Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-23
WOMAN AT 20 BRIDE OF
FIRST MAN SHE MET
GIRL FALLS IN LOVE AT FIRST
SIGHT
Couldn't Forget Beau, So Goes to PHIL
adelphia to See Sweetheart, Gets
Proposal and Weds the
Next Day

Back of the marriage of Miss Adah
Pratt of 1437 Irving street, Washington,
to b. Frank Hoover of Philadelphia
last Saturday, lies story of unusual
romance and interest.
Miss Pratt lived until she was 20
years old without forming the acquain-
tance of a man. She was born and
raised in community of women taught
| to believe that marriage was a sin. She
was bound by teaching and belief al
ways to remain single. Then she mar
ried the first man to whom she ever
had been introduced. More than that,
she did more than half the courtlng
herself.
The story is not unlike that of the
plot of Tennyson's princess" And as
in the poem, the principal character
failed in her VOWS.
Nearly thirty years ago in Texas,
where Mrs. Hoover's mother lived at
the time, a Mrs. Martha McWhirter of
Waco announced that she had had q
visitation from the Almighty, and had
been told that it was sinful to live with
man. Accordingly she lett her husband
and gathering about her a small party
of women who were brought to her be-
lief, she went to the little town of Bel
ton, and there established headquarters
of the new creed.
1t was called "The Womens Com
monwealth." Its members were all
well to do and self supporting. Some
were spinsters, some were married,
some had children. Mrs. Pratt was one
of the converts to the religion, and.
leaving her husband, she Joined the
colony, where two months afterward
! the present Mrs. Hoover was born.
There were ten children in the coll
| ony, all girls. Ten years ago the COM
monwealth moved to Washington, TAX
ing up a farm of 172 acres in Mont
gomery county, Maryland. and a large
| house in the city. The children were
| taught to beware of men. They never
were permitted to have acquaintance
with any of them. They were instruct
| ed In work, and were sent regularly to
church, although never permitted to
| affiliate themselves with any particu-
lar denomination.
| OF course they saw men. Mrs. Hoo
YER says she often had noticed them.
But she never paid attention to any of
them until she met Mr.. Hoover. Yes
terday she told her own story.
Five of the girls grew up" she
said, land then slipped away to be
married. OF course. they were re-
garded as sinners. 1 thought them bad,
as did all those in the commonwealth
But about a year ago l went down
duced me to Mr.. Hoover.
Somehow or other l could not get
him out of my mind. 1 found myself
wishing I might see him all the time.
I knew it wasn't right; at least [
thought it wasn't. But / couldn't get
him out of my mind. Later I met him
downtown again, and several times
going to leave the city, and asked me
to write. 1 told him 1 would"
From her story of the romance, it
seems that Mr.. Hoover originally came
from Mechancsburg. His father is
living there at the present time. Mr.
Hoover is hotel clerk, and after
| leaving Washington he went to Chi
cago. Later he decided to come to
Philadelphia, and wrote his intention
to Miss Pratt in Washington.
II was crazy to see him." she ad-
mitted yesterday, "and decided to risk
the fear of my mothers displeasure
and give him a surprise party. So
slipped quietly out of the house in
Washington and came here. When I
found Mr.. Hoover he was greatly sur
prised.
why, Adah. have you come here to
marry me?' he asked.
"I don't know that 1 thought much
about that 1 replied. I just felt
had to see you again.
"'Well, will you marry me" he
asked 1t took me by surprise, although
1 was not wholly unprepared for it.
"'Tm willing I said finally.
"'Right away?' he asked. This was
so sudden It took my breath away.
Cant you wait until tomorrow
night?' 1 asked him, and he said he
would"
The ceremony was performed by the
Rev. DR.. J. B. G. Pidge, pastor of the
Fourth Baptist church. at the parson-
age Saturday night. The same evening
the bride wrote her mother, but has
not received an answer yet.
I'm afraid she never will forgive
me-" she said yesterday. "She always
was very strict with me. There are
still three unmarried girls at the Com
monwealth.' They are 29,, 20 and 80
years old"
Mrs. Hoover is tall. of striking
figure and stylishly dressed. She has g.
wealth of chestnut hair, brown eyes
and an expansive smile. She was in
duced to sit for her photograph in the
North American studio. Afterward she
insisted on walking down the twenty
flights of stairs to the street. The
speed OF the ascent in the elevator took
her breath, she said.
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