The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-02-24
A DONKEY
ENGINE
Illustrating Some Points In a
Girls Choice of Husband
By EMILY SEWELL'
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1871.
BY EMILY SEWELL.

at haphazard? Perhaps il is becaus,
every one considers marriage lottery
At any rate. an impatient word. &
flower given in the nick Of time. Q
misunderstood sentence. a smile. will
often determine whether Molly is t
marry Tom. with a happy life before
her, or John with misery and final iii
vorce
Margaret Lee. though still young ant
comparatively inexperienced. was borI
10 natural insight into such matters
Where most young ladies would give
their hearts in return for compll
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 10 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. typihed by John. He was
a noble fellow. but was regarded by
his friends as full OF fine impracticablc
impulses aud 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 good salary, with prospects
of a better. He was putting aside so
per cent OF his income and already had
nest egg laid up that was paying
him good interest II am going for
houses and lands" he said, "and you
know that this is no vain boast. for I
have already done the hardest part OF
the work. have got the first thou.
sand dollars"
Margarets head. IL 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 an answer"
"l'll tell what I'll do. Margaret"
said the wooer I'll come tomorrow
evening aaG we'll flip coin TO decide
whether you marry me or not"
"Very WELL" said Margaret, in n
tired way.
street, and he walked home with her.
They had so much to say to each
other that they couldn't say it all be-
fore reaching her house, so Brown
went in.
Margaret" he said, II have no
doubt that you can DO better by mar
rying some one else than me. But my
risk any way. Why not take it with |
a man you love? Besides. some men |
are capable OF being made by 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 donkey engine. and. you know, |
an engine can't run itself; It must
have an engineer"
Margaret was so influenced by this |
argument, especially since her heart
was enlisted. that she promised the
young man that IL something-sbe
wouldn't fell what-turned out the
next evening n certain way she would
marry him. Brown showed that when
interested In n subject he had a lot of
hang on In him. for he never gave up
till he drew the information out of her
that size was TO decide his rivals fate
by the spinning OF coin. Then he
refused to let go 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-
eide between him and Armstrong. The
$3.50 bN spun uS ~ VII VI DltuS- |
antry. but IL 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 a day In which 10 pre-.
pare for 1t. Que may say that In such
an affair there Is no preparation to be
made or If any is possible It is dis
honorable.
But while Armstrong had the steadi-
ness of a planet revolving in its fixed
orbit. Brown was man for occasion.
While he had noble impulses. he did ,
not allow them 10 run away with him
In the matter of the girl he loved.
AIS fair In war and love is a princi.
pie OF nature. During the evening he
spun coins on smooth table top till (
midnight Before he had finished he I
had discovered how to make them fall I
on which ever side he chose. {
The next morning he telepsoned 70 d,
MS employer that he would not he
'eady for business that day and had !
10 excuse to offer for his absence.
Very sorry to lose you. Mr.. Brown" I
vas the reply. but you needn't come +,
omorrow; your place will be 1lled.w I
1t may seem singular that man /