COURTED BY CANNIBALS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1074, 25 July 1912, Page 4

COURTED BY CANNIBALS.

Highly favoured among women is Miss Simoutou, a dauntless and presumably alluring young' American lady, to whom belongs the enviable distinction of having received no less than twenty offers ot marriage from African cannibal potentates. Miss Simonton claims to be the brst white woman to explore the trackless interior of the Dark Continent without the protection of a white man. It was near the small French station ot Lumboreue, on the river Ogowo. that the first monarch displayed ins susceptibility to Miss feim01,ton’s charm*. With a retnmm of dusky servitors, bearing a choice collection ot knives, tom-toms, quaint and wonderful musical instruments, and other bne-a-brue destined as bridal gifts for the lacy, this h,\e-lorn chieftain made a pilgrimage ot many days through his native jungles Jo oiler his hand and a situation as •chief wife - ’ to the famous white woman, whose exploits bad reached bis ears. Flattered, l.ut reluctant to avail herself of this dazzling honour. Miss Simonton tactfully declined the oiler and presents. She was very superstitious, she declared, mid bad a horror ot tho number thirteen As the, chief had twelve wives already, she dared not constitute herself the fatal thirteenth. The chief, nothing abashed, suggested givnotice to one of his twelve consorts, so'as to keep the grand total down to a dozen. Still Miss., Si monton refused. At this the monarch began to lose patience. “You think you are too thin,” he said,. “J will quickly make yon as fat, as my other wives,” referring to the local custom of fattening prospective wives till on the wedding day they are scarcely able to move. But not oven to this inducement, would the lady succumb. Another chieftain was so sure of bis conquest that he announced his engagement far and wide, and wedding presents came pouring m ) 10111 brother potentates, a singular proot ot ino progioss of European customs in tmdAfrica. Miss (Simonton found it a difficult task, and one requiring a good deal of’..act, m convince her numerous suitors that her repeated refusals were not due to a nicio maidenly bashfulness. They, on their part, found it almost, incredible that, any woman could seriously decline so lofty and desirable an honour.