The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-31

Julie Marrotte, Augusta Trewin,
Jennie Mics. Mary McCutcheon,
Make Robbins, Edith Holland,
Frances Burrill, Gertie Wallace,
Anna Murphy. Eleanor Burns,
Alice Brown, Allia Bigelow,
Myrtle Holmes,
Miss Bigelow eXemplifies the Biblical
saying that the last shall be first. She
is now Mrs. Charles T. Atwood. You
can count for yourself, and if you come
to Whiting you can see the others with
your own eyes. They are there yet.
Mrs. Atwood-Miss Bigelow formerly
has gone on the strangest Of wedding
! trips.
Was there ever professional heart
breaker who achieved such distinction?
And he accomplished it all in one year.
But he is not a professional firt; he
does not think he is irresistible, and no
doubt herein lay the secret Of his sue
cess. He did not mean the slightest
harm.
Mr.. Atwood is not a man with a va
ried experience-in fact he knew al
most nothing about girls. He was bash
full as a youth, and when he was study
ing for the ministry he did not have
time to think of them. Matrimony was
out of the question, and he looked upon
flirting as a very evil thing.
He was really very innocent when he
arrived in Whiting. He knows more
now.
Whiting Is not much Of place, meas
ured by Chicago or New York city, but
it has ever so many nice people. The
young minister was looked upon as
distinct acquisition. He is an eloquent
preacher and an earnest worker, but
his greatest triumphs were social. He
was pleasant to look upon and his man
ners were charming. Within a month
after his arrival there were more din
nens and suppers and 'sociables" and
parties of all kinds than the town had
ever known, and the festivities revolv-
ed about the new minister. The Chris
tan church, over which he presided,
had the largest congregation in town.
Of course, the Rev. Charlie" Atwood
was a bachelor and it is agreed among
all members of churches that good
looking young bachelor ministers
should plunge into matrimony forth
with. Every manageable woman APP
| points herself a committee Of one to
see that he is aroused to proper sense
of his duty in the premises.
1t seemed that the Rev. Mr.. Atwood
had some sort of love philter. He
| inspired affection wherever he appear
ed. The young women fell head over
heels in loye with him. There wasn't
any way of stopping this spontaneous
uprising of affection.
Now if young Mr. Atwood had been
an experienced man he might have
managed his love affairs successfully
and escaped the wrath that came. 1t
is an axiom that no man can drive tam
dem in love affairs, but there is no ruse
about driving seventeen, probably be-
| cause no other man was ever engaged
to that many at one time.
Just think of this young man, fresh
from divinity school, who had never
known the intoXication Of having
woman in love with him, being besieged
by seventeen lovely maidens all at once!
Their very names show how charming.
Could any man, be he minister or what
not, resist young women rejoicing in
such enticing names as Maize, Bernice,
Edith, Eleanor, Gertrude, Harriet, Julia
and Alia There is romance in every
sylabble
Even his enemies-and he had enc
mics, for every young man in town was
jealous of him, and with excellent rea-
son-say there was no harm in the pas
tor. He simply could not resist the
temptation of making his adoring
young women happy. He didn't want
to hurt their feelings. He Is a tender
hearted young man, and there wasn't
one in the flock who was not lovely in
his eyes. Possibly he didn't realize
what he had done or he might have es-
capped before the storm broke.
He boldly announced that he was
going to marry Miss Allia Bigelow,
the daughter of a Whiting business
man with a large family. The elder
members of the church approved of
their minister getting married. There
is always work for minister's wife,
and it isn't proper that a preacher
should remain single.
1t was different with the young won-
en-. The town fairly sizzled with ex-
element, for the sixteen arose in their
might and announced, severally that
the Rev. Mr.. Atwood was engaged to
each-to all.
Each said that it wasn't a summer
! Irritation or a winter episode 1t was
an engagement with matrimony at the
end, not merely an understanding to
| be broken off after a time. There were
sixteen young women ready to prove
that each was prettier brighter, and
in every way more eligible and more
! fitted 10 be minister's wife than Miss
| Allia Bigelow. OF course explanations
were made The minister's friends
rushed to his aid and tried to smooth
the matter over. The Tilted damseIs
wouldn't have none Of them. Thew
wanted justice-that is, the downfall
Of the dominic.
They demanded that the Rev. Mr..
Atwood be churched. They wanted him
hauled before the trustees, where they
could confront them. Now, it is prob
able that Mr. Atwood didn't want an
| investigation. At any rate his friends
/ made every effort to stave 1t off, But