The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-30
SHE'S UP IN WEDLOCK.
Marriage is Not Failure, Says Mrs.
Smith, or Missouri.
Chicago Chronicle.

Mrs. b. ID. Smith, Of Humansvillc,
Mo-, asserts that marriage is not u
failure. She ought to know, as she
has been married seven times. De-
spite her So years Mrs. Smith is still
youthful aud handsome. She has
lately married again, and the newly
welded couple are. living in - littlc
cottage owned by Mrs. Smiths aged
mother.
81 have often thought said Mrs.
Smi1h, That could forever set at
rest that old, old problem, Is marriage
u failurc?' | would most positively
assert that IL is not failure. have
had seven husbands and buried five of
them. One ran away with another
woman; the other, Brother Smith, will
be home in q moment; he is out attend
ing to the COW now.
Yes, my life has been o series OF
strange Incidents. have had much
trouble, much Of it, folding her
hands and gazing refectivcly out over
the hazy meadows, "but Strengthening
up more determinedly, Il never give
up. | look the present squarcly in
the face and trust to the Lord to make
the future brighter. He has always
done it,
"Tcll you something about my life?
Well, there is not much to tell, but
Ill try it. an little confused
about dates. You see, had so many
husbands and so many things happen
cd that can hardly be very exact.
81 have known Brother Smith-you
see, l cali him brother from force of
habit all my life. He was and is my
pastor. How long was he engaged to
me? Why, bless your soul, one day.
We knew each other all our life-all
my life, l mean. He came over to
see me Sunday night and talked it up.
We were married on Tuesday.
"My seven husbands were all en-
gagged but short time, and I now
have-let me see, sixteen or eighteen
step-children. And they all love me.
Whenever they are married 1 give
them wedding dinner and set them
up in housekeeping. There are three
sets of them, too. They come TO see
me and whenever my husbands die
they offer me home.
II knew my first husband, Mr.. Vice,
a year, Mr.. Milligan six months, Mr..
De Priest knew eighteen months,
but We we're engaged but three weeks.
Mr. Crozier knew four years and was
engaged to him but two months. Mr..
Dougherty l knew week.
"Neff knew nine months, but we
sparked only three months. We lived
together only six months.
Il was happy with every one, too,
she went on in low tone, far away
look stealing over her matronly fea-
lures. Even with Ncif I never had
a cross work or the slightest quarrel
with any of my husbands; they all
loved me. You see, was hard to
please. Some people look nice, but
they don't wear we'll, and I like the
wearing kind.
"Yes, I've had q good many offers,
but l always know what I'm doing,
and when | make up my mind l don
believe in delay. l just go ahead and
get the thing over with. You see
Neff turned out bad, but it WASH my
fault made him good wife.''
1t has always been said in the com
munity that Ncff disappeared, and has
never been heard Of AS the story
goes, Mrs. Smith preserved the nuptial
garments Of her departed spouses, and
shows them to their SUCCESSORS. When
| she entertained Ncff in. this way six
months after she became his wife, she
busted the garments off and remarked
in teasing way:
''I'll be dusting yours off ,his way
some time.
10 this proposition Neff is reported
to have promptly and energctically re-
| piled: "I'll be - if you do, and
forthwith disappeared.
"Do / remember how my husbands
looked? Indeed do. l have their
pictures, too.
when I married Mr.. Dougherty he
had met my mother but once and
introduced him to her as my husband.
She said she supposed it was all right,
and that she wasn't at oil surprised"
| According to the stories in town,
Mrs. Smith had her fortune told by
wandering gypsy at Brighton, Mo-,
years ago. Part of the revelation was
that she was to have seven husbands.