The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-26


Montana ranchman, fortytwo years
old, and the father of three children,
who came to st. Paul to meet and
marry Mrs. Elizabeth Strong, of Free
port ILL.,, to whom he became engaged
through a matrimonial bureau, chang
ed his mind when he met his prospec
tive bride for the first time at the
union depot yesterday afternoon. Ed
munSon, who had made arrangements
with Court Commissioner Gallick to
perform the wedding ceremony last
night, gave for his reasons in chang
ing his mind, that the woman was not
q counterpart of the photograph that
had been sent to him during the pre-
liminary arrangements for the mar
riage.
While the disappointed bride to- be
demurred slightly TO the treatment she
received at the hands of the man she
came here to marry, she accepted his
prOffer of a ticket back to her home
at FreepOrt, and returned to Illinois
last night. while the disappointed. Mr..
Edmunson remained in the city for the
purpose Of transacting some business
before he returns to his ranch near
Helena to break the news to his ex-
pectant children.
Edmunson Tells His Story
According to the story told by Mr..
E,dmunSOn to Court Commissioner
Gallick, his wife died two years ago,
leaving him with three small children.
He decided they needed the tender care
of a mother, and he finally decided to
advertise for wife. He placed the
advertisement in a Chicago matri
monial paper, and among the most al
turing answers he received was one
from the F'reeport woman. A corre-
spondence, along with an exchange of
photographs, resulted in an immediate
enga cement, and it was arranged that
Edmunson would meet his unknown
bride in st. Paul, where they were to
be married and return to Montana.
EdmunSon sent Mrs. Strong a ticket
to st. Paul, and after arraying him.
self in suit of new clothes, started
mere himself.
The ranchman arrived in the city
last Monday and, although the pros
pectiVe bride was to have been here the
following day, she failed to put in an
appearance and no word was received
from her until a reply to a telegram
came yesterday, announcing that she
was on the way and would be in ST.
Paul in the early afternoon. Edmun-
son sought out Court Commissioner
Gallick and arranged for the marriage
TO take place last evening; then he
went to the depot to meet Mrs. Strong.
AS the passengers came through the
gates he scanned every wOman's face,
but there was none that looked like
the photo he carried in his pocket.
Finally came a woman, a small child
hanging to either side, and she also ap-
peared to be looking for someone.
When she caught sight of the Mon
tana man she stopped and took a good
look at him; then she approached and
inquired if he were Mr.. Edmunson.
His PUZZLED expression changed to one
of surprise when the woman announc-
ed herself as Mrs. Strong.
And these are my children" said
the woman, indicating two little girls
at her side.
Had Not Heard of Children
Edlnunson hadn't heard anything of
any children before, and he was sure
Mrs.-Edmunson had aged since the
photograph had been taken He was
so completely taken back that he did
not know exactly what to say for some
time. Then he took the woman over to
a seat in the depot and told her, SO he
says, that she was not exactly the
style of a woman he had expected to
meet. He didn't think it would be we'll
for him to-marry anyone with children,
as he had three of his own, and, then,
the Photographic surely couldn't be a
likeness of her, and he took it from his
pocket.
Mrs. Strong, rather corpulent and
looking to be much older than Mr.. Ed
munson, explained that sit had been
taken some years before but she said
it was the only one she had, so she had
sent it along. Eventually Mr.. Edmun-
son told the woman that he could not
marry her, and after some eXpOStula-
tions on her part, she agreed to accept
a ticket back to Freeport, which Mr.
Edmunson gladly purchased. Then he
came zuf5 town and told Mr.. Gallick that
his services would not be needed.
I'm through with matrimonial
agencies" said EdmupSon. 4 never
did think much of them, but some OF
my friends told me it was a good way
in which to secure a wife, SO I tried it
But will not trust any more of them
if l have to remain single the rest OF
my life.
why, that woman didn't look no
more like this picture than you do, and
she had never told me that she had
any children. She did write nice let
ters, and if she had been a young
widow, as I supposed, 1 would not have
changed my mind. 1 suppose my
neighbors will have a good laugh on
me, but it can't be helped
Mr.. Edmunson has every appearance
of a prosperous ranchman. He says he
will leave for his home early in the
week, and that he will make no more
matrimonial engag agements by mail.
Gale Criticises the Faculty
CN,10 60,