The Southern journal., 1846-03-14
Popping the Question.

self as being now so dried up, that he
is little better than mummy, and
expects some of. these days, to be
blown away into dust. He advises
all young men TO get married, and
tells them how to manage the scourt-
ing.' The old fellow speaks like
one who knows, though he has touch
OF the crab-apple in him; perhaps he
got Tilted when young, notwithstaud.
ing he pretends to have been so ou
tait."
"Now, gentlemen, this going a
courting is nothing to be afraid of, if
like me one understands how to do it.
l don't mean to boast, but-the fact
was in my young days, ] was up to a
thing or two In the first place, give
out you are marrying man! 1t will
smooth difficulties wonderfully. Bro
theirs will invite you to dinner-ma-
mas ask their daughters to sing your
favorlte songs-your opinion will be
asked on all points--and if the family
HAS country seat you can 20 there
every Saturday and stay till Monday,
the summer through without spending
sumarchee. You've no idea, sir.
what an easy thing love making be-.
comes under such circumstances. A
walk down elm"lane by moonlight
chance meeting. at early morning, in
the garden-or summer afternoon
together in the alcove does the busi-
ness. To tell the truth, | never came
so near going the voyage as once
when lspent kin the country with
bridesmaid had waited on: there
was porch almost buried in honey
suckles, behind the house, and adioin-
ing the garden which was a perfect
Paradise. There we used to sit; and
one day, if it hadn't been that the old
gentleman woke from his afternoon
nap and threw up the parlor window,
just as got his daughters hand in
mine, the question would have pop.
ped itself.
"You stare; but l repeat, it would
popped ITSELF The fact is-betweer
ourselves--these things come astonish
ingy natural after all, quite asi
one was brought up to them from a
child. DON'T trouble yourself about
how you shall look, or what you shall
say-the best thing you can do is moi
TO think Of the matter at all, but max,
plunge at once, and then the busines.
is soon over. There are a thousano
ways to make love. Some do it with
easy impudence--some choke fol
words and stick fast-some deliver {
speech and look for clean spot ir
the carpet to go down on their knees
land some glide into it gradually
like a hawk narrowing his gyrations
before he stoops, the poor gill sitting
beside him all the time, her hear
fluttering in her bodice like fright
ened bird. I've heard of one or two
poor sinners who popped the question
in the street. There's only one way
more certain to insure refusal, ane
that is TO propose in a letter. A wo
man-let her love you as she will.
always frightened when she comes Sc
riously to think of leaving her par
ents to entrust her all with compar
alive stranger, and if you give time t.
look at these matters coolly, ten te
one she'll give you a denial. I'm ar
old man and have seen the world, and
let me tell you the girl who woult
yield in tears, on moonlight even
ing would write civil refusal OF
equivocal answer the next morning af
ter breakfast. And then what foo
a lover makes Of himself on paper!
read some old letters the other day
the gods forgive my sins for writing
such nonsense. a
Ms mistake sir, in these matters Il
lend yo'mg tolks helping hand--al
they ask is to be lef. alone-and i