The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-08-24
A DONKEY ::
ENGINE
Illustrating Some Points In :.
Ci1s Choice Of a Husband .
BY EMILY SEWELL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By EMILY SEWEu.

1UpyTaBnt W AIuoTlCau xTo68 AGao- n
+ citation. iali. +
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Why Is 1t that the most important
step In life. marriage, Is often decided
at haphazard7 Perhaps 1t Is because
every one considers marriage lottery.
At any rate. an impatient word. a
flower given In the nick Of time. a
misunderstood sentence, a smile. will
often determine whether Molly Is to
marry Tom. with happy life before
her. or John with misery and final di.
vorce.
Margaret Lee. though still young and
comparatively inexperienced. was born
to a natural insight into such matters.
Where most young ladies would give
their hearts In return for a compii-
ment. she looked for something more
enduring. She was wiser even than
this. She knew that she could not
forecast what her fate would be with
any man. Tom might be one of ma
lures 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. Her
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. typif1ed by John. He was
a noble fellow. but was regarded by
his friends as full Of fine impracticable
impulses and born gambler: not a
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 better. He was putting aside 80
per cent of his income and already had
nest egg laid up that was paying
him a good interest. 81 am going for
houses and lands" he said. land you
know that this Is no vain boast. for
have already done the hardest part of
the work. have got the first thou
sand dollars"
Margarets head. II not her heart.
was won. She remembered that Brown
had recently loaned a 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 IL she could,
but she could not.
Come tomorrow evening"" she said,
land I'll try to give you an answer"
"I'll tell what I'll do. Margaret"
said the wooer. "I'u come tomorrow
evening and we'll flip coin to decide
whether you marry me or not"
Every WELL" said Margaret, In a
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, 30 Brown
went In.
Margaret he said. ~ have no
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 wife.
You would undoubtedly have a 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 somethinR-she
wouldn't fell what-turned out the
next evening a certain way she would
marry him. Brown showed that when
interested In subject he had a lot Of
hang on In him. for he never gave up
till he drew the information out of her
that she was to decide his rivals fate
by the spinning Of a coin. Then he
refused to let go until she had agreed
to give him an equal chance. She con-
scented that ne should be present the
next evening and the coin should de-
eide between him and Armstrong. The
coin would be spun as bit Of pleas
antry, but II was understood that
whichever man won won in earnest.
The advantage was all with Brown
because he knew Of the game TO be
played and had day In which to pre-
pare for It One may say that In such
an affair there is no preparation to be
made or II any ia possible 1t Is dis
honorable.
But while Armstrong had the steadi-
ness of a planet revolving In It's fixed
orbit, Brown was man for occasion.
While he had noble impulses. he did
not allow them to run away with him
In the matter OF the girl he loved.
Airs fair In war and love is a prtnci.
pie of nature. During the evening he
spun coins on a smooth table top till
midnight. Before he had finished he
had discovered how to make them fall
on which ever side he chose.
The next morning he telephoned to
his employer that he would not be
ready for business that day and had
no excuse to offer for his absence.