Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-04-09

STRONG
MINDED:
A Third, Ordinary
Person Proved a
Dark Horse
BY F. a. mitchell

How Edgar Marston met and wooesi
Julia Spingler does not pertain to this
story II is sufficient to say that he
won her consent to their marriage
when she was passing out of her teens
and her ideas of the stand she should
take in the world were in embryo.
Soon after her engagement Julia fell
under the influence of Margaret Hal
isted. an elderly unmarried lady-to
avoid the unpleasant term old maid
who wrought a considerable change in
her
Miss Halsted was what was called
pleasing term new woman was in
vented. Under the tutelage of the
stronger. or at least the more devel-
oped. intellect Julia conceived diff
ferent notion from what she had held
of the part OF women in the universe
That it was "a woinan's part alone TO
bear children she did not believe On
der the new dispensation the profess
siODs were open to the gentler sex, and
she saw no more reason why woman
should not enter them than man.
After consultation with her mentor she
resolved to become Il lawyer.
Marston was not considered bright,
hut was universally respected. Some of
Juiias intimate friends who looked
| upon her as a: talented girl wondered
how she could fancy one who was in
tellectually hei. inferior. He regretted
that she had entered Il field which has
been occupied almost exclusively by
men. for he was not UP to the new de-
partnre. He, had looked forward to
having a wife who would rely on him
to provide, the home ard on herself to
run it smoothly. Being one of those
persons who believe in the adage "All
! things come TO those who wait" he
took no action upon his iancee's be-
coming Il lawyer leaving the matter of
his relationship with her to work itself
| out
Julia consulted Miss Hasted with
| reference to her engagement with
F! MarSton, but Gid not act on her add
| vice. which was TO remain single. The
| fable of the fox who had lost it's tail
suggested itself to the pupil. and she
| saw no reason why because woman
adopted profession she should give
| up wifehood and motherhood. so She
| continued her engagement.
But while pursuing her studies Julia
| listened to a course of lectures from
! an eminent member of the bar, by
whom she was very much impressed.
1t seemed after hearing the keen logic
of Cyrus Underwood that Edgars talk
was extremely commonplace Mr. I'm
| derwood, who was a bachelor in mid
| Ole age; took great fancy to Julia
1 and not being aware of her engage
| ment.! showed her attention.
| julia. who realized that She was
bound in honor to Marston and was
extremely fond of him. now. entered
upon one of those periods of indecision
that are extremely trying But what
ever there was in him was not glitter
ing and did not appear to advantage
beside the brilliant mind of Under
wood. In her perpleNity Julia made
a contidant of Margaret Halsted.
Perhaps If she wished for advice
she would have done better to go to
married woman who had had expe-
| rience in such matters. But even this
would not have been likely to avail
! anything, for julia was pretty likely
to make up her own mind about what
she would do in her own affairs with
out the advice Of any one However.
Miss Halsted gave her q couple of pic
lures. the one Of union with com
nonplace man, the other with bril-
liant lawyer with whom She might in
time be partner rot only matrimo-
nially, but professionally. 1t must be
confessed that this second picture was
very attractive. Julia saw herself and
her husband working together on in
teresting cases. each assisting the 9th
er with suggestions and oftentimes
supplying each others deficiencies.
1t was this that finally determined
Julia to break with Edgar Marston and
accept Cyrus Underwood. Relying on
! a certain sense Of Justice she had ob-
:, served in the former she laid the case
before him. telling him that she saw
in union with Underwood brilliant
future for herself and. though it pain.
ed her to pain Edgar. she thought that
in justice to herself she should make
the change. But on no account would
she do SO unless Edgar assured her
that he thought her perfectly right In
the matter.
III Marston had fault it was not In
opposing. persons whose minds were
made up. He said that her problem
was altogether too deep for him to
solve. but ifsit was better for her to
marry lawyer 1t was certainly better
for himself that she should do SO. tn
asmuch as he was nOt-a lawyer. but q
plain man of business Nothing would
be we'll for either that was not we'll for
both.
Julia. whose mind Mt the time was
fixed upon the brain union that prom
ised such brilliant results. was much
pleased with her lovers statement of
the case. not so much on account Of it's
good sense as because it left her free