Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-29
A DONKEY
ENGINE
Illustrating Some Points In a
Girls Choice Of a Husband
BY EMILY SEWELL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation, 1911.

+ Copyright by American Press Asso- I
II ciation, 1911.
Why is It that the most important
step in life. marriage, Is often decided
at haphazard? Perhaps 1t is because
every one considers marriage lottery
At any rate, an impatient word, 6
flower given In the nick Of time. g
misunderstood sentence. smile. viii
often determine whether Molly is tc
marry Tom. with happy life before
her. or John with misery and final di
vorce
Margaret Lee. though still young ant
comparatively inexperienced. was borr
to natural insight into such matters
Where most young ladies would give
their hearts in return for a compli
ment. she looked for something more
enduring. She was wiser even thar
this. She knew that she could moi
forecast what her fate would be with
any man. Tom might be one Of ma
ture's noblemen. but he might also be
a poor provider. John might be mar
row minded and selfish. but might
bestow upon her wealth and honors
Margaret realized that she must take
her chances.
Miss Lees choice gradually narrow
ed down to one Of two men. Hel
Tom and John were Pope Armstrong
and LIE Baron Brown. Armstrong rep
resented what has been said Of Tom
he was especially interested In his
own career. Brown was. in some
respects. typifed by John. He was
q noble fellow, but was regarded by
his friends as full Of fine impracticable
impulses and a born gambler; not q
gambler IN the narrow, but the broad
sense. Both wanted Margaret, and
Margaret wanted one or the other OF
them. Her judgment said Armstrong
her inclination favored Brown.
One evening Armstrong went to see
her and used very excellent arguments
why she should marry him. He was
getting a good salary, with prospects
of a better. He was putting aside &c
per cent Of his income and already had
nest egg laid up that was paying
him a good interest. II am going fol
/ houses and ;ands," he said. "and you
know that this is no vain boast. for
have already done the hardest part OF
the work. I have got the first thou
sand dollars"
Margare. heau. If not her heart
| was won She remembered that Brown
had recently loaned friend $500
that he never expected to see again
Would she not better settle the matter
between them now. and in favor OF
Armstrong? She would If she could
but she could not
"Come tomorrow evening"" she said
''and I'll try to give you IN answer"
"I'Il tell what I'll do. Margaret
said the wooer. I'll come tomorrow
evening and we'll flip coin to decide
whether you marry me or not"
Every WELL" said Margaret, in
tired way.
The next day she met Brown on the
street, and he walked home with her.
They had SO much to say to each
other that they couldn't say 1t all be-
fore reaching her house, so Brown
| went In.
Margaret" he said, II have nc
doubt that you can do better by mar
rying some one else than me. But my
argument Is this: You must take the
risk any way. Why not take 1t with
a man you love! Besides. some men
are capable Of being made by a wife
| You would undoubtedly have hard
time with me, but you're level head
ed girl, and that's the kind l need
I'm a donkey engine. and, you know
an engine can't run itself; 1t must
have an engineer"
Margaret was 80 Influenced by this
argument, especially since her heart
was enlisted. that she promised the
young man that II something-she
wouldn't tell what-turned out the
next evening a certain way she would
marry him. Brown showed that when
interested In a subject he had lot Of
hang on In him, for he never gave W
till he drew the information out OF hei
that she was to decide his rivals fate
by the spinning Of coin. Then he
refused to let 90 until she had agreed
to give him an equal chance. She con
sented that he should be present the
next evening and the coin should de-
Acide between him and Armstrong. The
coin would be spun as bit OF pleas
antry, but 1t was understood that
whichever man won won In earnest
The advantage was all with Brown
because he knew of the game to be
play ed and had a day in which to pre-
pare for it. One may say that in such
IN affair there Is NO preparation to be
made or II any Is possible 1t Is dis
honorable.
But while Armstrong had the steadi
ness Of a planet revolving in its fxeo
orbit, Brown was a man for occasion
While he had noble impulses. he die
not allow them to run away with hin
in the matter of the girl he loved
Alrs fair In war and love Is q princi
Die Of nature. During the evening ht
spun coins on q smooth table top til
midnight. Before he had finished ht
had discovered how to make them fal
on which ever side he chose.
The next morning he telephoned tt
his employer that he would not bt
ready for business that day and hat
no excuse to offer for his absence
every sorry to lose you. Mr.. Brown
was the reply. "but you needn't come
tomorrow: your place will be filled"
It may seem singular that a mar
struggling to get a wife should give ul
the income ON which to support hel
but Brown argued that he couldn't &c
the wife and keep the position. 81
possessed the faculty Of deciding be
tween the greater and the lesser. b
needed all Of the day to continue hi
preparations for the game he was +
play in the evening. II he lost ther
was no recovery. II he won he had
lifetime in which to secure anothe
position.
When the evening for the trial cam
Brown had used up In preparation
every moment since he had parte'
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