The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-10-17
An Admitted
Charge
D. LOUISE CARPENTER

Miss Mathews tea" was IN session.
and the young ladies who had met for
the mental improvement to be gained
by an exchange Of ideas. having ex.
hausted the topics the young hostess
had laid out for them, descended at
once to ordinary conversation, which
In common parlance means gossip.
1--WE heard" said Miss Phillips, that
this new arrival, Mr.. Edmonds, is the
best catch that has come to this town
in years."
And I have heard" said Miss Ather.
ton, that he's not a marrying man"
mo man is a marrying man." re
marked Miss Gregory. unless he be
tired Of single life and hunting q home.
Men don't seek matrimony Is We girls
do. because a man, especially q young
man, II not ambitious to take care Of
some one. We, on the contrary, must
look out for ourselves. Which one. Of
you is willing to be an old maid7"
But I've heard" Miss Anterior
went on, that Mr.. Edmonds has ex-
pressed himself openly As being q wo-
man hater."
Then" said Miss Mathews, 1T n
our duty to give him to understand
that we don't wish to have anything to
do with him. What do you say, girls7'
Il don't see" said Miss Gregory,
that there Is any necessity to show
the gentleman that we don't wish to
have anything to do with him since
he has avowed himself q woman hater,
which means that he doesn't ARE to
have anything to do with US"
That's just like you, Kit" put in
Miss Britton. you're always ON the
OF side"
"How do you know that he is q NO
man hater? Did you hear him say
500" Miss Gregory asked.
mo, but May Farnsworth got it d.
rect from Betty Fiske, who knows him
very WELL"
"~supposing," Miss Gregory replied.
that we girls were a jury to try Mr..
Edmonds on the charge of being a wo-
man hater, do you think the judge
would admit such evidence? If / were
his counsel I would show q motive on
the part of the girl who reported the
confession"
What motive?"
why, I don't know any better way
for her II she wants him herself to de-
stroy competition. Mind You. I don't
accuse her Of intending to do 20. I
only use the point as an illustration"
1t looked for a time as though the
matter would be dropped, but another
girl had heard the same report, and
the majority admitted that It must be
80. It was finally agreed that no no
tice should be taken socially Of Mr..
Edmonds until 1t was known whether
he was or was not a woman hater.
Then the young ladies separated, each
and every one, except Miss Gregory,
who was not in sympathy with the
rest, resolving that she would find out
for herself whether the charge was
correct.
It was not long before it was no
ticed that Miss Betty Fiske, who had
spread the charge, was seen a great
deal with Mr.. EdmOnds. Then the
conspiracy broke apart, and each Of
the young ladies Of the tea party man
aged by hook or crook to make Mr..
Edmonds' acquaintance. A conversa-
ton very hke this was apt to follow:
I'm very glad to meet you. Mr.. Ed
monds, but I don't suppose you're glad
to meet me-
"Why?" was the surprised rejoinder.
Because l hear you are a woman
hater."
MI. Edmonds knit his brows-
Are you?
"Yes.
After. the tauesd0rSvasSthns put -
him six times, each time with . nm
liar reply. the gentleman began an In
vestigaton as to how the report about
him came to be Circulated. One o. the
girls present at Miss Mathews