The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-18
THE STRONG
WOMAN
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. BY Associated LIT
erary Press

/ During the FIRST year Of her exist.
tnce the female who came to be known
rs "the strong woman" was called
Hetty Davis That was her correct
name George Davis was a farmer,
and both he and his wife were under,
sized people The Infant was a weak
ling. and the doctors frankly said that
the nrst symptoms Of measles would
be- the end Of her
At the age OF eighteen months Hetty
took start in life and was soon
known as 'the big kid" She took
on Eat and simply played with humps.
measles and whooping cough Her
weight at two years was that OF the
average girl Of ten. She grew from
"the big kid to "the big girl" AZ
the age Of sixteen they were calling
her "the strong woman" and that
title stuck TO her
The Davis farm was worth marry
Ing. and there was money To the bank
besides There were young men and
bachelors and widowers who we're will
ing to marry Il. They came counting
and were laughed at. but af length
the strong woman announced that on
a certain day. II the SWANS would all
gather al her farm. she would select
a husband from among them. The
gathering numbered thirty. AS they
sat around casting sleeps eyes at her
she rose and said;
Gentlemen. ! want man who can
control me. The man who wins me
must best me IN a fair rough and tum-
bic fight There are no other condi-
TONS
There were only Eve men out Of the
thirty who wanted matrimony thar
way. Out Of the 6ve there was wild
over forty years old who could NOW
hay and hoe more corn than any other
for ten miles round He stepped out
on the grass and peeled his coat and
vest and spat on his hands According
10 authentic reports. be was licked
man IN eve minutes. Not only that.
but be carried n stid neck FOR the rest
OF his life The strong woman had
almost twisted his head on. and none
OF the others came forward as No. 2
The farm was run by hired men.
Now and then for the hrst two years
they got impudent at tines or did not
keep up to their york. They were
knocked unconscious. thrown over the
fence into the road or sent away with
broken bones. II was great highway
for uamps. or had been. They came
along IN punches. They stopped and
demanded food They even threat
ened things When they got 70 threats
the strong woman sailed IL. She
struck and slapped: she kicked and Bit
she knocked their heads together until
their ears rang FOR days afterward |
Her greatest victory was over bunch |
OF Eve. After the news Of that got
abroad all tramps would 50 six mile
around to dodge her farm. The strong |
woman paid no attention TO science. /
She just waded right In any old way
to win. and If she got her teeth fas-
tened upon a mans ear 1t was bad for
him.
The strong woman didn't pay much
attention to other women. She knew
they didn't like her and that they Cos
siped about her. but she continued to
pass II by for years. Then a casual
remark rolled her. 4 certain woman
said that she was 80 homely that she
catch husband No homely
woman ever jet admitted that she was
homely. nor was there ever an old
maid ready to admit that she had tried
and failed. The strong woman sent
out notice that she had hit the trail for
a husband. No one responded. on
the contrary. men hid out in barns and
hagstac1s and trembled In their shoes.
Two weeks and no husband.
Then the strong woman bought
bear trap, covered the teeth with heavy
cloth and set 1t at the open barn door
Three nights passed without victim,
but at midnight on the fourth night
along came horse thief gnyly, and
was caught by the lee. His yells Of
pain aroused the woman. and she light
ed the lantern and went out. After
taking a good look at the prisoner she
turned away with the remark
u guess you'll do. Stay right here
TIL morning"