The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-06-20
HOW HR PROPOSED.

HOW BE PROPOSED. -
Major Clinton was one of the most
courageous fellows in the world, ac-
cording 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
tmid creature they had ever seen He
was very fond of ladies' society they
said, or he would not spend all his
evenings at parties or making calls; yet
no one lady, old or young, single or
married, had ever known him to ex-
press his regard in any way that was
not extremely decorous and formal.
FlirtP They would as soon think of .
tombstone or q telegraph pole attempt
ing to firt. Most Of the Majors male
acquaintances carried scars on their
hearts, as results either of attacks more
honorable than judicious, or of sudden
surprises by fair skirmishers; but no one
could imagine the Major to have suffered
any such mishap, for he not only made
no reconnoisances, but he always re-
tired precipitately within himself ut the
first flash Of . pair of eyes leveled
directly at him. Tg7ElT NE
The truth was that the brave Major
was not only as modest as q model
maiden, but he was painfully bashful
besides The one desire of his life was
TO marry, which he was financially able
to do, but the important preliminary
step of proposing was one he had never
dared 10 take. Until he had reached
adult years he had met scarcely any
women but his two orphaned sisters, 70
whom he had tried to be q father, and
upon whose rare purity and sweetness
he had based his ideas of womanhood.
Both married and went far from their
old home, so they could not help him to
gain wife by disabusing him of his
Impression that all women were too
good for him. To Clinton nearly every
woman appeared saint He worship
ed one after another, although only
one at time, and his tastes were so
correct that he was obliged to change
his divinity about once in three months,
TO avoid worshiping another mans
WIFE Whenever an old scar healed and
delicious throbbing of the heart told
of new dart that had found its way TO
his heart, he vowed solemnly 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 he waited q little too long-every-
time but one.
For when the Major met Alice WALL
erson he felt that to lose her, too,
would be more than his life could en-
dure. She was pretty, as all women
seemed to the Major. She was good
and she was sweet, the Major was sure,
else why were all other women un-
- - Ill -.
seemed the most modest and bashful
maiden in his whole circle of acquaint-
ances, and through these qualities
would be- able to offer him sympathy
with feelings that all other people re-
garded with provoking smiles
But how should he proposeP Being q
woman, her bashful nature must be far
more sensitive than his own, so, even if
he were to nerve himself for the ordeal,
how could he be enough of q brute to
infict greater trepidation upon her, if
he loved herf Even were she favor
ably disposed toward him, he was sure
that listening to q proposal would put
her heart In terrible tumult; how
much more dreadful would it be, then,
for her to listen to him should she not
be favorably disposed. He knew that
she always looked at him favorably; he
felt that she had even been grateful to
him one evening, when both, ct 3 party,
and both, through timidity, retired to
the same half-hidden corner of the
drawing-room, each innocent of the ap-
proaeh of the other, and each over
anxious, on meeting, to show that the
affair was . mere accident. This was
the only basis of Glinton's hope, and
yet-he had been disappointed 50 many
times-he could not bear to think of
the failure now. gfrr "a
BE made several calls with the in
tention Of proposing, but every time
his courage failed him; besides, Mrs
Wallerson or Alice's sister Nell were
always in the parlor. OF course, he
could not say before two what he
dreaded to say even with q single
hearer. Worse still. Miss Nell, who
was q brilliant brunette of the irre-
pressible species, could not avoid teas
ing him slyly at every possible oppor-
tunity, and he always lost his tongue
under her onslaughts
Then he tried to propose In writing,
and for q week of evenings he wrote
steadily, with no more satisfactory re-
suit than 3 note 70 Mrs. Wallerson, In
which he intended to inclose his pro
posal. - 3 sf.-
Chance finally came in play 10 his
aid. Miss Nell, as one of trio of girls
who had devised surprise party for q
recently married friend, wrote to the
Major about the project, and begged
that he would call and give her some
assistance among their mutual &C
quaintances among gentlemen As the
Major read her note brilliant thought
occurred TO him While talking bust.
ness Miss Nell certainly would not en-
deayor to tease him; his bashfulness
never troubled him while talking with
ladies on any subject requiring common
sense, opinion and executive ability; be
should, therefore, be able TO feel atease
with Miss Nell, and while In that unu'
sual condition he would make conf
dent of her and ask her advice and as
distance. BE would try 70 talk to her
as II she were . man; II might be rast
experiment, but he felt equal to almost
any degree Of rashness when he thought
solved and failed. 9
So the Major went to the Wallersor
home on the evening appointed by mis-
chievous Miss Nell, with stouter hear
than he had felt, outside Of business
hours. since the war ended. He ar
ranged with the young lady to bring al
his male friends into the surprise party
and she, rather confused by her new
view Of the Majors character, was mos
effnsive in thanks, and being only TWEEN
ty-three years Of sge, and being no old
er than her yesrs sienifed, was com
pletely astounded by the Majors cool
ness. She could not help betraying hel
curiosity; she looked at the Major In
Qufringfy, she dropped into reveries and
she said to her mother, who came to ths
door Of the parlor q moment abou
some affair strictly of family nature