Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-10-12
What a Doomed
Man Did
By SALLIE MENDt1AM 49,
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

It was necessary Tor MIN 10 go u WOih
to support a widowed mother and
younger sister. He worked all day and
usually most Of the night. saving all
his mother and sister did not need and
investing it. His ambition was to ac-
cumulate competence and then enjoy
a world which he considered only en-
joyable for those who have plenty of
money. When he was twenty-five his
mother died. and soon after this his
sister married. At thirty-fve he found
himself in possession of 100000 and
no ones to provide for except himself.
Then something happened - be no.
ticed a swelling on his neck. He con-
suited a physician, who after making
an examination said to him:
"Do you wish me to tell you the
truth?''
II certainly do"
"Well, then, what you have on your
neck is either a tumor or cancer. 1t
lies directly over the jugular vein. If
it is cancer it will eat into that vein.
and you will bleed to death. If it is
tumor it will so encroach upon the
vein as to stop the flow of blood. and
you will die from that cause"
Wharton was philosophic man, and
philosophers usually have views of
their own. He concluded to spend his
money in having a good time while he
lived. But he must have companion
to enjoy it with him.
The only person whose company he
enjoyed was Miss Della Thorne.
She was poor and was getting to that
age where but few women marry.
Wharton went to see her and made
her the following proposition: If you
will marry me- he said, land join me
in the expenditure Of half my fortune
you shall have the other half when
die, which the doctor tells me will be
in about a year." And he Informed
! her of his condition.
Miss Thorne was a very self con-
tanned young woman. She sat looking
at Wharton after this singular propo-
sftion for some time without word.
| then said that she would take the mat
| ter under advisement and in a day or
two let him know her decision. This
was satisfactory to Ben. who went
away and gave that portion Of his fu-
ture no further thought until he re-
ceived her reply, which was this:
accepted on condition that you
spend half your fortune within the
! year, the other half to be settled on me
on the day Of our marriage"
Ben could understand the last part
| of this contract, but not the first part.
! Why should Della stipulate that he
| should spend what he proposed to
| spend? But he was bent on carrying
| out his design.
He did carry out his design. and his
wife helped him. His swelling gave
| him no pain. and the shadow of death
that hung over him alone prevented
! his enjoyment. His wife, whenever
! she saw that he was under the inf1u-
| ence Of his expected ending, would pro-
| pose some new pleasure. and as pleas
ure usually cost money her husbands
share of the fortune rapidly melted.
| Finally the year was up, and Ben had
spent it all.
"Whats to be done noW, Benz ask
| ed his. wife. You are still living and
no worse physically than when we
were married"
II don't know" said Ben. doubt
less have been kept up by having my
mind taken off my affection"
II think there is good deal in thai"
said his wife. IF your share Of our
fortune has kept you alive a year per-
haps my share will keep you alive an