The Ronan pioneer., 1913-03-07

was escorted from the meeting to
the >taGecoach by every e1citizen
and OH the way was promised that
when returned would tind the place
"all cleaned up" The coach was driv-
en- away amid II chorus of hurrahs.
When women We're shipped for wives
b. Virginia in the seventeenth century
a man had to pay for Wife's trans
portaton in tobacco. bnt |, fearing to
fail by compelling the men to pay out
money they didn't have, obtained the
transportation funds from a friendly
philanthropist The women obtained
from homes for friendless persons. Il
number being drawn from orphan aSy-
lums. the volunteers having reached
an age where they We're expected to
do something for themselves. Having
collected my cargo. | put them on a
train and started west with them to
Denver. where extra stages were pro-
vided, so that all could 90 to Dead
mans Flat together.
On our arrival ut our destination. as
we drove down the main street.
noticed that the tim cans had been re-
moved. sidewalks laid and trees plant
ed beside them. Certain shantieS had
the women till after they had been
made wives. At the tavern where the
stages pulled up the citizensall men
stood in two lines. every man uncover
ed while the stages passed between
the lines. Each man wore a serious
look. which was partly intended as re-
spect for the newcomers and partly
from anxiety as to how he was to
come out in the scramble for Il partner.
A committee headed by Hickory Ben.
each man having secured from the
store suit of shiny black clothes and
white cotton gloves. handed the ladies'
from the coaches. and when all had
alighted they were escorted b" band
consisting of Il fiddle, two horns. a gui
tar. Il flute and a drum to their quar-
ters. The crowd was about to follow
but | waved them back. telling them
that the ladies needed an opportunity
to "clean up"
had already by my practical method
acquired Il considerable influence over
them. and they obeyed me instantly.
am quite sure that the brief survey
they had made was sufficient for some
of them to make a choice, and possibly
glance given here and there from the
men to the women in or on the coaches
or when marching to the maidens
quarters had been returned in kind.
quickly among the lowly as among the
highbOrn?
Then, too. there was another oppor
tunity for such an exchange of glances
when the women marched to the tav-
ern. where an excellent supper had
been provided for them. The men
rather than eat their own suppers i'm
proved the time watching for the exit
from the maidenS quarters and the re-
turn. and an occasional blush told that
the wearer had not been displeased
with some one i'm the crowd who had
made mute proposal with the eyes.
have mentioned in the beginning OF
nay narrative Il church that now stands
on the site of former gambling and
drinking saloon. The beginning of that
now used for a Sunday school. had
been built during my absence and had
been provided with Il table for my use
and seats. On the evening of the ar
rival of the women they We're escorted
to this room and seated around the
walls. when the men were admitted.
and the collting began. The commit
tee of arrangements in order to lessen
the probability of fights when more
than one man claimed the same won-
IN made Il rule that as soon as Il coll-
pie became engaged they should either
come up to the table before me and be
married or go to Their respective resi-
dcnces till they We're ready for the GER
elnony.
was surprised ut the number OF
couples who mated during the evening.
In ten minutes after all had assembled
the first couple came to me. and l mar
reu them. In half an hour two cOu-
pies advanced together. Meanwhile
some five or six couples left the hall
engaged. And so the good work went
on till II o'clock. when ten couples had
been married. Eighteen had left the
room betruthed. leaving seven women
unDrovilled with husbands. Since they
We're among the comeiest and most
refined of the lot | surmised that
either they had not in SO short Il time
been able to make up their minds as
to one or more Suitors or that they
could not bring themselves to such a
marriage without more time for prepa-
ration. However, l will say here. be-
fore bringing my narrative to a close.
that all these women We're married in
time except one who could not be
brought to what was to her an ordeal.
| sent her back to the east.
My experiment was a marked sue
cess 1t was not to be expected that
all the uncouthness would at once be
stamped ont in Dcadman's Flat. 1t
wac not Iut II liei all tho Soma nm