Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-05
THE AWFUL PORTIERE.
A Household Hanging That Keeps Men
From Proposing.
From the Buffalo Courier.

From the Buffalo Courier.
A few evenings ago said to my friend Da-
real: Joseph, why haven't you married."
The question seemed abrupt, 1 admit, but the
moment was most propitious. As we sat in the
contest corner of the club room testing a new
and recommending brand Of cigars we talked
awhile at random and finally We. too, drifted
to the subject of marriage in Buffalo. We spoke
OF the apparent reluctance of certain young
men to do anything but dawdle about the objects
OF their alteration and when Joseph said do
not blame them, perhaps it is not their fault"
l put to him the startling question, Joseph,
why don't you marry?" Joseph took several
long pulls at his cigar before replying. but
finally said. his eyes fixed on the ascending
smoke: IF you wish to know what has kept
me from matrimony will tell you. 1t is the
portiere." l stared
Joseph went on: ''In other words il is be-
cause pariors have no doors-because our mod
ern houses are one vast whispering gallery. in
which the slightest sound is heard from one
end to another. 1t is years since nave felt
sure that WAS absolutely alone with a girl
an environment necessary for sentiment DEM
onstrations. But to particularize. L. is not
long since became unusually interested in a
young woman OF my acquaintance. Perhaps
was in love with her. Ii not, know that
might have become so. / paid her rather
marked attention for nearly year. but in my
numerous visits to her house there was never
an opportunity for anything but the most
formal conversation. Usually her father sat in
the library across the hall in full hearing il net
In view OF us. No chance to shut a door At
the parlor door-portieres; at the library door
portieres; at the dining room door-portieres,
and never an opportunity for that sense of
private tete-a-tete which gives a man inspira-
ton for sentimental deeds.
NOW il is nv idea that the time when
mutual love is first acknowledged should be
supreme moment in hfe-one to be made the
most Of and not to be thrown away by any such
insensate proceeding as a proposal by letter
or even to be risked at unpropitious seasons
when interruption is probable or possible.
Therefore did not tell my love with papa
reading his paper in the adjoining room or
with the servant fumbling AT the sideboard in
the dining room, with only q thickness Of cur
tain between her and us. did not tell my love
while all the doors were wide open and the sis
ters were active in the upper halls and i could
hear the brother in his room overhead Dress
ing to 20 out No. waited for some moment
of assured privacy. Ii never came"
There was o long silence. ''Well," said at
last That 10 ali. Last summer the Young
woman in question made q visit to provincial
town where she could shut the parlor door
While there she became engaged ard was mar
ried last autumn"
.And that ID courtship as she il conducted
in Buffalo," sighed. THAT il the state of
things in nine houses out Of ten where I nav
social visits, said Joseph DareaL And A. i
recalled the homes of our wedable but un-
welded maids concluded that Joseph was
NOS wrong and that what Is most needed by
our young men is not courage but 80 chance