The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-03-31

- n
| Association. "
ooooooooooooo ooooooooooooo
| was In Switzerland and about to
climb the Jungfrau when bundle of
| letters and newspapers were handed
me. While waiting for my guides !
tore open the wrapper Of the papers
and scanning one Of the journals, no
ticed a marked item stating that my
grandfather, Sherman Wellesley, aged
eighty-6ve, had married and died the
same day.
In twinkling was deposed from a
position OF heir expectant to a great
| fortune to--I did not know what. My
grandfather had bitterly opposed my
propensity to travel and especially to
climb mountains. | was his only de-
scendant, and he had long endeavOred
to induce me to settle down to the care
Of the millions which he had willed
me. He lived In constant terror lest |
should make slip on one Of my
climbs, go several thousand feet down
over Il precipice and the fortune that
had been accumulating during his life
time would go a-begging. In other
words, 1t must be left TO charity.
His intention In marrying was plain
to me. He could not have an heir
(0ther than myself, but he could have
a wife. He had doubtless lost all pa
tience with me and at the last moment
married some woman who would sup
ply my place as an heir.
| hestated what to do, but, looking
up at the glIttering top Of the white
mountain, forgot for the time all about
the fortune had lost, and. my guides
being ready. started on what proved
my last ascent. On returning to my
starting point. Interlaken, left for
home. As soon as landed wrote my
new grandmother asking for informa-
ton as to her husbands disposition Of
the property. by return mail | receiv-
ed this reply:
Your grandfather, being taken suddenly
III, concluded to destroy the will leaving
you his sole heir, not having confidence
that you would settle down and attend to
the property. Having but an hour or two
to live. there was no time to make de-
tailed will. His brain, always quick to
work, solved the problem in this wise:
Having great confidence In me, he mar
ried me on his deathbed and signed a
will comprised In few words leaving me
all his property. He, however, exacted a
promise from me that II you desired to
marry me 1 would take you for a hus-
band.
Phew! Marry my grandmother!
Well. all depended upon what kind
Of woman she was. A hope sprang
up in my breast that she might be of
suitable age for me and passably good
looking. | wrote her that | would run
up FOR conference and politely as
sured her that If she was not faVora-
bly, impressed with me would release
her from the verbal condition by de-
clining to marry her. This, fiattered
myself, was n very foxy way Of put
ting it. my real object being to decline
to take wife with a fortune II
didn't like her.
was doomed to a terrible disap-
pointment. l found my grandmother
a veritable grandmother. She was six
ty-flve years old. fat, bald and not a
tooth in her head that was her own.
cursed myself for fool 10 have de-
clined to comply with my grandfa-
theirs wishes during his life, for now
that the blow had fallen realized my
folly. 1t was evident that to save the
fortune | must marry an old woman,
and even then she would own the
property till her death, and | should
have to ask her for every penny
spent.
Having taken sufficient time to make
up my mind what course to pursue,
sounded her as to whether | could
marry her, take an allowance and
spend my time anywhere but with her
She said she would think 1t over, and
| had hope. But the next day l was
| Informed that such a course would moi
be carrying out her late husbands
wishes. He had desired that should
take care OF the property.
The medium through whom reCelv
ed this answer was Agnes Dorchester
my grandmother secretary, a young
woman not quite my age. Iadeed,
was obliged to transact everything
through this girl and 1t was not Ions
before saw plainly that Mrs. Welles
ley was completely under her thumb
This added to my chagrin. Another
had stepped IN between me and the
| fortune ! had been brought up to ex
pect would he mine, and was no
even at liberty to deal directly will
that person.
Having discovered where the power
lay. there was nothing for me to d.
but endeavor to gain such points as
wished to make through its poSsesSor
| | invited Miss Dorchester to confer
ence, In which played my best care
in an attempt to induce her to per
Suade her mistress to fuldll her prom
Use. allow me stated income and per
NIT me to live abroad,
Mrs. Wellesley" she said in repl!
to this proposition, "would not hav,
been mtrustcd with this matter wer
1t not that she was to be implicit.
trusted with carrying IT out. You
grandfather's object was to make
man Of one who was wasting his tai
ents In globe trotting."
While was disappointed, was I'm
pressed. Even this girl whom hat
begun by dislking, saw that | was no
worthy to I've trusted with fortune
fortune Of which she herself held tn
real management.
spent some time at my grandmoth
er's endeavoring to bring her to som