The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-10-30
ACTED on Her
own JUDGMENT
How a Young Woman Sc.
lected Fer Life Partne7.

brOWns advocated giving way to love.
no matter how unpromising a match
might be otherwise. Mrs: Tinker cor
sldered common sense the: most desir-
able trait to look for in d life partner.
Mrs. Evans declared that, after all that
had been said against marriages for
money, without it there could be no
comfort and without comfort love Is
short lived Mrs. Twitchell declared
that no man could ever have won her
who was not fascinating coniiversii-
tionalist. 80: 81: 4at
\: "Your remark, Mrs. Twitchell.,' said
Mrs. Anderson, reminds me of a story
Ia story in which / was the principal
actor. When | was eighteen. went to
visit schoolmate whose father was
very intimate with the superintendent
Of an insane asylum. During my visit
dance was, given for the patients,
and we were all invited
3 My first partner was so queer look
ing and had such restless anxious
look in his eye that was afraid of
him. Every now and again he would
pause or stop short in the dance to
look at some other mental wreck, and
once | was dreadfully frightened fo-
fear he was going to attack demure
little woman who of all those present
looked the most tractable. My partne1
said very little to me, and when I 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-five years
old and handsome as a picture. shall
never forget the quiet, well 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. ana | longed to listen to his
conversation. Such a man at such al
age is just the person to Impress a
young girl who is naturally fattered
by any notice he deigns to bestow
upon her. As soon as the dance was
finished l put my arm through his that
should not lose him ~
'He' talked delightfully."-. He was 4
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. l re-
member his telling me that scientists
were getting every day nearer to q
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-
ing substance.
While we were chatting my first
partner passed us and gave my COM
panion look which 6attered myself
was due to jealousy. had no mind
to be interrupted In my tete-a-tete and
showed by apparent rapt attention that
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 a superior being sent down from
heaven to demonstrate that our mortal
part is nothing more than 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 dual current of thought
IN my mind, a feeling Of how happy I
could be with, how proud of, such q
husband.
Again my first partner came near
us, and again noticed that he was
wrought upon by Jealousy. True. he
was a lunatic, but was at an age to
be pleased even at the jealousy of an
unbalanced mind. His insanity need
not necessarily interfere with his taste.
At that moment my companion gave
my arm a clutch that caused me to
shrek with pain, shouting, I will force
your soul from your body and put it
back again. And from the look In his
eye knew that were he free to do so
he would murder me.
II heard a sharp whistle. In mo-
ment my first partner was holding my
second, and in a few seconds more he
was Joined and assisted by several
keepers. The man admired was hus-
tied OF like felon. and the man did
not admire perintended his removal.
''Well. to end the story, it turned
out. that my first partner was a bril-
liant young doctor who as medical d.
rector of the asylum was studying
mental diseases. My second was 4.
lunatic of no special education who
had picked up u smattering of various
sciences. Such was the judgment OF
girl of marriageable age between
two men as to which she would marry.
Il have two daughters. and am deter
mined that neither Of them shall mar
~ without my approval