Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-07-30
SEVENTEEN SWEETHEARTS
This Is the Record Of the Rev. C. T. At
wood of Missouri.

This Is the Record Of the Rev. C. I. At
wood of Missouri.
The Rev. c. 7. Atwood Of Missouri is
an active preacher of the gospel and
much more active practicer of the art of
lovemaking. He has IL sweethearts, but
will marry only one. The wedding will
take place in the fall. In the meantime
there are IL bleeding hearts in the little
town of Whiting, Ia, and there are liable
to be IS breach of promise suits on file in
the circuit court of Monona county, says
the st. Louis Post-Dispatch. There are
elsc Is fond fathers who but recently
dreamed of the day when they would
have the smooth young clergyman for
n son-in-law. Now they are looking
for trouble and dreaming of carnage
compared with which the scene on the
outskirts of Santiago will be like turkey
rattle by the side of Il slaughter house
The Rev. Mr.. Atwood is young. but he
is not ''o'cr young tn marry yet" He
made his appearance III Whiting about a
year ago, having been called to the pastor
ate of the Christian church.
He was nice, clean young man, edu-
Gated, devout and charming of manner
He attended strictly to his church duties
and soon made himself popular with the
members OF his congregation, whom he
visited frequently. Young himself, be was
.ond,Of the society Of young people, at
tended all of their entertainments and
made himself generally agreeable. He
loved these young men and women be-
cause they We're members of his church.
Why should he not: And if he paid moro
attention to the young women than the
men, was that strange?
That he did SO was soon apparent to all
the village. lie fitted gayly among the
fair ones whenever occasion offered, and
no home grown swain was more gallant
than the young churchman. Wherever
they desired to go he escorted them-not
in bevy, TO be sure, but singly. The
youn ger preacher is the more dignity be
requires tornakc his personality felt. How
would it look for a young divine to go
parading down the street with II madcap
violets in his wake:
Well, it would simply never do.
And SD it came to pass that the Rev.
Mr.. Atwood, uron whom fond parents
smiled as the incarnation of pastoral de-
votion, became cnamorcd of the graces of
sufficient number of young women to
start IA female seminary. Yet, he says, his
intentions were of the best, and he had no
thought save Of directing them in the way
they should 90.
Although unmarried himself, he rccog-
nizcd that marriage is the ideal state of
society, and he was solicitous that there
should he no dcrelictiOn among the men,
bers of his llocl, il the matter of entering
into that holy relation. Particularly was
he anxious that there should be no old
maids remaining at the end of his pastor
ate. To be SURF, he had 10 thought of APP
propriating the whole bunch himself He
merely selected one, Miss Annie Bigciow,
and lccturetl the other Is privately
But it so happened that each of these
young women looked upon tho young
preacher as q lover rather than a
pastor and when he spoke to them OF
''lovc, "all defying love" they took ii
as a personal matter and accordingly con.
sidered themselves engaged Else why
should no be urging upon them priyily the
virtues Of matrimonv?
The thought of such a contretcmps as
this had never entered tho mimi of the
young minister. Privately he kad decided
| that Miss Bisc!ow was the one girl in this
world for him, and they became engaged
good and fast in the old fashioned way
without anything being taken foy granted
That was wherein she showed herself t.
be wise. Having taken time by the bangs
| and made complete mental register OF
| her betrothal, there was 10 avenue OF
escape and no opportunity for quibbling
A few days ago the engagement of Miss
| Bigeiow and the handsome young ex
| FOUNDER of Scripture was publicly an
| nounccd. By many it was received Will
| pleasure, because both engagcr and en-
| gagee were popular, but it struck 16 maid
| ems like oowcy brcadSide and smashed
the coming towers of as many anxiou: