Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-11-09
Legal
Matritl1ony
1t Was Found Essential
to a Fortune.
By F. A. Mitchell

Either you shall marry Helen Gray
or will leave the property to your
Cousin Edgar. Here are two wills,
one in your favor, the other in favor of
Edgar. If within one month you are
not welded to Helen, will destroy the
will leaving oil to you. On your we'd
ding day will destroy the one leaving
the estate to Edgar, making you sole
beneficiary"
Thus spoke Martin Travers to his
son, Walter. The elder Travers was Il
man Of strong will, and his son had
inherited it from him. The fortune
had been accumulated by the father
and his partner, William Gray, largely
by Travers' logged perseverance
Gray was milder man, and Travers
in time came to regard him as super
n11merary to the business. Travers
had then forced him out; Gray had
died in poverty, and Travers con
science smote him. .He proposed now
to make what restoration he could-in
his own way-by uniting the property
after his death in his son, Walter
Travers, and Gray's daughter and
only child, Helen.
GLOW do you know that the girl will
have me?" asked Walter.
81 don't, but have little doubt the
match can be arranged. She will not
be likely to throw a half interest in
100000 over her shoulder, especially
since she is obliged to earn her own
living"
every we'll, father. l will think the
matter over and let you know my de
cision."
Mr.. Travers had another reason for
his action in this matter. He knew
that his son was in dangerous posi-
ton. Walter had fallen under the in
huence of woman ten years older
than himself, his inferior socially, IN
tellectually-indeed in every way. Tn.
known to the son, the father had tried
to buy her off, but was not wtl!iN,, Ia
pay her price, she believing that she
could get the boy and the fortune as
well, for she held him enthralled.
| Walter was of that dangerous age
| when a man is liable to become infat
| uated with any woman, good OF ba.!
Nevertheless there We're In him tho
germs of good sense. Instead OF going
| to the woman who had fascinated hin
to pour their mutual trouble in her eal
and ask her advice, he concluded K
go to Helen Gray, tell her the whole
story and make her proposition ht
had in mind.
1t was not a very pleasant statemen
to make, but Travers had prepared
himself for it and got on better than
might have been expected: He liz.
gered longer than necessary on the pre-
liminary statement in order to get u;
his courage for the main Announce
ment.
Miss Gray listened to him attentive
ly and without any especial eSpressio
of word or countenance until he tol
her of his love for another woml.
Then a look of disappointment cara
over her face.
.And now" he said, having prepare
VIC way lOl LIS l'icl'Ofoilioi, t>i:
gest that we be legally and only legal!
married. l mean to accede to IN
fathers stipulation. BY such na,
rage we will obtain a fortune. whic
we must forego without it,"
There was long silence betwee
the two, which was at last broken b
Miss Gray.
81 honor you, Mr.. Travers,' ST
said, "for your frankness, and you al
acting with common honesty In NJ
laying a plan to obtain fortune III
der false pretenses. will take Wht
you have said under consideration.
have the advantage Of you in this
am fancy free"
In due time Miss Gray wrote M
Travers that she had decided to a
cept his proposition. "a statement ,
my reasons for doing so," she wrot
would be very bard to make. B
sides, they have not been called 70
Under the circumstances what yo
propose is the only alternative bot
for you and for me between fortur
and poverty"
Upon receipt Of this note Walter Il
formed his father that he had pr
posed to Miss Cray and had been a
) cepted. Mr.. Travers asked if the ma
, rage would be bona f1de, and Waltz
> informed him that it would be lega
Travers after some thought said TIL
: If the parties would agree not to hay
the marriage annulled or get divor,
within five years he would be sati
= fed. Walter assented, stating that
/ was not his intention to get either {
nnnullment or divorce at any tim
But he confessed that he reserved tt
right to love any woman other ths
Y his wife. There was a suspicion of
e smile on his fathers face as he a
7. sented to this provision.
y Walter Travers and Helen Gray we
married without his saying anythil
to his inamorata about his comil
. marriage. The wedding took pla
q privately of an afternoon, and Il
| I,,,fI