The Wilmingtonian., 1885-02-21
THE STORY TELLER.
HOW HE PROPOSED.

s-~'~S
dies Of his acquaintance heard his opinion
they laughed it to scorD, for they considered
him the most timid creature they had ever
seen, BE was very fond of ladies' society,
they said, or he would not spend all his
evenings at parties or making calls; yet not
not oae lady, old or young, single or mar
ried, had ever known him to express his re-
gard in any way that was not extremely de-
oorous and formal Flirt? They would as
soon think of a tombstone or telegraph
pole attempting to fiirt. Most of the ma
ior's male acquaintances carried scars on
their hearts, as results either of attacks
more honorable than iudicious, or of sudden
surprises by fair skirnishers; but no one
could imagine the major to have suffered
any such mshap, for he not only made no
reconnaissance, but he always retired pre-
cipitately within himself at the first flash OF
a pair of eyes levelled directly at him.
The truth was that the brave major was
not only as modest as a model maiden, but
he was plainly bashful besides, The one de-
sire 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 to take. Until he reached
adult years he had met scarcely auy women
but his two orphaned sisters, to whom he
had tried to be father, and upon whose
rare purity and sweetness he had based his
ideas of womanhood. Both married and
went far far from their old home, so they
could not beip him to gain wife by disa-
busing him of his impression that all women
were too good for him.
To Clinton nearly every woman appeared
a saint. He worshpped one after another,
although one at time, and his tastes were
SO correct that he was obliged to change his
tongue under her onslaughts.
Then he tried to propose by writing, and
for week of evenings he wrote steadily
with no more satisfactory result than a no te
to Mrs. Wallerson, in which he had intend
ed to enclose his proposal.
Chance finally came in pity to his aid.
Miss Nell as one of trio of girls who had
devised a surprise party fer recently mar
ried friend, wrote to the major about the
project and begged that be would call and
give her some assistance among their ac-
quaintances among gentlemen.
As the major read her note brilliant
thought occurred to him; his bashfulness
never troubled him while talking with ladies
on any subject requiring common sense,
opinion and executive ability; he should
therefore be able to feel at ease with Miss
Nell, and while in that unusual condition he
would make confident OF her as If she was
a man; it might be rash experiment, but
he felt equal to almost any degree of rash
ness when he thought of how many times
a party and both through timidity, retired
to the same half-hidden corner of drawing
room, each innocent of the approach of the
other, and each over-anxious en- meeting,
to show that the affair was a mere accident.
This was the only basis Of Glinton's hope,
and yet-he had been disappointed SO many
times that he could not bear to think of fail
ure now.
He made several calls, with the intention
of proposing, but every time his courage
failed him, besides Mrs. Wallerson or
Alices sister Nell were always in the par.
lor; of course he could not say before two
what he dreaded to say even with single
hearer
Worse still, Miss Nell, who was bril-
liant brunette of the irrepressible species,
could not avoid teasing him slyiy at every
possible opportunity, and he always lost his
all, she seemed the most modest and bashful
maiden in his whole circle of acquaintances,
and through rhes qualities would be able
to offer him sympathy with feelings that all
other people regarded with provoking
smiles.
. But how could he propose? Being
woman, her bashful nature must be far more
sensitive than his own, so, even if he were
to nerve himself to the ordeal, bow could he
be enough of brute to infict greater trepi-
dation upon her if he loved her2 Even
were she favorably disposed toward him, he
was sure that listening to 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 favor
ably disposed.
He knew that she always looked at him
pleasantly; he felt that she had even been
grateful to him one evening, when both, at
divinity about once in three months, to
avoid. worshipping another mans wife.
Whenever an old scar healed and delicious
throb of the heart told of "a 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 had delayed, just for a
day or week, or because he feared too
much, or hoped too wildly, and every time