Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-09


sent Mr. Whltlnarsh the following mes
sage: Have you not heard that there
are times when a woman says No
meaning 'Yes?"
The reply that came back to this
was. Does a woman who says Yes
mean 'NoT"
Miss Dumbleton stamped her foot;
she moaned; she did everything except
tear her hair. That she would have
done had II not been her browning
beauty. Then when she had recovered
a bit OF caImness she determined TO
make one more appeal. She wrote:
The law compels me TO accept by
tomorrow one of a number of offers I
have received"
To this the reply came: You fill me
with grief. How happy would I be to
save you If only you loved me. But
marriage of conveu1eDce-imposs
To marry one ! devotedly love merely
to convey upon her a favor would pro-
fame my most sacred feelings
When Miss Dumbleton received this
message a suspicion came 70 her that
Mr.. Whitmarsh was not such fool
after all. Indeed. IL occurred 10 her
that he was playing with her. Was II
in revenge for the treatment be had
himself received at her Lands. or did
he propose TO punish her for what she
had inflicted on his sex? At any rate.
she could go no further. She consid-
cred the plan of inviting him to come
TO see her with a view to determip-
ing by observation what was his real
OF nd I,FVf Gla al M
she had already demeaned herself to
the utmost. and she could not bring
herself to do so any further.
On the morning she must accept one
of her suitors or violate the law a
basket of beautiful cut flowers came
to her with Mr. Whitmarsh's name at
tached. For a few moments she was
overjoyed. Could it be possible that
he would relent? She waited awhile.
but received no further word from him
and abandoned herself to despair.
''The state against Dumbleton|
called the clerk of the court
Miss Dumbleton stepped TO the front.
Irene Dumbleton." said the judge.
you are charged by the matrimonial
bureau with a violation of the mar
riage laws in that you have refused TO
marry Alfred Trimmingham. first of
fifty-four proposers, and you made no
claim that ne is of bad character or
that he cannot support you. Do you
plead guilty or not guilty?"
Guilty. your honor"
How comes it, rejoined the judge.
that with so many suitors to choose
from you cannot find one to please
you?"
The lady stood silently looking at the
floor.
This. your honor" said the prose
cutting attorney of the matrimonial bu-
reau, sis the most fragrant case we
have had. This woman ever since she
came of matrimonial age has drawn
suitors to her. keeping them from pro-
posing to other women and refusing to
marry any one of them herself. And
now we have all these bachelors who
claim that they have complied with
the law in proposing TO her to encum-
Der the calendar with their cases.
trust that your honor will inflict upon
her the heaviest penalty the law al
lows"
"Once more. Irene Dumbleton." said
the judge, Il ask you to choose one
from among the fifty-four men who
are willing TO marry you. | would re-
mind you that the law does not permit
a woman 10 change her mind and be
released from the penalty after sen
tence has been imposed, though she
may do so before she has received her
sentence. The extreme penalty that
/ can impose upon a woman refusing
to marry is ten years Imprisonment.
with the addition of one year for every
man who has made her proposition.
1t Will therefore be my duty 10 send
you TO prison for sixty-four years. and
when you are again free TO marry. you
being eighty-six''-
Eighty -four. your honor"
you will not ind matrimonial |
market equal to that of today, VIII (
you choose"
The woman remained silent
Then. Irene Dumbleton. I sen
tence'-
Hold. your honor"' cried a voice.
Egbert Whitmarsh advanced. Il pro /
pose for the hand of this woman !
Irene. will you marry me?'
mo"
''In the feminine vocabulary. your
honor. l am told No means Yes
said WhitmarSh. and. taking Miss
Dumbleton's hand. he drew it under
his arm and led her out OF court.
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