The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-20
A Well Constructed
Plan
Conceived In Life and Car.
ried Out After Death
BY F. A. mitchell

! BY F. A. mitchell !
Edward Travers was left an orphan
when he was unable to take any care
Of himself whatever. but be was we'll
taken care of. He lived with the
family Of \ clergyman who took espe-
cial pains to bring him up properly.
and. as for education. most Of the time
he taught the boy himself. When Ned
passed to an age where 1t might be
expected he would be curious as to his
antecedents he asked the clergyman
about them. The only reply he re-
ceived was that his father had left
detailed instructions with regard to
the cours to be pursued with his son.
but they were to be communicated to
him only as each link in the chain of
the plan came up.
One day the man who had thus far
had the ARE Of the boy said to him:
"You are now prepared for college aud
my work in your education is ended.
1t was arranged on your coming to
us that when your college preparation
should be completed | was to notify a
certain person to that effect. who
would provide the mean to give you
a university education"
Must | 20 to cOllege?"
"You must follow the course laid u
for you or provide for yourself. II
you refuse to do the former you will
make a sacrifice. | have written the
person it is my duty to notify that you
will enter college in June next. You
will hear from her within a few days
"Her? Who is she?"
II have only her name. Miss Arabella
Twitchell. Your father. | have been
told. was a very methOdiral business
man. who thought out every step to
be taken in what concerned him in ad-
vance. Those about him never thought
Of asking him questions. but followed
his directions to the letter"
Ned received this information with
deep thought. He did not like being
ground out through 4 mill like a pound
Of coffee He waited impatiently for
4 communication from Miss Twitcb-
ell. When it came It brought no
more Information than was absolutely
essential. 1t informed him that he was
to enter q certain college. where he
was to follow q certain course Of study
which had been infinitely laid out for
him. He noticed that the subjects
would give him q general though not
q classical education.
One thing Miss Twitchell warned
him against-the forming Of any matri-
monial alliance. "Your future career
IL provided for in every particular"
she wrote. ''even in the matter Of .
wife. But this can only be In ~
the young lady It has been arranged
you shall marry Is living when you
have reached the age Of twenty-one.
If she Is dead. You will be at liberty to
marry whom you please"
Young Travers was not more affected
by this part Of what had been provided
for him than any other. At the time
he was Informed Of it he a seven
teen years old and had 10 sweetheart
Consequently the effect upon him was
different from what It would have
been had he been older and not fancy
free. There was romance in there be-
ing q girl in the world who was to be
his wife. he wondered what she was
like. BE pictured her according to his
fancy. q willowy creature with golden
hair and mild blue eyes. She vi
amiable. kind. loving. The likeness he
had drawn in his imagination was the
last object be saw before going to
sleep at night and the lrst when he
awoke In the m0rning-that ID. when
be was not especially interested in
something tangible.
Edward Travers during his student
days vas in no great danger Of break
ing In upon what his father had pre-
arranged for him 50 far Al marriage
was concerned. College students are
at q mating age. but they seldom
~. In the first place. they are not al
lowed to marry by the college laws: In
the second. their time IL spent with
members Of their own sex. and In the
third few Of them have the means
with which to support q wife. Be this
as it may. Ned Travers went through
the course without forming any espe-
cial attachment with q girl. though be
had hosts Of friends Of his Owl rel
Just before graduating be wrote to
Miss Twitchell to ask what was the
next thing IN the program that had
been laid out for him. To his surprise
the reply anne back. Marriage" Why
he should be married before entering
upon his life's work he could not IN
derstand. And what al would be
have on which to support q wife2
Surely some income would BE- provided.
But would 1t come from the girl be
was to marry or property that be
would inherit?
This matrimonial part Of his career
now began to loom up before him IN its
true importance. It had ceased to be