The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-04-03
A NEW
MATRIM ONIAL
SOCIETY
By ESTHER VANDEvEER

Between the mountains of India and
Persia there is a tribe among whom
the wemen choose their husbands.
When q single woman wishes to mar
ry a man she sends a servant to his
house to pin a handkerchief to his hat
as an intimation of her desire. Unless
he can show that he is too poor to
purchase her at the price her father
requires he is obliged to marry her.
Until the organization Of the Airing
ton club for men there was no super
fluffy Of spinsters v e bachelors In
a certain American town, but from
then on marriages began to fall on.
One of the most popular married WON
en- called the maidens together and
organized an association for the ad-
vancement Of matrimony based on the
Indian-P Persian plan. The first young
lady to secure a husband by the meth
cd was invited to state before the as
ISOLATION how it had worked in her
case. She arose and said:
"Mrs. President, I had long admired
Mr.. George Luddington, who had paid
me some attention. and had it not been
for the organization of the Arlington
club l believe he would have asked me
to be his wife. But that pestiferous
institution reduced him from an in
cipient lover to a vacillating hanger
on. Soon after the adoption Of the
plan which we are associated to carry
out 1 worked Mr.. Luddington's initials
on a fine cambria handkerchief and.
calling a messenger, told him to take
it to the club at the hour I knew Mr..
Luddington dined there, obtain access
to the coat room and pin it to his hat.
"The messenger had no difficulty in
, executing his commission. I did not
know for some time that Mr.. Ludding-
ton knew from whom the token came.
l have since learned that he knew very
well, and the action he took in the
matter was intended to brighten me
of. A few evenings after receiving
the handkerchief he called or me. and
I saw at a glance that he was or pre-
tended to be very irate.
"'What do you suppose has happen
ed to me" he asked brusquely.
81 can't imagine replied meekly.
"'An association has been formed In
this town-so I understanding drive
us bachelors into matrimony. If. 4
girl wishes to marry a man she sends
some one to pin a handkerchief to his
hat. Did you ever hear of such i'm
modest impudenceT. 80
".Never in my life.'
."You must excuse me. ladies, for my
weakness, but he frightened me out of
my wits.
"'Who do you suppose this person
is?' he growled. ~
"'I can't Imagine, l replied.
":Don't you think her v~.y un-
maidenly?' he asked in a less threat
ening tone, for my agreeing with him
rendered him less severe. to d1e.
'"'I certainly do Il wonderahow she
could have had the face TODD IT.! :.
~ shrank into a corner of a sofa. as
far away from him as I could get. He
sat down on the other end and looked
at me kind of puzzled. He knew l had
sent him the handkerchief and couldn't
understand how l could condemn my
self for doing it. He looked very ter
rible, but not quite so terrible as when
he first came. Then be began a sys-
tenn Of torture to find out what it all
meant.
"'The handkerchief. he sald. was
very dainty. though the initials were
badly worked. They lookedsas If they
had been executed by some one with
fingers. so big that they were only. dt-
ted to work with q skewer.'
"At this l said nothing. ! dared not.
speak for fear Of betraYing a treniolo
In my voice:
"'If a GIRL he went, on. h>u ut
me a gift without an immodes. ,..1eh-.
ton i should have been deeply lm-
pressed with It,. Quite likely I would
have been affected to the point Of max.
ing love to her and proposing .aar-
rage"
This statement was receiv:::I 18th
cries OF mo-" Don't you believe IL"
They all talk that way. but they dent
propose" When the commotiun suo.
sided the speaker went on with h,. &C.
citaEat -" ;
".'But for a girl deliberately .p .c;;,a
man>she wants him to marry her. thus
usurping his privilege. there's norhing
she could do to SO .efecsually turu
him
he got no further. / was iun %
the top OF my throat. ] made sewers
.conyuisive gulps and burst into y ror.
rent Of tears. 4 SO
81 don't know what he was aslus: TOR
q few moments. for l sheid my IA i'd
kerchief to my face. I htasn nothing.
but presently felt his arm arvun IN.
waist. Then he drew my head down
on his breast. .,s X, I, ~. a.. /.
IN thu; fool kiilllssffs cesaes #; fni i ~, )
he sid. with his lips pressed against
ms. cheek. he'll yank me ont. certain.
isrrres. Don't cry, little girl. Dear iii.
Ne kiri.l forgive me! I've ::toved you
ever since - 5'7 ..5 4
Again there w1ssre cries or tunpe,,tsf.
sOh. ssbosh!.,.. .ssyVshat ! whoip.plsrt.E'' And
such like expressions Of d%lsapproval.
dK{ars.Ss.1YNE an M rkaeks f~ndtIx,hutlys