred taking
all the credit.
Il was only a humble instrument"
he said, softly, trying to look into
Nettie's eyes. ''The really responsible
party was an old and determined enc
my of bachelor girls trusts-a little
fellow by the name of Cupid"