Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-06-23
Popping the Question.

Popping the Question.
From an article in the London Saturday Re-
view on this absorbing question we quote as to
different methods
THE PLEA OF LONG ACQUAINTANCE.
Ofal the pleas, We think that of long &C
uuaintance is the most discouraged by hctlon,
from Dumbiedikcs downward When Jeanle
Deans is obliged to be explicit with her extra
ordinary lover, Il like another man better
than you, and Gamma marry ye, his astonl>h-
ncut i, quite natural. Another man better
than me. Jcanic How is that possible, wo-
man yc hac kcnncd me sac long Dumol-
cdikcs had read no novels. lie could not,
therefore. understand why habit should not
work the same results on both sides. Jeanie
even, for the same reason, thought the argu-
meut plausible Instead of conIutlng she nc
ceptci it. "Ay, but, Laird, | keuned him
langcr" 1t is this long acquaintance which at
once makes Johnny Eames such Il perSeverng
suitor and renders his case hopeless; lie can
not understand the force of a sudden fancy,
and cxpccts to superscde it. In fact, however,
if he had come newly upon the scene he might
have had some chance, but Lilly had known
him lonr enough 10 be familiar, and itwouldn
DO Sha 70 longer cares ior the other man,
but he has shattered her As tree shattered pY
a Storm. 1T is no loIger & tree, she SAYS,
but 4 fragment lie argues. Then be
my payment ''No, dear it caunot bc.
Perhaps long acquaintance and 4 readiness to
he made use OF and to- Put up with fragments
induces contempt, is IN the case OF Major
into Toot's vejn and treats his own time. feel
ings, and cxertions as ''of no consequence,
will not be accepted till the romance of life is
exhausted.
HOW YOUNG GUPPY PROCEEDED.
Do our readers recall Mr.. Guppy, the, attor-
neys clerk in Bleak House, whose delicate
attention to his mothers habits does him so
much honor? As happ; blend of the real
and ideal his proposal deserves quoting at
length though it meets with so chilling re-
turn from the object Of his passion
My present salary, Miss Summerson at
kenge e. Carboz s. Is two pounds week.
My mother has property which takes the form
of a small life annuity. She is eminently cal
culated for mother-in-law. She has her fail
ings, as who has not but I never knew her
to do it when company was present, at which
time you may freely trust her with wine, spirits
or malt liquors. Miss SummerSon. IN the
mildcst language, adore you. Would you be
50 kind as to allow me las may say to file Il
declaraton-to make an offer p Mr. Guppy
went dawn on his knees. | said, Get up from
that ridiculous position Immediately, sir Or
you will oblge me to ring the bell
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD OFFER.
But. after all, the main use of this class OF
reading is in the vast scope and field 1t opens
to the intelligent inqulrer-the immense varle-
ty of alternatives whether for warning. Or ex-
ample which the pages of fiction hold out; tor
every lover in fiction furnishes material for one
Il. o1 &c IN,
thing, directed by that insight into character
and Temperament which it is the high office Of
the novelist to instill. Thus the use of the
word wife" indicates the strai ghtforward Of
fer 1t peases simple women. Anne Thomp.
son, will you be my wife," is the conventional
Ouaker's first word of love-making. She says
Yes" and the thing is settled. Also 1t Is
effective where the advantage of wealth or po-
sition is on the gentleman S side. OF Course,
Grace" said Major Garntey, you know why
am here?" He paused, then remembering
that he had no right to expect an answer to
such question, he continued Il have come
here; dearest Grace, to ask you to be my wife.
But there is confident abrubtreSs in this form
that will not do under reversed circumstances
In opposition to this, some womenare to be ap-
preached with timid, distant entreaty, as. Tito
to Romola IF you will only let me say love
you-if you will only think me worth loving
little Then there is the mauIy offer OF heart and
hand, which is perhaps of all the modes; the
most taken for granted by the outside untlink-
ing world. There is may hand" says Lucius
Mason to Sophia Furnival, There is my
hand says she, as they stand holding one an
other palm to palm. lie quite honest; she
only able to reach the pitch Of half honesty.
Some times more point is made OF the shape,
and quality. and action Of the hands; thus Felix
Graham offers his broad right hand. 1T you
can take it, you cannot doubt my heart goes
with it." aud the timied Madeline says not Il
word, nor does she Lift her eyes from the
ground, but evry slowly she raises her little
hand and allows her soft, slight fingers, etc
SAM WELLER Is THE MODEL AFTER ALL.
The subject is too full-ful to ovcrdowing-
for connected dicussion within our limits We
Gun but touch here aud there upon some OF Its
innumcrable heads But here it must be own
ed that fiction has not so much the advantage
over fact rs in hand-to-hand encounter. Per
haps the whole matter of a love letter II con.
densed in Sam Wccr's valentine ''Bcorc
see YOU thought all women alike, but now
find what soft headed, incredulous turnip |
must have been, for there ain t anybody like
you, though | like You better than nothing at
ALL
ToAps AND FRoGs 1.-The latest story from
Massachusetts comes from Lynn and is OF Z
battle between toads and frogs The contest
is thus described by the man who SAW it in q
pond in that neighborhood. Around the
margin of the pond, in the water there was =
large collection of common toadS; close beslds
them was an equally large gathering of bull
frogs, aud i battle between the two was i!
progress. The frogs, being the most powerful
were husily engaged in drowning the toads.I
One or more frogs would seize toad and hoIc
his head under water until he was, drowneu.-
Sometimes frog would find that he was over
matched md then he Mnuld utter L peculiar