The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-08-04
Woman Who Tired
of Men
By ELIZABETH GOODRIDGE

THAT big new building up on
the hill yonder? Wasn't there last
time you We're In these parts, four
years ago? guess you're right.
It's quite bit OF story, though.
You see. it served its purpose and
but Pm beginning ut the wrong
end.
Last time you were here We
talked about the number OF unmar-
ried women in New England. didn't
we? You asked why some of EN-
didn't emigrate. You see, though.
they say there are two women for
every man in this part Of New Eng
land, some OF 'em ought to have got
carried
There was that Elsie WintOn.
whom Zeke Smith had been court
Ing of and on for twenty years or
SO. Well. after a time Elsie natur-
ally got tired OF him and his pro
crastinating ways. and Molly Bowen.
about whom there had been some
talk concerning Ed Green, the no
tel man. He didn't come up to the
scratch. And there was Winnie
Custance, and Jenny White. and
Nell Pringle-they didn't get their
beaux any further than the Ice
cream counter, and that's how the
Idea came about.
THE folks in Boston thought at
first 1t was nunnery. The ChrOn-
lcle sent one OF its reporters down
to see, but he didn't get any further
than the wicket before Elsie Win
toms face stopped him. She ex-
planned the matter to him as she
slammed 1t. Just few New Eng
land women who have got tired Of
men and have decided to live their
own lives in their own way she
said.
1.-The plan was q hit from the
start. especially as Molly, who was
twenty-four and pretty for her age,
drove the cart round the houses.
wearing a mask and loose Mother
Hubbard. But what gave every.
body a turn was the big sign stand
ing outside the gate. which read
No Men Admitted
"Zeke Smith was one OF the first
to come and see what was doing.
He got as far as the wicket and
there Elsie WintOn's face stopped
him.
"'You can't come In. Zeke.' she
explained, being man. I'm sorry
you're man, because II you
weren't you'd he welcome. But we
don't have dealings with men any
more, except in a business way
LAS l was saying, Molly drove
the cart, and pretty soon folks be-
punctual as usual. And as for Ed,
whenever the bOarders howled for
him to make kick about the
victuals, he wasn't anywhere In
sight. The fact is. he had got in.
to the habit OF strolling out into
the country about the time when
Molly and the cart were due.
II don't know how Elsie WintOr
heard about 1t, but she went right
up in the air. Elsie was forty
, three, and her hopes had soured
from being kept too long. So there
was terrible rumpus up at the
institution. and they talked Of ex
polling Molly; but finally 1t sim
mered down and Elsie drove thu
cart herself after that.
However, the folks round here
who, as you may have observed
are snoopy, couldn't help noticin,
that all the young fellows In TIT
village used to take the road pas
\ here that leads up toward the in
I stitutiOn. And we guessed tina
some day or other Elsie Wintol
would come home unexpected an,
raise Cain. She Is powerful WON
e an with her tongue. as you ma!
= have noticed.
2 1--WE got so interested that no
= body thought very much about any
5 thing else. Bill Wise, who farm
: on the ridge, told us he used to Sc
h the young fellows gOssiping wit
O the girls over the fence that ha'
+ been put up.
"Weil, to get on. at last the fare
up came. and in just the way "
had looked for. Elsie Winton cam
= back one morning at half-past min
q and there were Ike and Ed and Jill
i hObnObbing with Winnie and Jenn
g and Molly over the fence. And tw
= or three more of the young fellow
- with the girls, too.
- And Molly, being a woman, sa'
). that it was best to get her tongu
% In first.
&c "'We're done with your old 81
y; ciety, Miss Winton.' she said. e
| ~ no I'd n
the first Of the month";
"'And Jim and l on the fifteenth
put In Winnie Custance. glaring {
n Elsie Winton.
It "'And Ike and I are going to /
J. engaged as soon as he makes SON
d money out Of his poetry continue
lie Jenny White.
lie Just then Zeke Smiths ca
is came up the lane. and Elsie Wintl
.g called to Zeke. Come here 81
said.
"Zeke came numbering along vii
grin.
"'Repeat to me what you ha,
just told me- said Elsie to Zeke.
We're going to be married I
morrow said Zeke. twirling his h
nervOusly.
shed beat them all. sir. Al
when the boys understood they ju
let out a yell and started kissi1
and hugging all round. SO aft
that the society was naturally d
solved, and Zeke uses the house
keep his chickens In. But que
the spirit of enterprise hasn't di'
out Of New England yet. even II Il
women did have to show the m
they couldn't have them in order
bring them up to the scratch.
MYoa fhQu 1QVQ Mr. and MI