Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-03
SPOUSE-HUNTING OUT WEST

SEOU SCI L NIINU ODI NESI-
The Agony of Mind to the Marriage
able Men of a Washington Territory
VfIIage-The Good Turn n Legislator
Served the Town.
The New York Sun.
A Red Bank, Washington territory,
correspondent writing TO the Sun,
says: There has been considerable
excitement In this town the past week
over the performances of a Young
woman named Jennie Carver, Jennie
came here few weeks ago from some
point in the east, and representing
herself as unmarried, and as an ex-
perlenced school teacher, she received
about a dozen proposals Of marriage
before she had been here a week. 1t
turned out that she was only a pre-
tender, and now that she has gone the
full measure of her deceitfullness has
become apparent.
AS near as can be made out, the
girl was here ia the interest of q num-
Der Of New England women or else
she was employed as a correspondent
for a newspaper, When Red Bank
was founded there were ten times as
many men here as women, and the
scheme was adopted of hiring school
ma'am's and then marrying them ap-
pears to have caused inquiry ia Ger
tain portions of the east as to the
desirability of young women coming
TO this and other far western towns
with the idea Of securing homes and
happiness. Miss Carver struck the
town one rainy evening, and proceed
ed at once to the hotel, secured q room
and asked where the mayor lived.
When she haze been informe d she set
out for his house, and, arriving there
safely, she held a long conversation
with him. He escorted her back TO
the hotel, and nothing more was seen
Of her until the next day.
The news Of her arrival spread rap
idly, and nearly every man who had
not already secured a wife dropped In
at the tavern just to get look at her.
The mayor reported that she was here
simply as a tourist, though she might
be persuaded to stay if there was O
good opening anywhere. The school
had been provided for, and there was
Nc immediate chance of work in That
quarter. Several men wanted servant
girls, and the citizens who were in
search of wives thought she would do,
but the fear seemed to be that she
would not stay long enough to give
the people chance to address her on
the subject OF taking up her residence
here. At length one man, Henry
Blow, decided to interview ner. He
sent up his card, and she received him
in the parlor. Blow informed her
that there was great scarcity OF la
dies IN this county, and that he would
like to have her consider proposition
OF marriage.
WHO from?" said she.
From me, or some of the rest OF
the boys" stammered Blow, getting
red in the face and recognizing for the
first time the fact that he was getting
IN tight place.
"Well, now," the young woman
continued, this thing is getting in
teresting. Suppose I should conclude
to take my pick instead of you dong
it9 Who sent you here?"
Blow hemmed ana coughed q little
and said he came of his own accord.
He was afraid she would get away.
you needn't worry about that. "
she continued. 81 am here to stay
some time. Suppose you come around
here week from now. In the meat
time I'm going to take in the town,
and see how like it"
Blow came around and reported
that he was afraid she Wouldn't do at
all. ''She's sharper'n a bowie" he
observed, land her eyes kinder look
clean through you. I don't believe
she's needed here-at least not just
now"
After that there was less anxiety to
have her stay. though quite as much
interesting as ever. she was around
town good deal, but sought TO avoid
further interviews. When the week
was up Blow called again, determined
to back out if she accepted him. She
greeted him pleasantly and began
9uestionining HIM in 81 most search
ing manner. Finally she took out
pencil and paper and made a few
notes. In the course Of conversation
it leaked out that she was here TO in
vestigate the town, and that it was
her intention to warn all young Wom-
en- away FROM it.
Blow then saw that something more
than bis own interests We're involved.
The good name of the town was at
stake, and he resolved to do what he
could to save it.
'What are you going to do?" he
asked
''l'm going to write you up for Just
what you are, the whole pack of you.
This is no place for young women TO
come"
But" expostulated Blow. ''see the
happy wives here. Ask them about
the town"
The young woman would do moth
ing of the kind. Red Bank vas q
fraud, and she intended to write it up
in fact, she had written up good |
part Of it already.
Blow labored with her for some
time, and when he left her he notified |
the principal citizens that they had |