Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-12-25
Choosing a
Husband
By ELINOR MARSH

herself.
She resolved to submit 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 interrogatorleS:
"First.-State what you consider the
claims Of n wife on her husband.
Second. 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 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. h.-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. are your views as TO
the use by husband of money be
longing to 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
find 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 so in certain num-
bers. some in others. but altogether
they made up a 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-
erable without her was ready to marry
another girl with fortune. She re-
solved to send her list Of questions to
another half dozen of her men ac'
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 a
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 a 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 a wife's money
by a husband, the reply was that he
was incompetent to answer it because
he, being poor. would not on any ac'
count marry rich wife, and he knew
that such a 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 sultor she should accept
bv 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 sne was much staggered
by Mr.. Clendenin's examination paper.
especially by his reply to her last
question, in which ne declared that he
would not be tied to any rich woman.
What staggered her was desire that
sprang up in her breast to make him
eat his words.
anu bO IL was thuI thiS human u
tribute which is in both men and wom-
en- came up to Interfere with Miss
Ashurst's very sound and practical
way of choosing husband. She re-
solved to win-if she could-the man
who would likely give her the most
trouble, for. with his views concern
ing poor man married to rich
wife. constant friction was to be ex
pected.
As to how Miss Ashurst won hus-
band despite his objections to marry
ing money and how 1t all turned out
after their marriage there is no room
here. Mr.. Clendenin meant what he
poid In Ohipctinp lO he fled tn n Wife's