New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-03-21
HOW JOHN PROPOSED.

doesn't say it." And pretty Mary
Branwook puckered up her lips into
the sweetest of all pouts; and piled
her needle more rapidly than ever
SsIt does seem to me very strange"
she added after a brief pause, ''that a
great big man should be SO timid
about saying he loved a girl. Dear
me, it's enough to aggravate a girl m
TO taking advantage Of"
And Miss Mary blushed rosily and
finished the sentence with hysterical
laugh.
Mary Branwood was just at this
noment thinking of John Walker
whofor the past two years had been
her escort upon every possible occa-
sion. For long time each had look
ed upon the other with expressive
eyes, and, though the gossips OF that
part OF Harlem looked upon the end
ing of their courtship as a settled
matter, John had not asked the all
important question. Mary IS woman
ty intuition prompted the thought
that he had been trying to voice the
dove he SO often displayed, but his
natural bashfulness seemed an insur-
mountable barrier.
So Miss Mary sat that February
afternoon IN her chair, briskly rock
1ng TO and fro. The afternoon was
nearly gone and the girl was impa-
Silently waiting for o'clock, when the
Oashful John would arrive to take her
90 the class in vocal music at the
church. Her heart beat faster as the
moments sped. Her rosy cheeks
flushed more deeply as her mind dwelt
upon the possible form of a question
shat she felt must soon be asked. She
knew there would be nothing roman
tic about Johns asking her, for she
was sure ne would do SO in a blum
SIering way. The thing that troubled
her most was that after he really did
muster up sufficient courage, her long
EnoWledge OF his purpose would pre-
vent her showing proper amount Of
surprise and embarrassment. She
KNEW she would blush, but she hoped
at would be SO deep a blush that j Ohm
could not fail to see it.
She started suddenly and her face
flushed with a feeling that there was a
5lnge OF immodesty and hypocrisy in
ner train OF thoughts. She felt guilty
OF being immodest in thinking OF pro-
posing herself and ofhypocrisy in hop
ing she would blush as though she had
not expected the question. Her
thoughts annoyed her, and failing to
drive tnem away as she sat sewing,
she laid down her work and busted
herself cleaning up the room.
When both hands Of the clock reach
ed s the light ring Of the door bell told
her Of Johns arrival. AS he entered
It could be seen that though his youth
ful face was suffused with bushes there
was an unmistakable air Of manliness
about him. When his brown eyes
looked into Marys she felt so strong
and confident that her half-uttered
thoughts during the afternoon Of talk
ing advantage Of the season to render
a little assistance came to her, and a.
moment later she was oppressed with
the thought if he had asked her then
she really would not have blushed.
Then she tried to drive away the
thought with a mighty effort as
Ger old feeling of immodesty and n.y.
procrisy came to her, and the crimson
flush covered her face as she saw that
John was trying to say something
4 few minutes later the two were
carefully walking along the icy side
walk IN the direction Of the church.
They discussed the weather and every.
thing in connection with the singing
school until they reached the church
and then they both joined heartily in
the exercises. Mary sang exceedingly
well. John was equally successful I'M
I'll they sang the strain;
1--WE share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear"
Then it suddenly dawned upon him
how easy it would be to say. 'Mary,
let us share our mutual woes" and
he couldn't dismiss it from his mind
all the evening. Every now and then,-
so his great embarrassment, he got
out of tune. To make matters worse
the professor noticed it each time,
and, in a kindly tone, offered a sug-
geston which increased Johns con-
fusion. There was no one in the class
gladder than John when $50 came
and he and Mary stepped out into
the moonlight to 60 home. They
picked their way along the sidewalk
slowly cautiously, and in silence.
john did not speak for two reasons.
He was oppressed with the thought
that he had been particularly stupid
during the whole evening" and he was
repeating the sentence, "Mary, let us
share our mutual woes,' so that
when they stood beneath the light in
the parlor he could put his arm
around her and say it without blum
dering. Mary was silent with expecta-
Gion.
How brief a sentence would have
made them supremely happy!
Johns absent mindedness served
ITO distract his attention from the icy
walk more than he should have
allowed, and no less than a half a
dozen times Mary's feet slipped, but
each time she found herself borne up
by her sturdy lover. Each slip was
accommodated with a. LITTLE shrek and