The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-03-20
From the Chicago Tribune.l
A NOVELTY IN PROPOSALS.
BY F. Y. 6.

AdFVlD the lDIldmIudIOIy 5IdGC VI ny
ceilings toward her that young lady
eyed me from head to knees with an
air Of mingled pity and amusement,
and then exclaimed: GLOW conven-
tional."
Being wholly unprepared for this
piece Of criticism, | was not a little
confused by it. | had gone over the
performance several times in my own
room before the looking-glass until |
fattered myself that Icould do it very
neatly indeed.
would 90 down on my knees first
spreading out handkerchief on the
floor and, clasping my hands over the
left breast pocket OF my Prince Albert,
exclaim to an empty rocklng-chalr:
Miss Marvin-Laura-I-l love you.
| have loved you with apassion which
mocks the feeble power OF words. |
cannot live an hour longer without
you. viii you be mine?"
At this point she was to fall into my
arms with a sob and reply inarticu-
lately, 90, Henry or words to that
effect.
When, therefore, instead of carrying
out her part OF the programme, she
flung the wet blanket Of her scorn on
the hot flame Of my affection, / felt,
as / have said, confused; and not only
confused, but hurt, and not only hurt,
but actually resentful. 1t seemed to
me as though | could live whole
century without her.
"Well," said |, somewhat sullenly,
as | got up and busted off my knees
with my Observation-Disclosures, chats
the only style of proposal Pm dealing
in lust at present. can get you sam
pies in other lines il you insist on it."
Miss Marvin laughed. She looked
prettier when she was laughing than
any other way, and there is reason to
believe that she was aware OF the fact.
Il like you better now" said she.
'When you men aren't witty or cyni-
cal you are generally silly"
'sUnlike women, ! snapped.
"Who are always silly, you mean,"
she went on Il accept that as
compliment, for it shows that you
are trying to please me by affecting the
cynic Come, be sensible. | like you
well enough. Only don't try to pro-
pose to me in that ridiculously old
fashioned manner"
With that she went down on her
knees and prettily mimicked my little
performance with exaggerated gest-
ures and the most absurd grimaces.
Then she laughed heartily. | think
have said she was pretty when she
laughed
''You can't imagine how tired | get
OF such gymnastic exhibitions" she
+ h,I haI,,aI -
feet, retaining her hand as long as |
dared. "Why can't you men devise
something new? Such dearth of orig
inality | never saw. | declare | am
ready to throw myself into the arms
of the first young man who inyents a
really novel method OF proposing"
"You might as well talk about a
novel method Of eating" | replied. 'If
you were really IN love, Miss Marvin
you wouldn't speak in that cold
blooded way about so sacred a mat
ter"
But I'm not in love, you see" she
replied, with q bewitching little shrug
OF her shoulders, 80 what the use of
proposing to me anyway"
cat any rate" she went on, relent-
ing little perhaps at sight Of my
wobegone expression, whether | am
in love or not, / shan't accept any
man under the sun unless he has some
entirely original way OF Offering him
self"
Then she laughed again, and looked
at mewith such an irresistibly roguish
expression that | came very near spoil
ing everythingby kissing her right then
and there.
II don't see exactly what YOU mean, y
said |. "Am | to understand that
would be more acceptable il I hung
from the chandelier by my toes aud
proposed in that altitude? Or shall |
WOO you with a peas-cod, like Touch.
stone?"
'Tm not going to tell you, she re.
piled. That's for you to find out.
I'm not sure myself that l know, but
it must be something unexpected, un.
hackneyed, spontaneous, and deli.
ciously novel, with tinge OF romance
about it; not something that you have
been practicing all day with a dummy. .
| colored guiltily at this, and she
shook her little head at me and
laughed.
Il believe you could fiddle over burn
ing Rome, / broke out.
Don't get angry" said she. BE
good. Put yourself in my place
shall probably have but one opportu
nifty in my life to accept proposal
Am | wrong in wishing that it should
be an experience worth remembering
that it should not be commonplace
Do you suppose that didn't know as
soon as you entered the room this
evening that you intended to make a
lumping-jac OF yourself2'
| rose to my feet.
That's enough, Miss Marvin" said
|. The mere fact that you can treat
the subject so lightly shows that you
do not care a snap OF your finger for
me and never will.
So saying | strobe nom the room
snatched my hat and overcoat savage
ly from the rack IN he hall, and
rushed out OF the house.
My feelings as | stalked away from
the Marvin house that night were de
cidedly mixed
''She had no right TO treat me in
that way was my first reflection
1t was humihating. 1t was unkind
But then, | continued to myself
49, AAAAA- LIZ AtACSt4OI Tic btIltI Sue llD
no doubt | was very awkward and
suited about my proposal, and as fo1
Laura, she IS Just buhh.ing over with
Jun. How her eyes danced in spite 81
herself as she rolled them solemnly ur
1t me and said, i cannot live another
honr without you
Still, " | Went on. how absurd for
her TO talk about being tired OF pro.
posals. She spoke OF them as calmly
- though they We're so many iayita.
irons to tea. I'll wager she never had
one before in her life No: / take that
back. I'm sure Will Harden proposed
to her, and Hank Rurton-and Lester
Herbert, too, il his elongated lace
meant anything when met him com
m on Ct the house last Saturday