Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-08-15
DAILY SHORT STORIES
THE STRONG
WOMAN
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1870 by Associated Lit
erary Press.

buTiuS tue urSt year OF her exist.
cuce the female who came 10 be known
as 1.-THE strong woman" Mas called
iIetty Davis. That was her correc,
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 thar
the FIRST symptoms OF measles would
be the end OF her.
At the age OF eighteen months Hetty
took a start In life and was soon
known as 'the big kid" She took
on fat and simply played with mumps.
measles and whooping cough. Her
weight at two years was that of tho
average girl OF ten. She grew from
"the big kid" to the big girl" At
the age OF sixteen they were calling
her tho strong woman" and that
title stuck TO her.
The Davis farm was worth marry
Ing. and there was money I'm The bank
besides. There were young men and
bachelors and widowcrS who were will
ing TO marry II. they came counting
md were laughed at. hut at length
the strong woman announced that on
certain day. II the swnins would all
gather at her farm. she would select
a husband from among them. The
gathering numbered thirty. Ak they
sat around casting Sleeps eyes at her
she rose and said:
Gentlemen. ] want II man who can
control mo. The man who wins me
must best me IN n fair rough and tum-
bic fight. There are no other condi.
tions"
There were only five men out of the
thirty who wanted mairimony that
way. Out of the 1--we there was n wild
over forty years old who could NOW
hay and hoe more corn than any other
for ten miles round. He stepped out
Oh the grass and peeled his coat and
vest and spat on his hands. According
TO authentic reports, he was licked
man In five minutes Not only that.
but he carried stifr neck for the rest
OF his life. The strong woman had
almost twisted his head of. 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 impudsnt ut 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 aftcrwBrd.
Her greatest victory was over bunch
Of five. After the news OF that got
abroad all tramps would go six miles
around to dodge her farm. The strong
woman paid no attention to science.
She just waded right in any old way
to win. and II she got her teeth fas-
tened upon q mans ear IL 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 1t by for years. Then casual
remark rolled her. A certain woman
said that she was 80 homely that she
couldn't catch n husband. No homely
woman ever yet admitted that size was
homely. nor was there ever nm old
maid ready to admit that she hnd tried
and failed. The strong woman sent
out notice that she had hit the trail for
husband. No one responded. On
the contrary. men hid out in bariis and
haystacks and trembled I'm their shoes
Two weeks and no husband
Then the strong woman bought
bear trap, covered the teeth with heavy
cloth and set It at the open burn door.
Three nights passed without victim.
but at midnight on the fourth night
along came horse thief, gayly, and
was caught by the leg. His yells OF
pain aroused the woman. and she light
ed the lantern ana went out. After
taking a good look ct the prisoner she
turned away with .he remark:
II guess you'll 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:
Does 1t happen that you are mar
ried manY
mo"
Then you soon will be. Listen 10
me. You'll be laid up for about
week. After that we shall We mar
rtsd, you and r."
Il marry your he asked after long
lBok at her.
~You will"
TIL go to prison Irstw
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 a husband. but
I'll show en-
but, woman, I'm a horse THEIR
IT don't care for that