Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-12
HOW A WIFE WAS WON.

TtcO .SHitOrs for q CoIOred Girls Hand
Proving Which Was the "TangjbEest."
The Philadelphia Times publishes an
groes to determine which should obtain
the hand in marriage Of a dusky damssl Of
whom they were both enRmored. The COZ
testants were Hsrace Gardell, of Balti-
more, and Geo. Smith, of Dugan street,
Philadelphia. The maiden's name was Net
tie Jack, and until quite recently she had
been parlor maid with a
family on Spruce street. For
months Gardell and Smith have laid
siege to her heart and hand, but Nettie
could not choose between them. "Set up
some test" exclaimed Smith. ''Let Us
prove to you in a tangible way that VIC love
you, then the man who proves the 'tangi-
blest' can be your husband. Gardell as
sented, but there was a difficulty in decid-
ing,what the contest should be. Finally,
it was decided that the man who could hold
his head longest under water should carry
of the prize. At 10 o'clock this morning
the three interested persons, accompanied
by the Rev. Josiah Irving, of
the African Ii. E. church of Balti-
more, representing Gardell, and the Rev.
Thomas Chain, of the same denomination
of Philadelphia, representing Smith, ar
rived at a little house where colsred peO-
pie congregate, on Lombard street, above
Eighth. At least 100 colored people, OF
every shade of attire, yelled themselves
hoarse with delight OF the prospect of the
tournament. report had been circulated
that the rivals we're to fight with razors till
one or the other succumbsd, and this drew
a larger crowd than would have assembled
had the true conditions been generally
known. The parties bowed their acknowl-
edgments of the reception, and surged up
stairs into a spacious second-Story
room. Gardell had fierce look of deter
mination on his face, which greatly edited
his friends, while Smith kspt biting his
lips savagely. Miss Jacks eyes sparkled,
and she smiled benignly. When they
reached the arena they arranged them
selves around the buckets and the clergy
man stood near ready to marry any one to
anybody. Timer rosred the Rev. Josiah
Irving. In a second two woolIy heads were
ducked into the buckets. After fifty sec
onds Smith began to squirm and wriggle,
as if severely tried. At fty-three seconds
and five seconds later Gardell did the same.
bravo! you've got her." shrieked the
GRO Fd with one voice; but it WAS not So.
There were to be three rounds, with one
minute interval, and the man who
kept his head under longest was to be the
winner. "Down againr' was beloved, and
this time by Rev. Thomas Chain, and the
heads popped under a second time, with
two separate splashes. Smith pulled and
blew heavily and kicked out Justify, hurt
ing the prospective bride considerably.
He made fifty seconds and Gardsll forty
nine. Things were getting exciting, and
very many of the spectators could hardly
contain themselves. "Time-put 'em un-
derw once more yelled the Rev. Josiah
Irving, and down went the heads. Gardell
seemed rather blown, but he mads forty
two seconds against forty to Smith who
came up almost dead. It was really a
''walk-over" for the Baltimorean, and
Smith felt 80 miserable he said nothing.
The winner, however, was dinned and pat
ted on the back. Then the clerical second
er got up and solemnly pronounced the
marriage ceremony, binding Miss Nettie
Jack and Mr.. Horace Gardell together for
life. The winning party took late train
to Baltimore where the lsurel-and-orange-
blossom crowned victor is stevedors.