The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-10-21
A Martial
Overtllrning
By MARTHA v. MONROE


the United States Naval academy and
commissioned as midshipman. During
the graduating exercises a number Of
young girls aocked to Annapolis. and
there was q love affair between the
young midshipman and one of them.
Ethel Mansfield was barely eighteen.
and at that age few girls are worldly
wise. But 1t Is question whether
any man or woman in love can possess
wisdom. Her father was we'll to do,
and money was no object to her. To
tell the truth, she had no idea Of its
value. What she wanted was the mid
shipman.
Caldwell confessed his infatuation to
one Of the professors Of the academy
who had taken an interest in him. and
the latter said to him:
III you intend to make the navy
your profession you should not marry,
certainly not till you have attained to
one Of the higher grades. Until then
you will be continually cut of from
your wife and children. You will be
tempted to resign, and it will be too
late for you to adopt another profess
sion. If you give up your commission
you will likely sink into poverty I'M
less your wife has fortune, in which
case you will occupy position that
will soon pail on you"
But Caldwell was in love, and love
is the strongest Of the passions. He
married Ethel Mansfield. and when
the first child came the separation
from his wife and the little stranger
was not to be endured, and he resigned
from the navy.
Two years from the date of his res
ignation. one day after his wife had
upbraided him for living on an income
produced by property left her by her
father he disappeared from his home.
The day after his departure his wife
received a note from him saying that
he had found his position of unpro-
ductiveness unbearable.
Mrs. Caldwell was tempted to write
her husband that if he would return
to her and their child she would place
her fortune in his hands, as if it were
his instead Of hers. But the sense of
possession deferred her. She could not
bear to give up, even to her husband,
What was hers. She failed to write
the letter. and in time he drifted from
her whereabouts and become an I'M
known quantity. In this she made
mistake. Caldwell was possessed Of
ability. That ability should have been
utilized by his wife. Since she con-
sidered it preferable to get on without
it, in time it was purchased by Others
His knowledge Of naval construction
was bought by manufacturing cor
poration. and he soon became indis-
pensable to his employers When a
new corporation was formed and he
was offered an enormous salary, with
shares OF the stock, if he would super
| intend its constructive work he accept
ed the proposition and from that time
was in receipt Of an income much
larger than his wife had.
Whether this husband and wife kept
track Of each other does not appear.
So long as there were good times"
and Mrs. Caldwelrs securities paid
dividends she congratulated herself
upon being an excellent business man.
ager, but when a commercial panic
came round and her income was cut
In half she found that she should have
reinvested certain Of her holdings.
Then for the first time she discovered
that business affairs troubled her. She
needed some one to cOnti,le in, some
one to consult But no one seemed in
clined to take the responsibility of adj
vising her. much less to act for her.
She finally agreed to give relative of
hers a salary for managing her af-
fairs. The result was that the balance
Of her property passed into his pos
session.
One day Edward Caldwell received
note from the president Of the trust
whose manufacturing department Cald-
we'll was managing asking if he could
use another stenographer. If so, he
would like to secure position for a
woman whom he could recommend.
Caldwell replied that he needed one to
take his personal dictation. The re-
SuiI was ludL Iuc ueAI IllOEllluS Cu0
person referred to walked into Mr..
Caldwell's private office. She stopped
on the threshold. Caldwell was tigur-
ing at his desk and did not see her.
She stood with her eyes fixed upon
him for few moments; then was
about to withdraw when he looked up.
She was his wife.
"For heavens sake, Ethel" he ex-
claimed, what brings you here?"
She said not word, but held out
card on which was written. "The lady
whom have recommended for ste
nographer"
''Your fortune! Surely you do not
need to work?''
call gone"
"And you have had the nerve to be-
gin to support yourself as l began to
wrestle with the business world after
1 had
II was wrong. l should have turn
ed over everything to you"
Caldwell pondered for a moment be-
fore replying.
perhaps and perhaps not. Unfortu-
naetly the world, or, rather, Provi-
dence, does not permit US to run to
Of iv hox ,11o