The Osceola times., 1883-02-24
Regained my freedom with sigh.

Their Elasticity Of nature makes every
thing that exists tolerable to them.
Their acquiescence is queenly. II is well
known that women's code for women is
as inexpungabie apd as stern as Draco's.
Never amended from within the ranks,
and but slowly from without, il must at
least never be violated The exceptions
to ii are the fewcst, and are only concern
cd where some other established code, by
coming in collision with it, gives a SEEM
ing fortification. Queen Victoria was by
royal prescription and etiquette compeli-
ed to take the initiative in marrying
Prince Albert, because it would not do to
have it possible that one of so much less
rank could be supposed to have the right
to even think ofasLing for her heart and
hand. She was so slow in doing it,
though, that she nearly lost him. Yet
when the Baroness Burdett-Coutts was
asked, after orthodox formula. and show
ed her sincerity by sacrificing more mon
ey for husband than all her husbands
relatives, of any one generation were ever
worth, the queen turned her back upon
her fatty on the first opportunity. The
reason for this will appear farther on.
You will find no end Of curious things
written about the marriage proposal if
you search for that purpose. Por in
stance-that eccentric classical character,
who goes into the kitchen of neighbor
some morning and, finding the object of
his regard at the wash-tub, proposes
bluntly, then and there. Instead of emp
tying its contents upon him, as she should
have done, she as bluntly accepts his
proposal. There is the bashful suppliant
hn tttr Iarsn N 1aaf about
sage-usually a sacred one-which tells
his story for him, and the answer is re-
turned in similar fashion. There as the
proposal at a ball or dinner by slip of
paper sent across the room or table, and
there is the one in which the reply is
asked in the form of some specified and
understood signal. In some book that
have read, an English gentleman who
had several eligible daughters wondered,
after waiting some years for some such
event, why no one of them, not even the
prettiest, got proposal. When he in
vestigated the matter thoroughly he
found that the failure arose from an arch
itectural blunder. The rooms of his
house were 50 connected together by a
series of open doors and spacious mirrors,
that the question could not be put with
out exposing il TO almost as much specu
larity as it would obtain on a public
thoroughfare.
But | must pass these various Incl
dents.
II is quito common for very young la
dies to say that their first serious inter
est in any young gentleman is aroused by
that they have no original feeling in the
matter. Tney would not probably, like
| to say, what amounts to about the same
thing, that one gentlemen is rs likeable
or as agreeable TO them as another,
| though they must constantly act as if it
were so, until some particular gentlemen
breaks the spell and gives them permis-
sion to say otherwise. But, what if the
right one should never break the spell,
as often happens? Or what, il neither
the right nor the wrong one does, and
no opportunity ever comes? As the sys-
TEN is now arranged, this is not at all
a rare circumstance, nor is the lady
less worthy, necessarily, than her differ
emily favored sisters. She may even be
more worthy, but may have lived more
quietly, or may be deficient simply in
that peculiar art of fascinating which
even silence cannot prevent from being
powerful.
Not having feminine mind, do not
care to say what it may be like; but the
idea that il only wishes to choose when
it is invited seems toany clear mind q
position that is both untenable and un-
thinkable. If this be really so, then it
is more curious still that this inability
or law of choice is only applicable or OPP
erative in the matter of husband. II
silk dresses, old laces, and captivating
velvets could talk, is it to be believed for
a moment that any weman would wait
till some very coarse fabric or common
species should ask her to accept it before
she would 60 shopping, or presume to
make selections? If she steps to the
fruiterer's would she be willing in
case the good became loquacious to pass
by the good oranges and grapes because
they were silent, and welcome and praise
the poor ones because they were demon
strative to her? 1t would seem as if q
mere statement Of the case ought TO be
sufficient to settle it. And if it does moi
settle it; is it.not pertinent to ask if the
satisfaction of ones mind is not almost
as important in the selection of hus.
band, as it is in the selection of dresses
and knick-knacks?
The so-called leap-year prerogative has
evidently grown out Of the suspicion that