WIVES AS COMPETITION PRIZES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 371, 23 April 1910, Page 9

WIVES AS COMPETITION PRIZES

A recent report from Paris is to the effect that a mannequin, who was sought in marriage by two rivals, promised ° to bestow her hand on the one who won the prize at a forthcoming dress carnival. And, singularly enough, the hand of the charmer was secured by the suitor who went to the carnival as Mephistopheles, and secured the first prize for his costume.

At a Folkestone beauty show last year a bicycle and a real live widow wore offered as first prize to the lucky man who was considered to he the most handsome. The lady was the widow of an ex-Civil Service official, and had an income of £75 a year. The awarding of the prize, however, was conditional on the winner, of course, being a bachelor and having an income of at least £IOO a year. MATED BY CHESS. A wedding which was the outcome of a novel contest has lately been celebrated ■at Frankfort. Three men, all of massive and aspirants to the hand of the same lady, were informed by the latter that she would bestow herself upon him who sfyould most reduce his weight in three months. The following morning the rivals went to scale, a proceeding which was repeated at the conclusion of the stipulated time, when the successful competitor was discovered in an hotel proprietor, who, by wasting from over eighteen to under fourteen stone, secured the bride. The Cafe Kaiserhoff, Berlin, was the scene of an amusing and at the same time scientific contest between two artists, who, loving the same lady, agreed to appeal to chess to determine which of them should' retire from the field. The game lasted over an hour, when one of the contestants, being mated, rose from his seat and, having taken a courteous adieu of his rival, repaired forthwith to Paris, where lie remained until the victor had led the fair bride to the altar. A LUCKY TAILOR. Mr. Snaith's entertaining novel, "Willow, the King," may have suggested to an athletic-looking maiden, dwelling in an Old Country seaside town, a single-wick-et match at cricket as a test of the merits of her two suitors. The game, which was played in a meadow belonging to the lady's father, resulted in an overwhelming victory for one of the rivals, who, a couple of months later, duly received his promised reward. Some while since a buxom widow, wao kept an inn in one of the large manufacturing towns of the Midlands, thought to l 'bring custom to her house by holding an eating competition for bachelors, whereof the prize was her own substantial self. Some dozen entered their names for the event, which was won by a cadaverous-looking tailor, who, by gorging himself with some half-dozen pounds of steak, established an incontrovertible claim to the hostess' hand. In the early eighties, during a fair held in the neighborhood of Vienna, the proprietress of a travelling show, who 'had had the misfortune to lose her husband, offered herself and her business to the man who could nearest emulate the feats of the deceased, who had been a "strong man" by profession. Seven strapping fellows came forward to compete, and the palm was borne off by a man of color, to whom, according to hfer promise, the widow gave her hand and worldly goods. PREACHING FOR A WIFE. That strength was also regarded with a favorable eye by the fair sex in years gone by was proved by the decision of a Lancashire lass at the commencement of last century to bestow herself upon the one of her two admirers who, starting starting from Stockport loaded with £lO in coppers, should first reach Manchester. One of the rivals soon relinquished the task, but the other, tackling it manfully, reached his destination in two hours. The weight of the copper carried —pennies being then considerably heavier than at present—was over 1001b. On the suggestion of her brother, who had recently taken Orders, a young lady, whose hand was sought by two eligible (bachelors, promised to accept him who should compose the better sermon. The adjudicator was the aforesaid brother, and so equal were the rivals in literary merit that it required several sermons from the pen of each —that cunning fellow the curate afterwards delivered them all from the pulpit, thereby gaining great kudos—ere lie could announce his decision, which, however, was rendered void by the lady herself, who, against all cannons of fair play, married the loser.

WON IN THE BALLROOM.

A year or so ago a Munich lady, who nvas passionately fond of dancing, utilised her favorite pastime in the choice of a husband. To the four who aspired to her hand she proposed a waltzing competition, the judges thereof to be herself and certain of her friends, who should in turn partner and appraise the terpsichorean merits of the rivals. Her suggestion was acted upon, and, after an exciting contest, the lady was won by a young doctor, whose grace and skill attained, in the opinion of all, the highest standard.