Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-07-05
DAILY SHORT STORIES
THE STRONG
WOMAN
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Ourlng the nrSt year or her exist
ence tho female who came to be known
as 'the strong woman" was called
Hetty Davis. That was her correct
name. George Davis was farmer,
and both he and his wife were under.
sized people. The infant was weak.
ling. and the doctors frankly said that
the first symptoms OF measles would
be the end OF her.
At the age Of eighteen months Hetty
took start I'm life and was soon
known as 1.-The big kid" She took
on fat and simply played with mumps.
measles and whooping cough. Her
weight at two years was that OF the
average girl OF ten. She grew from
1.-THE big kid" to "the big girl" At
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 In the bank
besides. There were young men and
bachelors and widowers who were will
Ing to marry 1t. They came counting
and were laughed at but at length
the strong woman announced that on
n certain day, II the SWANS would oil
| gather at 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 a man who can
control me- The man who wins me
must best me In fair rough and tum-
BILE fight. There are no other copdi-
tons"
There were only five men out OF the
thirty who wanted matrimony that
way. Out of the five there was a 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
to authentic reports, he was licked
man I'm five minutes. Not only that.
but he carried a stifr neck for the rest
OF his life. The strong woman had
almost twisted his head Off. and none
of the others came forward as No. 2.
The farm was run by hired men.
Now and then for the first two years
they got impudent at times or did not
keep up to their work. They were
knocked unconscious. thrown over the
fence into the road or sent away with
broken bones. 1t was great highway
for tramps. or had been. They came
along I'm punches. They stopped and
demanded food. They even threat
ened things When they got TO threats
the strong woman sailed in. She
struck and slapped; she kicked and bit;
she knocked their heads together until
their ears rang for days afterwnrd.
Her greatest victory was over bunch
Of five. After the news OF that got
abroad all tramps would so six miles
around to dodge her farm. The strong
woman paid no attention TO science.
She just waded right I'm any old way
to win. and II she got her teeth fas-
tened upon a mans ear II 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 gos-
siped about her. but she continued to
pass It by for years Then casual
remark rolled her. certain woman
said that she was so homely that she
couldn't catch a husband. No homely
woman ever yet 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
ont notice that she had hit the trail for
husband. No one responded. On
the contrary. men hid out in barns and
haystacks and trembled In their shoes
Two weeks and no husband.
!
bear trap, covered the teeth with heavy
cloth and set it at the open barn door.
Three nights passed without victim.
but ut midnight on the fourth night
along came a horse thief, gayly, and
was caught by the leg His yells OF
pain aroused the woman. and she light
cd the lantern and went. out After
taking good look at the prisoner she
turned away with the remark:
II guess you'l do. Stay right here
till morning"
He begged and pleaded and yelled.
but there be stayed for four hours
more. Then came daylight and his
captor, and she asked:
Docs It happen that you are a mar
ried MANI
mo"
Then you soon will be- Listen to
me. You'll be laid up for about a
week. After that wo shall we mar
ried You and T."
II marry your" he asked after long
look at her
! you will"
I'll go 60 prison frstr'
you'll do nothing of the kind. Per
haps you've heard OF me-the strong
woman"
He uttered a groan Of despair.
They say ! can't find husband. but
| Ill show emf
but, woman. I'm horse thief"
/ II don't care for that"