Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-08-23
THE STRONG
WOMAN s
D.
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

as the strong woman" was called
Hetty Davis That was her correc,
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 TIM,
the first 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 1.-THE, big kid She took
on fat and simply played with humps.
measles and whoopinx cough. Her
weight at two years was that OF the
average girl Of ten. She grew from
"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.
Tho 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 It. They came counting
and were laughed at. but ut length
the strong woman announced TINT on
n certain dcy. II the swains would all
gather ut her farm. she would select
husband from among ,hcm The
gathering numbered thirty. As they
sat around casting Sleeps eyes mt her
she rose and said:
Gentlemen. want msn who can
control me. The man who wins me
must best me in n fair rough and tum-
BILE fight. There are no other copdi-
TONS
There were only Eve men out Of the
thirty who wanted matrimony that
way. Out Of the Eve there was wid!
over forty years old who could NOV
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 a licked
man In Owe minutes. Not only that,
but he carried 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 in lunches. 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 tho news OF that got
abroad all tramps would 20 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 shc got her teeth fss-
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 1t by for years. Then casual
remark rolled her. A certain woman
said that she was so homely that she
couldn't catch husband. No bomsiy
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
out notice that she had hit the trail for
husband. No one responded. On
the contrary. men hid out in barns and
haystacks and trembled I'm their shoes
Two weeks and no husband
Then the strong woman bought o
bear trap, covered the teeth with heavy
Three nights passed without II victim.
but Mt midnight on the fourth night
along came a horse thief. gayly. and
was caught by the leg. Ills yells OF
pain aroused the woman. o. she light
ed the lantern AMI went out. After
taking good look ct the prisoner she
turned away with -be remark:
II guess you'll do. Stay right here
till morning."
He begged and pleaded and yelled.
but there he stayed for fonr hours
more. Then came daylight and his
captOr. and she asked:
y Does 1t happen that you are q mar
ried msn?"
mo" r.r
"Then you soon will be. Listen to
me. You'll be- laid up for about n
week. After that we shall we mar.
rtsd. you and l."
Il marry your he asked after long
Hok at her.
"You will"
"TlI 80 TO prison hrstw
You'll do nothing OF the kind. Per
haps you've heard of me-the strong
woman"
He uttered n gronn Of despair
They say 7 can't find husband, but
I'll show EN-
But. woman, I'm horse thief"
II don't care for that"
1t is n fact that after week they
were married. IL Is a further fact that
he ran away. and after hunt OF u