disposed to send me out to India. ... At present I am per- S 

 plexed what to do ... if I can lease or sell our house here. 

 ... I hope you may have a good time geologizing. Only 

 today did I carefully look over your Pandora [the college 

 paper]. It is very good. 



I will keep my eye open for books or magazines with articles 

 on Progress of Medical Science. I interviewed President Harper 

 the other day on the chances of your getting a fellowship . . . 

 Should you teach Biology or Natural Science somewhere for 

 a year, you might secure one. Or you might spend a year at 

 Chicago University in special postgraduate study, and work 

 into it. If you were "a good fellow" you might after three 

 months get money from the students' aid fund. It would cost 

 300 a year and you could probably make one half of that by 

 rendering some kind of service. . . . 



Though importuned of the sisters to spend his Christmas 

 holidays, "perhaps for the last time together" with the family 

 in Chicago, young Wherry decided not — in order to save 

 the railroad fare. The father answered : 



I am in receipt of your letter saying you think you will stay 

 over at W & J for vacation. I appreciate your plan & your 

 motive and while we should like to have you here, I believe 

 you are wise. We do need to practice economy & if you can 

 save money this way, you had better do it. Could you not get 

 a little tutoring to do to help along? 



Nellie says she sent you a check for $25.00, so you will be 

 set up. Let me know what fees have to be paid & when, and 

 wishing you prosperity in study & a happy Xmas & New 

 Year . . . 



To this letter was appended a rather terrifying postscript: 



Dr A — 's son W — disappeared two weeks ago and he has 

 not a single clue as to his whereabouts. The chances are, if 

 he is alive, he is in a troupe of actors or has gone to Cuba. 

 He has well-nigh killed his mother & his father will be grayer 

 for it. 



Things had not brightened much as the first month of 1 897 

 waned. Young Wherry, now in the home stretch for his degree, 

 received the following from his father : 



