Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-03-14
HOW JOHN PROPOSED

say it, and l can't see why he doesn' t
sayit.' And pretty Mary Branwood
puckered up her lips into the sweetest
of all pouts and piled her needle more
rapidly than ever. 1T 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 girl into taking advant-
age Of
And Miss Mary blushed roslly and
finished her sentence with hysterical
laugh.
Mary Branwood was just at this
moment thinking of John Walker, who
for the past two years had been her
escort upon every possible occasion.
For long time each had looked up
on the other with expressive eyes. and
though the gossips of that part OF Har-
lem looked upon the ending of their
courtship as settled matter, John had
not asked the all important question.
Mary's womanly intuition prompted
the thought that he had been trying
to voice the love he so often displayed,
but his natural bashfulness seemed an
insurmountable barrier.
So Miss Mary sat that February
afternoon in her chair, briskly rocking
to and fro, The afternoon was nearly
gone and the girl was impatiently
waiting for o'clock, when the bash
full John would arrive to take her to
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 the question that she
felt must soon be asked. She knew
there would be nothing romantic about
Johns asking her, for she was sure he
would do so in laundering way. The
thing that troubled her most was that
after he really did muster up sufficient
courage her long knowledge of his
purpose would prevent her showing a
proper amount of surprise and en-
barrassment. She knew she wonld
blush. but she hoped it would be so
deep blush that John could not fail
to see it.
She started suddenly, and her face
flushed with feeling that there was
a tinge of immodesty and hypocrisy in
her train of thoughts. She felt guilty
Of being immodest in thinking of pro-
posing herself and of hypocrisy in
hoping she would blush as though she
had not expected the question. Her
thoughts annoyed her, and failing to
drive them away as she sat sewing,
she laid down her work and buised
herself cleaning up the room.
When both hands of the clock
reached s the light ring of the door
bel. told her of Johns arrival. AS he
entered it could be seen that though
his youthful face was suffused with
bushes there was an unmistakable air
of manliness about him. When his
brown eyes looked into Mary's she
felt so strong and confident that her
half uttered thoughts during the after
noon of taking advantage of the sea-
son to render a little assistance came
to her, and mo .nent later she was op-
pressed with the thought that if he
had asked her then she really would
not have blused. Then she tried to
driye away the thought with mighty
effort as her old feeling of immodesty
and hypocrisy came to her, and the
crimson flush covered her face as she
saw that John was trying to say some
thing.
\ 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 exceeding
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