Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-03-23
Tract.v Girl Wins Piano.


Owing to the fact that q Willmar
girl was one of the leading contestants
in the St Paul Daily News piano con-
test, considerable interest was mani
tested in this city as to the final out.
come. The contest closed on Tuesday
evening, March Is, with Miss Madeline
eastman, Of Tracy, in the lead, while
Miss Matilda Blonde, of Willmar,
held second place, Miss eastman wins
the piano by vote of 1885, 55. The
vote for Miss Bonde was 164,3l4.
Although the many friends of the
local candidate we're naturally dis
appointed that the prize failed to come
to Willmar, yet they feel proud of the
record made by Miss Bonde as q vote
getter. She is certainly entitled to
much Gre dit for her hard and persever~
log work and as q result the Daily
News subscription list has swelled
constderab ably in the field covered by
her.
This is not the first contest OF the
kind in which Willmar girl was a
candidate 1t will be remembered
that Miss Mae Parkins (now Mrs
Parks covered much of the territory
gone over by Miss Bonde in securing
votes and had it not b5en for this it is
more than probable that the piano
would have gone into the possession
of the last Willmar contestant.
Mr.. F. F. Nelson, of this city, was
among the representatives of the seven
leading candidates who were present
at the finish when the votes were
counted, Mr.. Nielsen being there to
look after Miss Bonde's interests.
BE states that the report had been cir
culated at Tracy that q strenuous
effort was being made here to secure
q large vote through the assistance of
the Great Northern and this had
spurred the friends of the Tracy can
didate on to such activity that her
jump to first place was secured through
the assistance of the North w estern
road. This accounts for the large
vote sent in at the last moment.
According to the account published
in the News, the Tracy girl is in every
way worthy of the prize, and Miss
Bonde and her friends join in extend.
ing their congratulations to the young
lady. Last Wednesdays News says:
The l6.year.old heroine of Tracy,
! MINI. caretaker of her fathers home
and of four brothers and sisters, has
| won the piano in The Daily News con-
test. Her name is M adeline eastman.
The pluck of the little girl has won
her friends among all those who have
heard of her and the results of the
contest are doubly gratifying to her
friends in Tracy, because they feel
that the magnificent piano comes to
her as q mark of the esteem in which
she is held.
Last summer the girls mother died
of cons umption. The death was q
tragic one and FIVE children where
left motherless. Mr.. eastman is q
baggageman and the question of how
to care for his home and children was
a puzzling one. In spite of his limited
means he suggested securing the ser.
vices of housekeeper. Don't do it
papa. You've been saving up money
and you mustn't stop now. I'll take
care of the children" said Madeline.
And from that time, the little girl has
| shouldered the responsibilities of the
eastman home and made it bright and
cheerful
At Tracy they call her q heroine.
Everyone in the village worked for
her with might and main, as may be
seen by her lead of over q, 900 votes.
| The fact that virtue is its own re-
ward was never more clearly shown.
The contest was a most spirited one,
from beginning TO end, aud represent
atives of all seven Of the leading can.
didates were present at the finish at
O'Clock last night.
The vote in detail was as follows:
Madeline eastman, Tracy, 189, 555
Matilda Bonde, Willmar, l64,3l4
Agnes Fisher, New Richland, 135, 857
Josie Broberg, Olivia, l3l, 10;
Mamie Schneider, Sleepy Eve, 128, 63e
Nancy Campbell, Mondovi, Wis. 10l ,44(
fora Daley, Anoka, 43, Is;
Ask your grocer for the "New Bak
J cry" bread. At