The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-06-08
She Escaped Being
An Old Maid
BY BARBARA FHPpS

NO. Eoou way
IF were TO tell YOU all of them
would never get through Generally
women are won by trities-that is.
they are considered triies. but in the
feminine mind, or. rather. heart, they
stand for good deal. Incorrigihle
cases sometimes need TO be won by
getting the rebelious object of mar y
affections so tied that she can't get out
of 1t. Then she accepts the situation.
and time, intimate association and
marriage do the rest
Il wonder if couldn't do that with
Edna?"
John had been counting Edna for a
long while without seeming to have
made the slightest impression. He had
proposed seven times and been refused
every time
what does she say when she re-
fuses you?" l asked.
'The last time | asked her she said
that she could never choose man she
knew because she would be sure TO
see i'll him multitude of faults"
Complimentary to you. wasn't IT.?
a man as she would buy lottery tick
ct, then contrive to be that MANI"
L don't understand you"
Perhaps can arrange it for you"
A few months later l said to John,
''Tye got it all fixed"
"HOw?"
81 didn't dare to act directly in the
matter, knowing well that l, being
your sister, Edna would infer that |
was acting in your interest, SO sent
third party to her, Martha Jenkins.
Martha had talk about matrimony
with her and saw plainly that Edna
would like to he 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 to do that very thing
Then my emsSary began to hold up
picture of the old maid living alone
through life and IN old age, contrasting
it with view of a wife and mother
bH btili~H mum HllC lftAi
brought into the world. She has kept
this up ever since, declaring that
chance is as good as love to base
marriage on. and the advice of dis
interested party is better than either.
To this Edna laughingly asked Martha
to choose a husband for her. Martha
refused unless Edna would consent to
marry him in The dark. Edna was
long time agreeing to 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 me?"
cried John.
"Of cOurse-that is. if | ask her"
ASK her ut. once"
1t would require large volume TO
lay down the backslidings of Edna
Marsh in her efforts to marry IA man
she had never seen and who she
knew would not he recommended uns
less he we're worthy of her. She broke
sever appointments for the wedding,
nv hlAO W AiiE AiifRA HiL vas
one for every refusal she had given
the man she had agreed to marry. ON
ma'ing the eighth Martha told her
that if she broke it she mitht look
elsewhere for aid to escape spinster-
hood. But by this time Edna was des-
perate and came to the scratch like
lamb 10 the slaughter
While Martha had Edna in training
l had John lie feared that Edna
would consider herself to have been
trIcked and would turn against him.
Well. the wedding day came round.
The nuptals were TO occur at Martha's
home. There was no provision made
as to the time the couple should begin
living together. if at all All that was
left to their future wishes. They were
simply to be tied together SO that they
couldn't break apart without lot of
trouble. OF course | was one Of the
invited guests. the only other two be-
ing Ednas mother AMI Martha-that
il 10 say Martha and | invited our
selves. She arid ! went to the house
together thickly veled-and we were
ushered into room into which not a
ray Of light was permitted to per
meate
W. had been there about five min
utes when we heard a carriage door
close with a bang, ! knew it was
John, who was to come 10 her wedding.
so uufIled rs not TO be recognizable.
We heard him 20 into the adjoining
room which also was as dark as Ere
bus Then Martha and ! 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, aud presently
the parson began the service from
memory. When he had finished doz
en- electric lights were turned on.
Edna looked up at John. First
look Of infinite relief appeared on her |
fare and then perhaps induced by the |
severe reaction. she put out her arms. |
and they Rugged We all breathed u
Sigh ~ relief. knowing that for the |
present mt least we had not made trOu-
Bile II turned ont that we had effect |
"a very haDpv marriage. Edna was |