The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-01-16
eAt
Odd Purposes
Dy8ELvA N. THoRNE


AG0Uyt8Uks wv - the Wootofo NOWo.
oADer Unlon.1
Martin Wolcott, bachelor. moves.
from Lisle to Clyde because he was If
debt. Mrs. L!thea Burrows. widow.
remained In the intter town for the
same reason. The coincidental sim!
aarity as to motive and environment;
went still further. Both were regard
ed as above the average As to wealth
or the prospect Of it. A third circus.
stance In this chain of sequence waH
the fact Tint Judge Award Marsh. who
had been Mrs. Burrows attorney for
ten years. became likewise the legal
adviser Of MIR. WolcOtt.
Now neither Of the two named made
any ~pretense to the iAerest Craze with
opuleace. Neither was over thirty.
aud both were healthy, a~ccreditabie and
good looking. Common ru,nor had It.
4Owever. that the fnir widow had in
herited u gold mine out West tina:
might at any time open It's vast store
OF wealth. When NJ. Wolcott came
to Clyde there followed him the report
that when u certain lawsuit he had
been figlting for five years was de,
cided, he would become the recipient
OF 4 royal fortune.
The facts were really these: The
alleged mine had never produced sc
qhuch as an ounce OF the precious
metal, and Mrs. Burrows had leased
che nifty acres involved 70. grazing
purposes at barely enough to meet tax
- and water right installments. A
TO the lawsuit, Wolcott had expended
nearly NIL he had In legal fees and
had hopeiessly abandoned any anticl-
spattons OF success ip winning 1t.
Az said. Wolcott had come to Clyde
because he was In debt. Not that his
dllsle creditors were manifesting any
collection pressure. for he was a Ia
vorite witt, everybody, but. finding
himself growing poorer and poorer, he
resolved to get down to real work.
He was u specialist In cattle diseases,
and Clyde was the center Of a large
rich farming district.
Il was ut the Office Of Judge Marsh
one day that Martin WOlcott met the
charming widow. The observing old
juristss eyes twinkled as he sensed a
mutual liking established between the
two. Il got to be &c that W0lcott be
came Z weekly visitor ut the Burrows
home. They were vastly pleased with
each other and the prospective match
met with the approval OF their friends.
Nrx. Burrows had made some in
'Quiry regarding Mr.. WOlcott. It waS
" receive exaggerated intelligence 10
% the wonderful lawsuit that would
place him so high above her In the
way OF wealth that her heart failed
her. WOtcott did the same thing. He
became Respondent and hopeless when
ne heard about the unleyelOpeh Cob
.cenda liz the Rockies which would
vneke Of Mrs. Burrows . social queen,
who would naturally dlsdain the at
tentIona - I poor and obscure individ-
nal like ltmxeif.
WOlcott began to curtafl his calls
'upoa NH. BURROWS and the latter in
tduenred ~ this and ! realization Of
tn vast gulf between them. tried to
poot 0nt the love that might bring only
diSapp0lntugent and sorrow. They had
not oeen one another for two weeks,
when they came face to face IN the
-01lco .Of Judge Marsh. Each acted NJ
Je their relations were strained. The
1ud9e was not IN evidence. but they
decided to walt Tor him. A quick ten
sderueas permeated the sensitive heart
~ tNe aysnpataetic widow AZ she no.
ttced that WOlcott looked tlaln and
worried.
s*YOu do mot seem - well ~ when
Z Iast NV you. lr. Wolc0tt." she said.
4Ifnat - bee ause I haven't seen 20
much of you." replied Wolcott
41untly.
~ not that your faulti" softly
lkllnfated the blushing widow. 'Surs-
- y6jf havs been always welcome at
~ boule.s
hav0 MT with such kindly cOn-
n6eeetEon. answered Wolcott IN I'm
Gtndy tnneo, that I dared not c0n
<12ano ~ vlsits because / fOresaw that
= conad cnd only n benlshment.s
How strangely yOu speak" she
f&tfqeeds
nnrtoss, I nm ! plain man."
- Wole6ft sesSoasly. III will Be no
n1Ws ~ you 10 know that You are to
- ~ : woman n, the world ! re-
acvct, adnlre and cherish. II y only
eocentiy that 1 leerned cf your pros