The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-10-04
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOertlser.
SATURDAY. OCT. I.
Matrimonial Proposals.

Il Is rather strange that while we have such
full records Of the lives Of great msrn, and 50
many Of their letters preserved 70 Us, there are
scarcely any instances on record where We can
read the iBnaSSiSG rcTb0 OF their first love epistleS.
OF become acquainted, ia the absence of letters.
with the exact scenes which occurred AZ one Of
the most interesting periods Of their lives. l. il
the universal ~reticeDce ON this subject the result
Of that nervousness which SEXES the strongest
frame. when the spirit becomes aware that life
depends upon 4 certain proposal beng made 3?
Something of this nature was surely experienced
by Professor Aytoun in his memorable proposal
for the hand of Prof. Wilson daughter Avtoun
was by no means 4 man 10 whom We should at
tribute nervousness, in the ordinary aeceptation
Of the term. and yet the slashing critic and bold
man recoiled from the presence of : Christopher
North and sent the daughter whom he loved
with the proposal for her hand. He waited in
considerable tremor till she returned, which she
did, with the answer of : papa written on 4
slip of paper, and pinned to her back. With
the authors compliments.
To avoid the highest stage Of nervousness and
also the great probability of q looking foolish .
under peculiar circumstances, some will adopt
the method of letters, and viii even 90 so far as
To deliver them in person.
One such singular epistle thus handed in by q
country farmer read rs follows
"TO Miss -
81 want somebody TO cook my beans and bacon
tOT Inc, duu 10 nclp TIT Gu 3lSO 10 play CflDD1ge.
Will you try? If so, name the day. and I'm
ready for the church.
Your devoted admirer -"
Now and then the proposal takes 4 more refined
form, though still preserving its singular charac-
ter. There is q story, said TO be vouched for
upon good authority, that n youth who had
loved for some time, but bad never been able TO
make the fact known, was one day accidentally
thrown next to the lady in the same pew at
church. Taking up the Bible, he turned TO the
first chapter of Ruth, and undermining the words,
- Entreat me not to leave thee,'' passed on the
sacred volume to his fair neighbor. Having read
the words, she took out her pencil, scored the re-
naming words of the verse, and passed it back to
the trembling swain. 1t is satisfactory to know
that the parties were married after this piece of
genuine romance. Another story is related of n
school-master who had not courage either to write
or speak his proposal, so he took the housekeep-
er's keys, and ratified them in the presence of his
fair inamorate as an earnest of his intentions.
Other singular cases are related where the ex-
IRENE of awkwardness seems to have been reached.
1t is credibly reported that, after the most intense
signing and restlessness, a lover on one occasion
threw his proposal of love into the form of this
very simple and unmistakable question: Will
you darn m stockings ?'' and received a low uttered
- Yes " in response.
To those who intend at some time or another to
make q proposal in writing, a well authenticated
case may be cited as 4 warning to them on the
subject of penmanShip. An English duke made
an offer TO 4 merchant of marriage with his
daughter, and to his surprise, received back the
answer, " Declined with thanks, on account of 4
previous engagement His grace's writing was
so bad that the merchant had read his letter to
contain an offer OF Il box at the opera, and the
mistake was not explained for several years, by
which time the duke and the lady had been
married to other individuals.
1t is occasionally somewhat unpleasant to be the
bearer of declarations for other people, though
not always so, rs witness the case in Mr.. Long
fellows poem, The Courtship of Miles Standish.
where John Alden, the wooer by proxy, is asked
why he does not speak for himself, and improves
on the hirt.
An embassy to England of n professedly matri-
monial character resulted lately in a very unpleas-
ant denOuenaent for some of its constituents. All
the world remembers how the foolish monarch of
Abyssinia made an offer to Queen Victoria, and
how he was puzzled and annoyed by its rejection.
1t appears that some of those who iourneyed
hither on the mission were SO seriously maltreated
on their return, by the son of the sable Theodore.
that the remainder very prudently stopped short
of completing their journey, and have not, in
fact, dared to return to their native country.
This question has, however, its grand and noble
side. The lives of Michael Angelo, Dante, Pc
trarch, and Charles Lamb, tell us how great Il
solace even unrequitted or impossible love can be.
What magnificent poetry, what glorious deeds
have been given 10 us by some who have worship
ped atar! The meeting OF Petrarch and Laura,
the proposal Of the poet, and acceptance by the
lofty maiden the interference of the aristocratic
mother, and enforced acceptance of another
sutton the self-sacrifce of Lamb, his life's devo-
ton to an unfortunate sister-all these rise before
us when we think of illustrious examples Of pro-
posals which have been broken off before the
period of f%ruition. We could i'll afford to have
these experiences. The result to us has been
intense sympathy with, and intellectual admira-
for, the principal personages concerned, and
We are thus far selfish as to be glad that we have
the immortal works Of inspired sufferers,
hough they come to us by means of their per-
onal loss.-CaSSeU'S Magazine.