Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-02-16
What a Doomed
Man Did
Bv SALlIE MENDHAM
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association


usually most Of the night. saving all
sis mother and sister did not need ana
investing It. Ills ambition was 10 ac-
cumulate a competence and then ENJOY
a world which he considered only en-
joyable for those who have plenty OF
money When he WAS twenty-five ms
mother died. and suon after this Us
sister married At thirty FIVE he found
himself in possession Of 100000 and
no one to provide for except himself
Then something happened - he no
ticed a swelling on his neck He CON
suited a physician, who after making
an examination said to him:
40 you wish me to tell you the
truthY
81 certainly do"
well. then, what you have on your
neck is either a tumor or cancer 1t
lies directly over the jugular vein II
it is a cancer it win 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 or
their own. He concluded to spend his
money in having good time while he
lived But he must have companion
to enjoy 1t with him
nh n,I,- ,arcnr RxsbpSp ppnnapV he
enjoyed was Miss Della Thorne.
She was .gor 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, lie said, "and 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 very self con
tanned young woman She sat looking
at Wharton after this singular propo-
sition for some time without q word.
then said that she would take the mat
ter under Amusement and in day or
two lot him know her decision. This
was satisfactory TO Ben. who went
away ANA 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 10 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 infu-
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 a good deal in that. e
said his wife. If your share Of our
fortune has kept you alive a year per
haps my share viii keep you alive an
other year. We viii continue our ex-
penditures.'
Ben looked at her, astonished. He
knew that she would much prefer to
live a quiet life. and by this PROPOSE
ton she showed that she would rather
have him for another year THAI the in
dependence guaranteed her at treir
marriage he doubted her sincerity.
THANK you very much for the re-
naming year" he said
For a month the expenditures pro
ceeded as before, Ben every day ex-
pecting that his wife would call for
reduction Not a comment escaped
her Then Ben said to her:
Della, Thought this was a business
deal between us
$50 80 was on YOUR part
Ben got up from where he was sit
ting went to her and put his arms
about her Presently he said.
Il think would like to live"