Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1913 — WON BY WOMAN’S WIT [ARTICLE]

WON BY WOMAN’S WIT

CUNNING DECIDES CONTEST FOR) HAND OF BEAUTY. ; Father Chose Among Many Suitors forf His Daughter, but the Girl Herself Took Hand In Filial Selection. There was, once upon a time, a Senegal tailor, who had a daughter as dazzling as the sun. All the youths in the neighborhood were In love with her beauty, and two of them went to her and asked for her hand. The girl, like a well-trained daughter, made them no answer, but called her father* who listened to them and said: ’lt is late; go home, and come again tomorrow. I will tell you then ■which, of you shall have my daughter.” - At daybreak the next morning the young men were at his door. “Here we are,” they cried; "remember what you promised us yesterday.”' "Walt,” said the tailor; “I must go out and buy a piece of cloth; when I return you will hear what I expect you to do.” He soon returned, and calling his daughter said to the young men: - "My sons, there are two of you, and; I have but one daughter. I cannot give her to both of you and must refflse one. You see this piece of cloth? I will cut from it two pairs of breeches exactly alike; each of you shall make one of/them, and the one that finishes; first shall be my son-in-law.” Each of the rivals took his task and! prepared to set to work under the tailor’s eyes. The latter said to his daughter: "Here is thread; you can, thread the needles for the workmen.” The girl obeyed; she took the spool and sat down by the youths. But the pretty witch was full of cunning; h’er father did not know which one she loved, neither did the young men, but, for her part, she knew very well. The tailor went out, the girl threaded the needles, and her suitors set to work. But to the one she loved she gave short needlefuls, while she gave long needlefuls to his rival. Doth sewed zealously; at eleven o’clock the work was scarcely half done, but at three in the afternoon the young man with the short needlefuls had finished his task, while the other was ‘far behind. When the tailor returned the victor carried in the finished breeches. His rival was still sewing. "My children,” said the father, 9T did not wish to show any partiality between you, for which reason I divided the cloth into two equal parts and gave each a fair chance. Are you satisfied?” “Perfectly," answered they. "We understood your meaning and accepted the trial; what is to be will be!" But the tailor had Masoned to himself: “He who finishes his task first will be the better workman, and consequently the better fitted to support his household.” It did not occur to him that his daughter might outwit him by giving the longer needlefuls to the one she did not wish to win. Wqman’s wit decided the contest, and the girl chose her husband herself. —Alice Bunner’s "Twice-Told Fairy Tales," in Atlanta Journal.