The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-04-12

How They Arc Married in Washington
Territory.

How They Arc Married in Washington
Territory.
When the census of Red Bend, Wash
ington Territory, was taken last
month, it was found that there was a
population OF 37s, including 293 males,
90 married women, one widow en-
gagged and the rest children. More
than 200 of the men are bachelors
ranging in age from % to SO. Red
Bend is some distance from the rail-
road, and it has been a very difficult
matter to get young women to locate
there. Most OF theg girls who went there
stopped at Yakima, or to the larger
towns south of there.
When the school house was built the
directors advertised in various Terri
torial papers for a teacher, and the
first one who presented herself was
employed. She had not been at the
desk a fortnight before she was mar
ried TO storekeeper named Elverson,
who was about the best looking young
man in the town. She resigned her
place, but consented to serve until her
successor had arrived. One of the
young women, with whom the COM
mittee had been in correspondence.
was found disengaged, and in the
course of month she transferred her.
self to Red Bend and took charge of
the school. She was tolerably home
ly woman, somewhat advanced in
years, but she, too, was led to the al
tar IN less than n month, and gave up
the school as her predecessor had
done.
Once again the place was filled, and
things went along smoothly for while.
About that time McGinn, the tavern
keeper, imported servant girl from
Portland, and put her i'll his kitchen
at a salary of Sc a week. Mrs Nc
CHM was not very lusty, and her hus-
band found that the only way in which
keeping hotel was possible was for him
to have efficient female help. He had
had serious trouble in getting anybody
to come, but the wages that he offered
finally induced the girl spoken OF to
accept the job. She had no more than
learned the ways of the kitchen before
two or three young men began to hang
around the back door of the tavern.
was equal to the emergency.
He watched matters for day CT two,
and becoming convinced that the
school house episodes were to have a
in his own kitchen, he got
gun, and just as young man appear
ed at the back door the next evening
after supper he jumped out on him.
"What do you want here?" he asked.
Nothing" said the fellow, coloring
up little; nothing much. Twas just
calling on the girl in there; she's all
old friend of my family, and l look in
once and while to SCI how she's get.
ting on"
"Well, I'm a friend of your family,
too," said McGinn, 'to the ex tent that
I don't want to kill you, but if you
don't keep away from here I'll murder
you. Now, you git"
Theyouth skunk away. The next day
the girl was missing from the kitchen,
and late in the afternoon it was dis
coverd that she had married the young
man. The same day the schoolmis-
tress announced her resignation, and
as McGinn was on the warpath with
his gun, the leading citizens made up
their minds that crisis had arrived
which would require p good deal OF
craftsmanship to bridge over.
That evening, when the school COM
mittee met to consider things, Mr..
Elder, the chairman, said he had an
idea which he thought worthy the at
ten1ion OF his associates. Hepropos-
ed that in the future all school teach
ers should be made to sign bondno5
to marry before the end of the term.
The idea was accepted, but fearing
that the conditions might make it inn
possible for them to get women into
the town, they said nothing about
them to the one with whom they had
opened negotiations. She came ON land
after deciding to take the place was
informed of the contract she would
have to sign. To this she Indignantly
declined to accede. The school com.
mittee was memorable, and so was
she. She said she would leave for
home in the morning, The committee
men looked at one another to see if
was weakening, but no one
to be willing to give in; SO it
was decided she would have to go.
This particular girl was young and
and when she started Off
with School Director Beebe of Yakima
the whole town wished she would
stay. An hour later Beebe drove into
town with the girl still in his wagon,
and to the people who gathered
around the vehicle with questions, he
said:
"The fact is we've decided to get |
married. She didn't want togo back,
and / didn't want to have her 60"
Everybody felt that Beebe had play
edroots on everybody else but there
was nothing to say.
At the next meeting OF the committee,
which Beebe did not attend, Mr.. Elder
again had an idea which he wanted |
to submit. He said that in view OF |
what happened, it occurred to him
that Red Bend had greatness within
it's grasp.
Now" he continued, "let us over
stock this market with schoolma ans |
and servant girls. Advertise for them |
offer big wages and hire
Ill that come. We'llget enough after |
awhile to go around, and when we 90 |
t, we may have few on hand"
The suggestion was discussed at con-
siderable length, and finally adopted. |
The school board decided to hire ten
and twenty OF the married |
men in town agreed to take twen-
;y-five servant girls. The advertise
nents brought many answers, and in
he course of time the town began to |
ill up with young women of every de-
AS they arrived they We're
to different families, and be-
ore a week had passed there were
more marriages ON foot than the
preacher could keep track of. The ex-
pertinent has been found to work |