The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-16
What a Doomed
Man Did
By SAuIE MENDHAM
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

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 &C.
cumulate competence and then enjoy
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 be 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:
"Do you wish me to tell you the
truth?'
II certainly do"
"Well, then, what you have on your
neck is either tumor or cancer. It
lies directly over the jugular vein. If
it is a cancer it will eat into that vein,
and you will bleed to death. II it is a
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 a Miss Della Thorne.
She was poor and was getting to that
age where but few women marry.
Wharton went to sec her and made
her the following proposition: III you
will marry me-" he said. land join me
In the expenditure Of half my fortune
you shall have the other half when l
die which the doctor tells me will be
in about year" And he informed
her Of his condition. %
Miss ThOrne was very self con-
tanned young woman. She sat looking
at Wharton efter this singular propo-
sition for some time without a word,
then said that she would take the mat
ter under Amusement and in 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. ~'saa-a~-~''~"'-
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 influ-
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 l have been Kept up by having my
mind taken off my affection"
Il think there is good deal in that"
said his wife. IF your share of our
fortune has Kept you alive year per-
haps my share will keep you alive an!
other year. We will continue our ex-
penditures."
Ben looked at her, astonished. He
knew that she would much prefer to
live quiet life, and by this PROPOSE
ton she showed that she would rather
have him for another year than the in
dependence guaranteed her at their
marriage. He doubted her sincerity.
Thank you very much for the re-
naming year." he said.
For month the expenditures pro-
ceeded as before. Ben every day ex-
pecting that his wife would call for
a reduction. Not a comment escaped
her Then Ben said to her:
Della, thought this was business
deal between us"
$50 it was on your part"
Ben got up from where he was sit
ting. went to her and put his arms
about her. Presently be said:
II think l would like to live"
II wish you could"
Maybe that doctor was wrong after
ALL"
81 don't know anything about that"
Il think I'll try another"
He did try another and another. In
deed, he tried a number, but they all
told him the same story as the first.
At last he found specialist who re-
ferred all bodily troubles to one cause.
This cause happened to hit Wharton's
case. The doctor said that something
was dragging him down. If he could
be relieved Of that something he would
have more strength to throw of dis.