The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-07
Choosing a
Husband
By ELINOR MARSH

Miss Virginia Ashurst was known to
possess a fortune producing $4,000 a
year. Naturally she had no end of
suitors, and she was quite sure, that all
of them wished to marry her money
as well as herself and without her
money would not think of marrying
herself.
She resolved to submit a series of
questions to each one Of the half dozen
men who had proposed to her. These
questions were to be propounded anon
ymously, the men not knowing from
whom they came. This was the form
Of her interrogatories:
"First.-State what you consider the
claims of wife on her husband.
"Second.-Do you hold that the hus-
band or the wife should be at the head
Of the household?
"Third.-What is the object Of your
life?
"Fourth.-Do you believe in the pres
ent system of education used in schools
and colleges?
"Fifth.-Should the mothers or the
fathers views be paramount in the
training Of children?
"Sixth.-Should the wife be permitted
to receive the attention Of men other
than her husband?
"Seventh.-ShOuld the husband be
permitted to pay attention to other
women than his wife?
"Eighth.-What are your views as to
the use by husband Of money be-
longing to a wife?"
Miss Ashurst hoped in the replies to
these questions. selected with some
care, to form an opinion Of the inner
selves Of those who replied to them.
Had she asked them herself Of her
suitors she knew that she could not
depend on the sincerity Of the an.
swers. She surely had an advantage
in not being known.
She was somewhat Disconnected to
flnd that all her suitors were appli.
cants for the hand Of this wealthy un-
known. The replies were all evidently
well considered and satisfactory to
her, some especially 80 in certain mum.
bers, some in others. but altogether
they made up fair average. Yet
there was no one that showed in every
number Just what she wanted. Be.
sides, she was miffed that every one Of
the men who had tried to make her be-
lieve he loved her and would be mis-
cradle without her was ready to marry
another girl with a fortune. She re-
solved to send her list of questions to
another half dozen of her men &C.
quaintances.
She received replies in every case.
Five of these replies were acceptable.
some Of them being carefully worded
and showing that the writer was
thoughtful, well balanced person.
while one treated her examination pa.
per with contempt This person was
Bob Clendenin, young fellow whom
Virginia might have considered as one
she would like for husband had he
not been a sort Of free lance, apparent
ly oblivious to the seriousness of life.
His reply to the number as to the
claims of wife on her husband was
that the fewer claims she. had the less
likely she would be disappointed. He
averred decidedly that the husband
should be head of the house. His OBJ
Ject in life was to get through 1t with
the least bother. He pronounced the
present system Of education ''rotten to
the core" The fathers views as to
the training of children should be par
amount. but they never would be. No
father could ever compete with the
mother in winning the affection Of the
children. Consequently they would
always be influenced by her instead Of
him. As to wife or husband being
permitted to pay attention to other
men or women. either might do so ad
lib unless the other objected.
When 1t came to the last question.
concerning the use Of wife's money
by a husband. the reply was that he
was incompetent to answer 1t because
he, being poor, would not on any &C.
count marry a rich wife. and he knew
that such condition would surely
render the husband subservient to the
wife. and he had no fancy for any
such serfdom.
Miss Ashurst. who had started out
with one idea, became captivated with
another. She had intended to be guild.
ed as to the sutton she should accept
by the good. hard sense indicated In
the replies OF the applicant. The man
showing the most depth Of thought
and feeling In his replies would be
favored. But she was much staggered
by Mr.. Clendenin's examination paper.
especially by his reply to her last
question. In which he declared that he
would not be tied to any rich woman.
What staggered her was a desire that
sprang up in her breast to make him
eat his words.
And so It was that this human at.
tribute which Is In both men and wom-
en- came up to interfere with Miss
Ashurst's very sound and practical
way Of choosing a husband. She re-
solved to win-if she could-the man
who would likely give her the most
trouble, for. with his views concern