The Press., 1885-06-11
4 MARRIAGE PROPOSAL.

 One day, about in the afternoon, 8 middle-aged gentleman ran mp the steps of handsome house in a handsome city | street and asked the servant who opened the door if Miss Neville was at home. Be- ing answered in the affirmative, he sent in his card Written upon 1t was this name William Belmore.
 The servant, having shown him into the front parlor, took the card up stairs and returned with the information that Miss Neville would be "down in moment" and in a moment Miss Neville herself en- tered. She was beautiful young woman of 23. She was dressed sty lishly and bore herself with an air that told she was used to society. ssi& ss She held in her hand newspaper, around which was folded wrapper, ad- dressed to herself, which she had taken from from the hall table as she passed. She had only glanced at the direction, and as yet had not opened it. That paper was myself had just arrived from Washing ion. At her entrance MT. Belmore arose and advanced, holding out his hand. She gave him hers, which he certainly kept moment or so longer than was necessary. He was a tall, we'll man enough, of 50 years of age, with. gray side -whiskers and high nose. ~sa A.zss.- -@- '-A ---sF s~-.
 Of course, as newspaper, and one de- voted to fashionable intelligence, l have a great experience in love affairs. I saw at glance that MT. Belmore was in love with Miss Neville, and that he intended to offer her his hand and heart al some time. After they had conversed awhile, I knew that he had resolved to do 1t that very day.
 
 s'My dear Miss Neville, I have some thing very particular to say to you. He began by telling her that she was beautiful. Then he told her that he loved l her. Then he mentioned the amount of his property and real estate, and asked her if she would marry him. lEE Gs,i S564I8
 She thanked him in a very well-arranged speech, at the end of which she declined | his offer l When she had done this there was si- lence. MT. Belmore broke it by an in- l quiry: ssfs -sts saas.s.. 4sasa
 Would she ever change her mind ? | Might he not hope that, having thought his offer over, she would view it in better light?
 She replied that it was not question of time, and that she certainly would not change her mind. She hoped, however, that he would always be her friend.
 At that he grew very angry, though he tried not to appear so; and i'll moment he arose to go.
 She bowed him to the parlor door, and he went out into the hall, into the vesti- bule, and to the front door. There new lock, which was the torment of every stranger, baf1ed him. He stood a prison CT between two doors, vainly struggling to opop aitbaT of thon1 fo1. va 7,oip71foc In this space of time Miss Neville had seated herself in a great armchair and taken me out of my wrapper. AS soon as she did so her eyes rested on paragraph, on each side of which were placed two pencil brackets.
 There were not fifty words between them, but as she read felt myself begin to tremble in her hands.
 ''Is it possible ?" she cried, and tears arose to her eyes and just then faint sound in the hall attracted her attention.
 MT. Belmore had managed to open. the inner door and stood at that of the parlor.
 1T beg thousand pardons, Miss Ne vile" he said, "but cannot manage to- to get out of the house as rapidly as, doubtless, would be agreeable to you.p
 He was very angry by tllis time, and the marks of two red-hot tears of rage and grief ef-middle-aged tears-were on his cheeks. I don't know whether she saw them, but he noticed those in hers and the change in her face.
 ''I regret that should have distressed you," he said. ''I-I-I hoped to make you as happy as different answer would have made me.'' @
 As she spoke she put me down upon the table and advanced to him.
 "Would different answer have made you happy?" said she.
 ''That asked the question is issnfficient proof of that, said he. agt.
 ''Then be happy said she, and held out her hand. r t
 I never saw so happy man since was a newspaper.
 He took her hands and put them to his lips.
 elf it had not been for the door-lock, my dear." he said, Show miserable I should be at this moment! Bless the door-lock The angels must have been watching over me when I grew so stupid over itch, darling?'
 1T am glad you came back said she.
 "And don't cry. Its all ever. l did not go away" said he.
 ''Just let me cry little while, , said she. 'What has happened today will never happen again, you know. It is only for once.
 ''Yes, its not likely. to be done over agaln," said he. "And to think I might have gone off! They always told me that ladies said no when they meant yes, but I did not believe it until today" r
 And, after awhile, he took his leave. well satisfied.
 They are married now, and he often speaks of that day. He says that but for the door-lock he might have been miser- able bachelor for he should never have asked her a second time for what she had once refused. She always smiles on him when he says that All the world knows the story of the door-lock, and how she changed her mind while he was opening it, and it is quite amusing and romantic, but no one knows about me. am quite anold paper now, for bear date 1872. I lie in a little box in which are photograph, four letters, and ring. The box is always lock- I ed, but the penciled brackets have not faded out yet, and between them lie these words
 .'One of the most elegant weddings of the season took place yesterday at St. -'s where Captain Leslie Rawden was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to the young and beautiful society belle, Miss Eva La Croix, the heiress of one of our most wealthy mer- chants MT. c. La Croix. The happy pair