The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-07-01
She Escaped Being
An Old Maid
By BARBARA PHIPPs

"All the ways OF doing itr'
mo; n good way"
IF were to tell you all OF them I
would never get through. Generally
women are won by trines-that is,
they are considered tribes, but In the
feminine mind. or. rather. heart, they
stand for a good deal Ineorrfgible
cases sometimes need TO be won by
getting the rebellious object OF mans
affections so tied that she can't get out
OF It. Then she accepts the situation.
and time, intimate association and
marriage do the rest"
II wonder n couldn't do that with
Edna ~
John had been counting Edna for a
long while without seeming 20 have
made the slightest impression. He had
proposed seven times and been refused
every time.
"what does she say when she re
fuses your asked
"The last time asked her she said
that she could never choose a man she
knew because she would be sure to
see In him a multitude OF faults"
Complimentary 10 you, wasn't &c?
Why don't you persuade her 10 marry
a man as she would buy lottery tick
ct, then contrixe 10 be that nanl"
II don't understand you"
Perhaps I can arrange 10 for YOU"
A few months later said to John.
I've got 1t all fixed"
"HowT'
81 didn't dare to act directly In the
matter, knowing well that /, being
your sister, Edna would infer that /
was acting In your interest, so sent a
third party TO her Martha Jenkins.
Martha had n talk about matrimony
with her and saw plainly that Edna
would like TO be married. She said
facetiously that the only way she could
tie herself up with man would be
TO marry some one In the dark. Mar
tina advised her 10 do that very thing.
''Then my emissary began TO hoh up
picture OF the old maid living alone
through life and an old age, contrasting
IL with view OF n wife and mother
brought into the world. She has Kept
this up ever since, declaring that
chance Is as good as love 10 base a
marriage on, and the advice Of IA dis
interested party Is better than either.
To this Edna laughlngly asked Martha
TO choose a husband for her. Martha
refused unless Edna would consent TO
marry him In the dark. Edna was n
long time agreeing 10 this, but was
finally won over, because she dreaded
TO be an old maid and couldn't make
the matrimonial plunge with her eyes
OPEN
"And Martha Is to nominate me2'
cried John.
"Of course-that is. II ask her"
ASK her at once"
II would require n large volume 20
lay down the backslidIngs OF Edna
Marsh In her efforts to marry a man
she had never seen and who she
knew would not be recommended I'm
less he were worthy Of her. She broke
seven appointments for the wedding,
not knowing that she was breaking
one for every refusal she bad given
the man she had agreed TO marry. On
making the eighth Martha told her
that IL she broke It she might look
elsewhere for aid 10 escape spinster-
hood But by this time Edna was des-
perate and came to the scratch like
lamb to the slaughter
While Martha had Edna In training
/ had John He feared that Edna
would consider herself to have been
tricked and would turn against him.
Well, the wedding day came round.
The nuptials were TO occur at Martha's
home. There was no provision made
as 10 the time the couple should begin
living together IL at all. All that was
left TO their future wishes They were
simply 10 be tied together so that they
couldn't break apart without n lot OF
trouble or course | was one or the
invited guests. HE only other two be-
Ing Ednas mo Ter and Martha-that
is 10 say. Martha and / invited our.
selves. She AMI l went 10 the house
together thickly veiled-and we were
ushered into room into which not a
ray OF light was permitted to per
meate.
We had been there about Eve min
utes when we heard carriage door
close with a bang. l knew IL was
John. who was 10 come 10 her wedding
so muffied as not TO be recognizable
We heard him 60 into the adjoining |
room. which also was "a dark "a Ere |
bus. Then Martha and I went into |
that room. The clergyman had gone |
In before any OF us. Edna came In |
through the anteroom. fancied ]
could hear her teeth chatter. | heard |
persons moving about, and presently |
the parson began the seryice-from
memory When he had finished doz
en- electric lights were turned on.
Edna looked up az John. First a
look OF Infinite relief appeared on her
n "a