The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1915-09-02
MY ODD
UNCLE
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

would have been had il not been 70
his marriage. He was prosperous il
business affairs and accumulated ;
fortune. But no children were born I,
him during the brief period of his mar
riage, and after his separation from
his wife he never entered upon a sec
ond matrimonial adventure
l was his only male relative, anC
after hesitating for some time between
leaving his property in trust for 4
| phllanthrOpic work and leaving il Il
me he finally came TO the conclusion (,
allow it to accumulate Though nv life
time. | to establish the foundation that
he intended. But this plan was con
ungent on my agreeing not TO marry.
His proposition to me. If accepted
would give me every comfort and lux
ury so long rs | lived. but would de-
| prive me of wife and children. | did
not agree with my uncle on the sub,
Ject of matrimOny because knew that.
though splendid man. he must be a
very hard man to get on with. He
seemed to be fond of me, and if |
wanted anything had only to ask him
| Tor II. Yet | dared not oppose him IN
| any OF his prejudiceS. The difference
between me and the wife from whom
he separated was that | understood
him and had the tact to manage him.
while she failed in both these respects
My aunt was much younger than my
uncle-she was but little my senior
and, being conscious of her inability
TO get on with him. came to rely on me
to help her manage him when 10 dead
lock came between them. | was born
old and never given TO acting upon i'm
pulse, while she was sensitive and had
no faculty for going around a stone
wall instead of over it.
My uncle's proposition-which ignor-
ed my aunt-placed me In the position
or taking what belonged rightfully to
her. In making my decision | was in.
fuenced far more by what was nv
duty to her than to carry out my un.
cle's intentions.
| accepted the condition. and nv un-
Gle made his will, leaving his property
In trust to me. to have so much of
the income rs chose to appropriate to
myself, but in confederation of this |
gave my word to him that | would
never marry, and the will stimulated
that in case | did marry the property
was to pass out of my hands and the
foundation was to be established. I'm
der this condition 1t would be practi-
cally impossible for me to marry, one
OF the reasons being that | would be
obliged to drop from affluence to pow
erty, very unpleasant fall.
Before acceding to my uncle's wishes
| asked my aunt If she would disap-
prove Of my doing so. and she told me
that since she could not benefit by her
husbands property she preferred that
should do so. However. before ac-
cepting the proposition | made bold to
tell him plainly that his separation
from his wife was principally his own
fault and that he was doing her
great injustice to leave her property,
or. rather. its income. to me instead Of
to her. | expected that this would al
ter his determination. but was surprised
that it had no effect whatever to deter
him from his purpose. Indeed. 1t seemed
to confirm him I'm it.
did not promise not to turn over
a part Of the income from his es-
tate to his wife. My privilege to do so
would have satisfied me with the posi-
ton | assumed had 1t not been that |
was pledge to celibacy. Moreover.
there was a woman whom wished to !
marry. When the papers had been |
signed informed my uncle Of this fact. |
though did not tell him who that wo-
man was. He merely said, "You should |
thank me. my boy. for saving you from
4 life Of misery"
Upon the completion Of the agree |
nent my uncle gave me the position Of |
his right hand man that | might be
to manage his estate after
his death. He was certainly a very
queer man, and no one could tell what
he would do. Two years after our
compact he was taken suddenly ILL.,
He called for me and said:
IL have been told by my doctor that
have but few days at most to live.
The approach of death has made
,hange in my feelings. 1t is a part Of
new plan | have made that you
should marry"
l looked at him in establishment
When l had recovered from my sur
rise l said to him:
IF l marry there is but one woman
n the world | will make my wife"
You will marry the woman | in
end you shall marry or will make
lew will. leaving you out In the cold"
He was very weak. and knew there
vas no time to waste
Whom do you require that I shall
narry?" asked
''The woman whose life have made
My heart came up into my throat.
ut controlled any expression Of my
motion.
Have you obtained her consentT
Yes"
VERY well. l will not stand in the
ray Of your doing this last act of
1stice."
have always been balanced be-
ween two opinions as to the prime
lotive Of my uncle's act Either he
Tas so perverse that he wished to
larry me to a woman I did not love.