The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-26
A Fortune Lost
BY EDWARD T. STEWART

Tom" said my uncle, I'm going to
leave you all my property. | shall nor
live year. that | know, and | wish to
have an understanding with you before
90. We hear Il great deal about the
advantage Of a young man sowing his
wild oats before marriage There's no
art in sowing wild oats at all. and |
wish YOU to marry young. So impor.
tant do | consider this that have put
a proviso in my will that, in order to in
herit, you must be married before you
are twenty-five years old. On that day
if you are married my estate will be
turned over to you
Yes, uncle" was all l said. but it
was not all felt. | was then twenty
two, which was old enough TO under
stand the peculiar position | might be
placed in by my uncle's wa How
ever, there was still at least three
years in which to find partner, so
did not worry.
My uncle lived two years after what
he had said to me. 1t was not known
that | was to be his heir, | alone pos
sessing the secret of the condition.
Naturally if | married | desired that
my bride should take me for myself
alone. This may have been a romantic
view to take of the matter, but in those
days | was given to romance. Since
then | have taken on more practical
views of marriage. Indeed, the day
was welded | learned this lesson
] was within six months of twenty.
five when | met Jennie Tisdae. She
was very feminine. very pretty. and |
said to myself | had found the girl
with whom | may enjoy my uncle'S
fortune. A number of young men were
ready to marry her; but. so far as |
knew, she had not yet settled Oh any of
them. | began to show her marked at
tention, and she appeared pleased with
it. She didn't cast Off others who were
attentive to her, but gave me the pref.
erence in the matter of making en-
gagements.
| had been brought up with my
cousin, Kate ChamhleSs, and relied
much upon her Judgment. told her
that | was considering a proposal and
arranged meeting between the two
girls with Il view to getting Rates
opinion of Jennie. But Kate wouldn't
give it, She said that in such matters
1t was not wise to interfere. ! had
doubtless made up my mind to marry
Jennie if she would have me. and if
oh lnoU ~ In IN
do 50 she would surely fail.
This was not encouraging, but true.
At any rate, despite Rates want of
approval, | proposed to Jennie. She
was some time making up her mind to
accept me, but finally yielded When
she did so there were four months left
before my twenty-ffth birthday. |
was somewhat anxious on account of
this limit of time, for my fiancee seem
ed to find it hard to give up the at
tentions of her other admirers If she
should fail me | might lose my for
tune.
This state of anxiety lasted up to
within a few weeks of our wedding
day, appointed for week before |
would receive my fortune One day.
when | dropped I'm to see my fiancee,
| found a note from her stating that
one of her bosom friends had been
suddenly taken i'll and was lying at
the point Of death. Jennie had gone
to her. but would return at the earliest
possible moment.
This was within ten days of our
wedding day, and / was worried.
Jennie. not knowing how important
was our marriage within a given time,
might remain with her sick friend If
so it would he too late. She left no
address for me or | would have writ
ten urging her on no account to remain
away.
One can imagine my feelings at eX-
periencing such an uncertainty. / went
to Jennies home and asked her moth
er for her address, or that she would
write her; that l insisted on her re
turn mt once for our wedding. Mrs.
Tisdale seemed to be concealing some.
thing from me, but promised to write
her daughter. No further word came
from Jennie, and the day before my
twenty-fifth birthday | was without Il
bride
In a fit of desperation | went to my
cousin Kate and told her of the straits
l was in, confessing that if were not
married before noon the next day
would lose my inheritance.
II would advise you" she said. mot
to rely on your tiancee. For my part, l
question if she has not gone off with
Scoville"
"Scoville"'
| "Yes. His attentions to her since you
have been engaged to her have beer
very noticeable"
Heavens. What shall | do?"
Select some good steady girl of Xoul
i Send Your Children tO