Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-07-30
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: Result !
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: By JULIUS WILSON !
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John Dexter and I were schoolmates
huns in college and always intimate
friends. John. who inherited.a fortune,
went abroad for awhile after gradual
ing. and went into the law. As soon
as was ready for business John
turned over to me the care Of bis es-
tate.
John was in every sense bachelor.
lie was devoted to bachelor life and
showed no disposition to become hus-
hand.
"What-tie myself up to a wom-
am he would say. do you realize
what that means? slavery-absolute
slavery. And. more. you are mixed up
with another family that you have no
interest in whatever. The first time
you meet them-after your marriage
they call you by your first name. and
you are expected to do the same by
them, familiarity that doesn't exist
between you and some Of your life
long friends. How can man endure
to be Gagged with one woman and no
way Of getting away from herr
There's nine chances In ten against his
ever having any comfort after he's
been chained"
Then he quoted some doggerel on the
subject:
There's many a man when the key has
been turned
In the wedlock for which he has ardently
yearned
Would give all the wealth I'm his bank
and his pocket
And borrow besides. for key to unlock
It"
Now. this aversion to matrimony on
Johns part was unfortunate. hap
pened to have a client. u young lady.
Margaret Storms. whose property was
very much tangled up with the estate
of John Dexter. and could see no
such advantageous way Of straighten'
ing It out except by their uniting their
interests in marriage. There was
double reason why this was extremely
difficult. Miss Storms was or pretend
ed to be as adverse to marriage as
Dexter. But have never had any
faith in this antagonism between the
sexes except in special cases, and in this
case the two had never seen each
other.
resolved to beard the lion and
the lioness In their respective dens and
make one supreme effort to unite them
and their estates.
Woman. Notwithstanding her bitter
ness when prejudiced, may be more
easily handled In matrimonial mat
ter than man. She naturally seeks her
sphere-the home and children-earlier
than man. 1 therefore resolved to be-
gin my attack on Miss Storms. I went
70 see her and opened up the object
Of my visit by telling her Of the diff
culties In the way Of making her estate
pay the income it should because OF
the antagonistic interests In the prop
erty Of another person. Then / went
on to say that $4,000 year income
might be more desirable with hus-
band than nothing year without one.
Not in my case," was her quick re-
ply. II am satisfied that couldn't
be tied up with any man for a month
without hating him."
This was not encouraging. but pur-
sued the argument, while she, though
she said nothing, shifted the air like
war horse hearing the boom Of dis
tant cannon. When ! came to pause
she asked the name Of the man pro-
posed she should wed. I told her. and
her ire burst forth.
"Oh, yes. know all about him.
He's the man who hates women 30
and goes about spouting those satirical
lines be has either composed-though
| don't believe he's smart enough-or
borrowed"
And she spouted the rimes John had
given me on the subject of marriage.
"You 20 back" she continued. land
give him this answer to his borrowed
doggerel:
There's many a girl when embarked on
the wave
OF iife's ocean with him who has sworn
he's her slave
viii find to her cost when nothing can
That the captains brute and the vessels
a SLAYER"
That's unfortunate" I said. Johns
very unwlse to be getting of such
stuff. But he doesn't mean 1t an!
more than you mean your rimes. New
ertheless expect l had better stick to
the law without trying to do outside
work. But If your estate eventually
passes into the hands Of this man Dex-
ter don't blame me"
"Oh. bring him along. I'm not afraid
Of him. If he bites me can stick q
pin In him."
| said nothing to Dexter about my
unfortunate opening Of the subject OF
his marriage, but when I saw him
again | told him that the probabilities
were his estate would soon be absorbed
by that of Miss Storms. Had 1t not
been for this card that played to both
of the parties concerned l might have
waited till they were both In their
dotage before producing any percepd'
BILE effect. When I had used 1t with
Miss Storms she had said, "Oh, bring
him along" When I used It with Dex-
ter he asked, "WShat kind Of looking
thing is she7''
Every pretty" l replied. "and re-
markably bright"
"H'm! Heaven save me from smart
womanw
By dint Of hammering It into each Of
them that the other would eventually
get both estates l finally got them to
consider q union. John was willing to
meet Margaret and look her over. Mar
garet. when took her up on her invi-
tation to bring him along" backed
out. saying that she didn't propose to
be trotted out like q horse for sale.
But she failed to suggest any other
method, and I began to think the mat.
ter was entirely of when she made