Connecticut western news., 1909-12-02
A WOMAN'S WOMAN.
By ALMA SWARTZ.

my own judgment of the girl of my choice. 1 would discover if she stood we'll with members of her own sex"
 If l were thinking of marriage" replied Edith. Il would go 10 the mother of the man thought of mar rying and ask her if she could recom- mend h,m.'
 could not say whether Edith was speaking ironically or not. l dropped the subject.
 had gone to Florida. where Edith was spending the winter. tu ask her to be my wife. Since we did not re- side in the same place when at hnme l had had no opportunity of knowing how she stood with any one except myself. Therefore before making her aware of my intentions l resolved to covrrtly draw forth the opinions of certain members of her own sex. There were a uumber of girls at the same hotel with her. and | thought might gather evidences from them. But afier couple of days stay among them it seemed tu me that Edith ei. thpr kept herself voluntarily aInuf from them OF had been left out uf their little cutprip. 1 soon hpramp Gund friends with them and proceeded to elucidate the matter. What was my surprise 10 discover that not nne oi them would speak well uf hrr. aud many of them spoke Ill of her.
 This was a shock. 1 had sUpposru hot f 10 me to be so deserving of them would come merely for the asking But no. If 1 were to sum up her character upon the evidence nf those who mH>t h"'W ter. rather than uHi ry her il would be better for me that l had never been born. One declared that she WAS vain, another selfish. an. other unIruihful. Indeed. every one attributed to her some fault Not willing to condemn her without d hearing l asked her why she did not make companions of the other young ladies In the hotel.
 Oh" she replied disda!nful!y. "thPy've got up mutual admiration society and have no use for any girl except themselves"
 The reply was not satisfactory. was bitterly disappointed. The only thing for me to do was to go back north and drup Faith from my mind. But she was attractive to me-very at- tractive. She was pretty and engag-
 ing. l didn't wish to give her up. made up my mind, however to be true to the principle l had enunciated to Edith herself at the beginning of this story. packed my trunk and paid my bill at the hotel. Then did what men are constantly doing when they apply principles to their love affairs. l sub ordinated my judgment to my inclina- ton. Here were six girls, some of whom refused to speak well of Edith. while the rest condemned her. Her own testimony in her own behalf would on principles of evidence be worthless. Nevertheless, on the even ing before my departure walked with her into an orange grove and asked her how she had come 10 antagoniZe so many girls of her own age.
 Her reply was that if l declined to. consider her superior to every one of them she had no further use for my acquaintance.
 1 confess I was taken aback by this illogical method of handling the sub- ject. Take the evidence of one against six. If l were to make the most i'm portant decision of my life on such evi- dence. heaven help me! l called her attention to the fact that all these young ladies were her peers and their concurrence in condemning her was not to be put aside by her bare asser' tion. She replied that if our ac- uuaintance were to continue it must be upon the condition she had stated.
 We walked back to the hotel in si- ience. and at parting Edith didn't even look at me. l went to my room and wrestled with myself. That night I slept but little and the next morning uwoke with d languid feeling, not only of body. but of mind. All day l strug ged to prevent myself from marrying a girl condrmurd hy her :SS0ri"te'. went to the railroad station. but saw the train leave without me. Edil' when l met her on the tennis court took no notice of me. She seemed tc
 
 tine afternoon when she appeared beautifully apparrlPd and with n rose in her hair. l raised the white flag. asked her to walk with me iH. th" orange grove. Once there l told he" that if all the saints in heaven con dpmned her would feel hOnorrd (" kiss the hem of her garment.
 You told me" she replied. that i. you medi;ated marriage you. would discover if the girl of your choice stood well with her own sex. You know what the girls here think of me.
 "They are unworthy to express an opinion of you"
 She laughed.
 'I admit" stammered. "that have gone back OH my principle. Perhaps 1 have been fool, but can't help it. "Yes. you have been very stupid. Tn the first place. l knew what YOU came down here for. Any girl would have known that. In the second place,
 N,Il knF