The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-06-27
THE WAY HE PROPOSED.


Major Clinton was one of the most
courageous fellows in the world, accord
Ing to the men who knew him; but
when the ladies' OF his acquaintance
heard this opinion, they laughed it to
Scorn, for they considered him the most
timid creature they had ever seen. H.
was very fond of ladies' society, the,
said, or he would not spend all his even.
ings at parties or making calls; yet not
one lady, old or young, single or mar.
ried, had ever known him to express his
record in any way that was not extreme
" decorous and formal. Flirt? They
would as soon think of tombstone or u
telegraph pole attempting to hirt, Most
Of the Majors male acquaintance car
ried sears on their hearts, as results
either OF attacks more honorable than
Indicious, or Of sudden surprises by fair
skilmishcrs; but no one could imagine
the Major to have suffered any such mis-
hap, tor he not only made no rccormols
sance, bnt he always retired prccipitatclN
within himself at the first flash of pa,r
Of eyes lcvclcd directly at him.
The truth was that the brave Major
was not only MS modest as model
maiden, but he was painfully bashiul
beside. The one desire of his life was j..
marry, which he was financially able t.
do, but the important preliminary stcl
proposing was one he had never dared
TO take. Until he reached adult years
he had met scarccly any women but his
two orphaned sisters, to whom he had
tired to be father, and upon whose
rare purity and sweetness he had based
his IDEAS of womanhood. Both married
and went far from their old homo, so
they could not help him to gain wife
by disabrlsing him OF his impression that
all women were too good for him. To
Clinton nearly every woman appeared Il
saint. He worshiped one after another,
although only one ut time, and his
tastes were SO correct that he was obliged
TO change his divinity about once in
IN three months, to avoid worshiping
another mans wife. Whenever au old
scar healed and 1t delicious throbbing Of
the heart told of n new dart that had
found its way to his heart, he vowed
Socmnly to propose at once, and vary
the dreadful monotony Of having another
man step in before him. And each time
he delayed, just for day, or a week, or
because he feared too much, or hoped
too wildly, and every time ne waited u
little too long-cvcry time but one.
For wh,n the Major met Alice Waller
Son he felt that, to lose her, too, would
he mtr1 than his life could endure.
She was pretty, MS all women seemed to
the Major She was good and she was
sweet, the Major was sure, else why were
all other women unusually fond Of her?
Best of all, she seemed the most modest
and bashful maiden in his whole circle
Of acquaintance, and through these quail
llCS would be able to offer him sympathy
with feelings that all other people
regarded with provoking smiles.
But how should he propose? Being a
woman, her bashful nature must be far
more sensitive than his own, so, even il
ne We're to nerve himself to the ordeal,
now could he be enough of brute to
,nlnct greater trepidation upon her, il
ne loved her? Even were she favorably
uusposed toward him, he was sure that
hha.ehing to proposal would put her
n n IN terrible tumult; how much
=. nVie dreadful would it be. then, for hen
vi lSlCn to him should she not he favor
10y IoY disposed He knew that she always
4 b Wv1ea at him pleasantly; he felt that SHE
a"' even been grateful to him one even
.Ihs s' when both, at party and boil
ba IlSash timidity, retired to the same
aau ,i'nidden corner of drawing-room
o osLn innocent of the approach of the
S sba' and each anxious, on meeting, tC
INV TI: mat the affair was a mere accident
h hn,S was the only basis of Clinton
0Spe and yet-he had been disappoint
40 many times that he could not beal
~ mink Of failure now.
Hn ne made several calls, with the inten
o "Un =" proposing, but every time hi
sOu "tasG lalled him, besides Mrs. Waller
tS0 VI Allce's sister Nell, were always il
hos Parlor; of course he could not sa,
D.'o'e TWO what he dreaded to say evel
N0 'n single hearer. Worse still, Mis-
; rui, VINO was a brilliant brunette of tn
i a.sp species, could not ayoi
por, ,ng him slyly at every possible OF
lmd Iu,'ty, and he always lost his tongn
% her onslaughts.
and men he tried to propose in writing
sto a i1r week of evenings he wrot
,I. u''liy with no more satisfactory resu
no ~, note to Mrs. Wallerson, in whic
c rhllsended to inclose his proposal.
Ma a" N :, finally came in pity to his ali
IaJ Nell, as one of trio Of girls wi
" w, na devised surprise party for recen
married friend wrote IL tho MAJ.