Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
The Wheel of Fortune.
IOriginal.1

would have nothing to do with bust
ness. When the Spanish American war
came on he enlisted, went to Cuba and
came back in command of his cOmpa-
ny. Eugene was like the father, with
an eye single to the accumulation of
wealth. They were both bent on fnon-
ey making.
Prior to going to Cuba Sumner Co
nant had paid some attention to Ger
trude Evans, a lovely girl with no for
tune. But as Sumner was poor and
his father had repeatedly told him that
If he didn't mend his ways-which
meant choosing a career indicated by
the old mamie would cut him off in
his will the boy let the matter with
the girl go by default. In the excite
ment of war he forgot all about her
and on his return found her engaged to
his brother. Eugene meanwhile had
gone to the orient on a business mis-
sion for his father. Sumner had not
been at home a week before his father
suddenly died of apopleXy, leaving all
his property to Eugene. This left
Sumner out in the cold and was rare
turn of fortune in Gertrude Evans ia
yor But another sudden turn of for
tune soon followed. The vessel on
which Eugene was returning to Ameri-
ca was lost at sea, and all on board
persisted. This gave the COnant prop
erty TO Sumner as sole remaining heir
at law, and Gertrude remained poor.
1t occurred to Sumner that with a
fine fortune he might have a very
pleasant life visiting Europe, hunting
big game in India and Africa and such
other occupations that were attractive
to him. But considering that his for
tune had SO narrowly missed going to
his brothers fancee he thought he
should do something for her. After
thinking the matter over he concluded
to offer her half of the property. The
offer he MADE by note. He was great
~ astonished to receive by return mail
a refusal to accept the gift.
Then after much reflection Sumner
made UP his mind to offer himself with
the half he proposed to give, thinking
that the gift being, as it were, legiti-
matted, the girl might feel warranted
in accepting it. Since such PROPOSE
ton to one who was supposed to be
mourning for his brother was a deli
cate one to put, he concluded to do as
he had done in the first case-write 1t.
He wrote ten letters before he prOduc-
ed one he was willing to send The
reply was, as before, a refusal. No
reason was mentioned, but Sumner nat
inf Saf or
lost brother was an obstacle.
But the more Sumner thought about
the matter the more it puzzled him.
Here was q girl without cent in the
world declining the half of large for
tune either with or without husband.
He thought he would write begging her
to permit him to do something for her
with fortune that had SO nearly been
hers instead of his. But he concluded
to stop writing letters and to go and
see her. He did so and was received
very graciously. He stammered some
incoherent excuses about trespassing
on her grief with his affairs, but she
stopped him to tell him that his con-
duct had been very noble and that she
had been deeply impressed by his I'M
selfish action. He tried hard to intro
duce another offer, but found it impos-
sible to frame one that he considered
sufficiently delicate When he left her,
somehow he felt as if he had deprived
her of what rightfully belonged to her
and there was no pleasure for him in
his Inheritance. He fretted and brood
ed, seeing her occasionally to make
some new proposition which was a.
ways declined, till at last he made the
discovery that he was desperately in
love with her. Then he went to her
and told her that If she didn't marry
him he would blow out his brains.
Then she consented to take the matter
under consideration
Soon after the making of this propO-
sitiOn SO well fitted to enter the lady's
comprehension she received a note
from lawyer saying that If she
would come and see him he would tell
her something to her advantage. She
called upon him, and he Informed her
that he had received by mail from
Bombay a letter from Eugene Conant
mailed the day before he sailed for
home containing a VIII leaving all his
property to her. At the time he signed
the will he supposed himself to be
possessed of only few thousand dol
lars, but since his father had died the
day before he had inherited the COnant
fortune. The letter had come through
the mails with no great delay. The
loss of the ship in which Eugene sailed
was reported by cablegram from Alden
two days after the disaster occurred.
Upon the receipt of this news Miss
Evans returned to her home and wrote
Sumner Conant a note informing him
that. after all, she was the heiress to
the Conant fortune and offered him
half of the property. He wrote declin-
ing the offer. She then wrote offering
herself and half the property. This
offer was also declined. She waited a
few days, then invited him to come
and see her.