The evening world., 1889-05-15
LOVE-LETTER PRIZE.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Awards the
Gold Double Eagle.
NelnOtte" Is the Successful Competitor
Among Thousands.
The "Poetess Of Passion" Gives Her
Reasons for Her Decision.
The champion Love-Lstter.

Dear M, Corsmba.
Make me the happiest, proudest man in the
through life. I'iove. you a.. II seems no woman
was. ever loved before. Your sweet face and
in diving me sae right to cali YOU wife, yog. viii
make this existence q heaven on earth. While
waiting your answer. all can say is that love
zoe East Fourteenth street.
10 n, Editor Of IN. Er.nino World
After careful perusal Of all the letters
published in TEE EVENING WORLD, l give
Anal preference to "Melnotte." Among the
many beautiful and earnest letters l find
his to possess more directness, sincerity, fear
less and honest passion than any other, while II
is not marred by the faults which ruined the
hopes of some Of his competitors.
Several contestants spoiled otherwise perfect
epistles by expressions OF fear and doubt.
"Chapalskey would have won my favor but
for the reference to his timidity and his
Precipitation. mich as ] would regret to see
Miss Columbia welded to any one but an Ameri-
can, the Foreigners" loye-letter made a dis
tinct impression upon me. But he. too, men,
toned his trepidation and also signed with no
abreviation his full name, Walter Alan Beau
champ Cholmondeley." l An sure a truly
ardent lover could not have waited the length
of time necessary for this entire signature.
The letter OF John W. Brown caused me some
meditation. II was manly and courageous. but
I did not like the reference TO his excellent fnan-
cial condition. It is usual. may be. to talk these
things over later. but included in a proposal OF
marriage IL sAvors too much OF q bride, which
Miss Columbia would resent.
r. d. and several other lovers Of the lady
ruined their prospects with her chaperone by
| confessing that they had been looking for n
wife during some time"
The man who ia Hooking for awife seldom feels
q deep or ardent passion. He selects his wife ms
he selects his carriage horses. for convenience
and comfort. r.. D.. also confessed himself. but
twenty four-too young to know his own heart
or to read one like Miss Columbia's. Several
contestants we're too howery and eloquent for
the expression of sincere passion. The man who
Is proposing to the woman he really loves doeE
\ not study the dictionary or long words, nor the
book Of ~uoetical quotations for high-fown sen.
timents.
Later, in the calm of certain responsiveness
he may indulge in these things, but not while thu
shadow OF an uncertainty rests upon his desire.
"Melnotte " avoids all these errors. and hi
letter breathes the respect, love and hope Of
man quite sure Of success. He says much in lit
tie, and the termination OF his letter indicates
that II the suit Is 1uccesSful ne has much NOR,
to say. While Miss Columbia cannot fail to b.
thrilled by his declaration Of love, he leaves 81
much unsaid that she will be piQued to hear hin
say how, when, where and why be began to low
her. And all this Mr.. Melnotte will relate il
future interviews wholly 10 Miss Columbia
satisfaction 10 the conviction OF her chaperone
ELLA WHEELER Wilcox.