The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-12-25
ACTED ON HER
OWN JUDGMENT
How a Young Woman Sc
|eCted Her Life Partner.

Several married women were dis
cUssing over their afternoon tea the
matter of choosing husband Mrs
Brown advocated giving way to love-
no matter how unprOmising a match
might be otherwise. Mrs. Tinker con
sidered common sense the most desir
able trait to look for in a life partner
Mrs. Evans declared that, after all that
had been said against marriages fol
money, without it there could be nc
comfort and without comfort love is
short lived. Mrs. Twitchell declared
that no man could ever have won bel
who was not a fascinating converse
tiOnalist.
"Your remark, Mrs. Twitchell,' said
Mrs. Anderson, reminds me of a story
"a story in which l was the principal
actor. When I was eighteen went to
visit schoolmate whose father was
very intimate with the superintendent
of an insane asylum. During my visit
a dance was given for the patients
and we were all invited.
MY first partner was so queer look
ing and had such a restless, anxious
look in his eye that I was afraid of
him. Every now and again he would
pause OF stop short in the dance to
look at some other mental wreck, and
once l was dreadfully. frightened for
fear he was going to attack a demure
little woman who of all those present
looked the most tractable. My partner
said very little to me, and when 1 adj
dressed remark to him he barely an
sWered me. He seemed preoccupied.
| fancied that he considered every one
present his natural enemy and if I es-
capped being strangled by him before
the dance was finished I would be for
tunate. I was much relieved when
the music stopped.
My second partner was very differ
ent. He was about thirty-fve years
old and handsome as picture. I shall
never forget the quiet, we'll poised look
in his eyes. The matron introduced
him to me and as she did so whispered
something to me which I understood
to be that he was an invited guest.
But if she had not so Informed me I
should have been sure that he was Of
perfectly sound mind. He made sew
eral remarks to me in the intermissions
of the dance that caught my attention
at once, and l longed to listen to his
conversation. Such a man at such an
age is just the person to impress a
young girl who is naturally flattered
by any notice he deigns to bestow
upon her. AS soon as the dance was
finished 1 put my arm through his that
I should not lose him.
Gle talked delightfully."-. He was a
graduate Of an American, a German
and an English university. He had
travelled everywhere and had the fac
ulty Of imparting not only information
on abstruse topics, but of making one
seem to visit the places he had visited.
His favorite topic was biology. I re-
member his telling me that scientists
were getting every day nearer to a
knowledge of the source of life, and
he surprised me by telling me that the
day would come when they would by
chemical substances and forces pro-
duce protoplasm, the fundamental liv-
ing substance.
while we were chatting my first
partner passed us and gave my COM
paniOn look which I flattered myself
was due to jealously. I had no mind
to be interrupted in my tete-a-tete and
showed by apparent rapt attention that
I was absorbed in what was being
said to me.
my partner after this. continuing
his remarks on the source of life, grew
animated. He made me feel that he
was Il superior being sent down from
heaven to demonstrate that our mortal
part is nothing more than Il chemical
combination to hold the soul during its
preparation for another existence. My
enthusiasm waXed with his. But
though l was rapt in what he said
there was a dual current of thought
in my mind. feeling Of how happy !
could be with, how proud of, such a
husband.
Again my first partner came neal
us, and again I noticed that he was
wrought upon by jealousy. True he
was a lunatic, but l was at an age tc
be pleased even at the jealousy of al
unbalanced mind. His insanity need
not necessarily interfere with his taste
At that moment my companion gave
my arm a clutch that caused me tc
shrek with pain, shouting. L will force
your soul from your body and put il
back again!' And from the look in his
eye l knew that were he free to do sc
he would murder me-
II heard sharp whistle. In a mo
ment my first partner was holding my
second and in few seconds more he
was joined and assisted by severa
keepers. The man admired was hus
tied off like felon, and the man die
not admire superintendent his removal
"Well, to end the story. it turned
out that my first partner was a bril-
liant young doctor who as medical di
rector Of the asylum was studyine
mental diseases. My second was s
lunatic of no special education whe
had picked up smattering of variou.