The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-02-16
A BELLIES P~ERPLBXITIEs.
A Young Lady Forced TO Wako "a
ChOIce Between TWO Rival


Society in Sturgeon, Mo-, has been
stirred from center to circumference
Tor the past week, says a recent press
dispatch, W the contest of two young
men for the hand of the same belle.
The lady in question was Miss Nettie
White, daughter of B f. White, of the
firm OF TRULY q White, millers of this
place. She is barely Is years OF age,
with a pretty face and figure and win
some ways. Among her many suitors
was Lee VIM, o of w. III. Winn, q
prominent stock broker of this place,
and Charley VIM, a member of the
firm of Coombes e VIM, wagon ana
carriage manufacturers, also of this
place Both are in the prime of man
hood, industrious, sober, good looking,
well-to-do, and calculated to make a
husband of which any woman might
ustly be proud.
For several months past both of the
young men have been paying their I'M
divided attention to Miss White. She
appeared to be very fond of both of
them, and finally the gossips began to
discuss their chances of success. AT
last il became known that she was ell
gagged to marry Lee Winn;the ceremony
was to be performed February II. They
had even gone so far as to select tho
bridesmaids and groomsmen. When
Charley Winn heard this he was 10th
to believe it,as the young lady had lead
him TO expect that he was to be the
lucky man. Lee and Charley met and
had a talk over the matter, and ii is
said that they made a wager of $50 as
TO which n would get the girl.
AT any rate, the report of this wager
set the whole town to talking; a great
rivalry sprung up between the friends
of the two gentlemen and set the whole
town by tue ears, and a large number
of bets were made on the outcome.
Nearly every man who ever was known
to bet on al election or a horse race
backed his fav0rite. The friends of
each spurred their choice TO action and
Notwithstanding that neither n had
intended or expected TO marry until
sorne time in February, the excitement
grew so high as to demand prompt
action and the young men each began
10 press the girl for al immediate de-
cision between them. One or the other
was at the house all the time, and often
they were there together. and when
neither was there some officious friends
we're present. II is even said the faith
er and mother were divided as to their
choice of the young men.
In view of all this, and being an
| noyed aud harrassed as she was, the
girl found it a hard matter to make up
her miud. For three or four DAYS her
~Iecision hung in the balance, and the
Young men were on the ragged edge Of
Of expectancy, so TO speak.
This ran on till the excitement got SO
| high that at nighttall the yard at Mr..
| Whites residence would be crowded
with eager listeners and eavesdrop-
Ders, while older heads were called in
to try aud settle the matter. On We'd
nesday evening, after two or three days
| Of restless parleying, the two young
men met there in the presence of mu-
nal friends for a final decision of their
fate. They stood in the parlor with
Iocked arms, white the young lady was
asked then and there to make her final
:hoice, each agreeing TO abide the re
nils. Again she hesitated. 1t was at
last agreed that the young men should
both start home, and that the one she
called back was to be her husband.
they started but Miss White called for
Lee" aud he turned and came back.
Then "Cbarleyr was called and he too
anne back, But when they both re-
entered the house she again hesitaIed.
Then she was told by those present
hat she must settle the matter in some
way. Finally Miss White told them to
write their names Oh a slip OF paper
and she would make a cross opposite
he man Of her choice. They did SO,
aud she put the cross opposite Charley's
Amt Lee then CAV back her ring,
bid her an affectionate goodbye and
started for the door, hut before he had
got ont she canght him and begged him
not to leave her. He returned and she
made a cross opposite his name also.
There seemed NJ way out of the
trouble but finally the Young men were
old to go again and that the first one
called was to retHrn and the other was
TO keep going aud not come back, no
matter who called for him. They again
left and, before they had gOue far, she
allied Lee back and Charley kept on
| So, at last, Miss White had made her
choice.
She hastily dressed and in less than
an hour she and Lee, accompanied by
her father and friends, were on their
way to Columbia to get a marriage
license. The night was spent at Ceu-
fralia, where several Intellectual at
tempts were made to induce the girl 10
:hange her mind and refuse to marry
Lee. The next day the couple went to
Columbia and we're happily married by
Prof. Oldham, of Christian College
and nov all is quiet.
But the most remarkable thing is the
good feeling between the young mer
throughout. They are both of higt
%uettle, yet they kept cool all the TINT
and when the happy couple returned
they were met by Charley VIM, who
was the first 10 congratulate them.
The young men are distantly related
and both come of good families. Al
parties regret very much the notoriety
caused by the episode.
Nothing that ever occurred in tina
section has caused half the gossip ant
excitement this has. The boys are pay
ing up their bets, and the happy pal
are enjoying their honeymoon, and a
is serene again.