Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28
FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
The Various Ways of Choosing Partner
How Men Propose Marriage.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
| The Various Ways of Choosing Partner
How Men Propose Marriage.
The lover who proposes marriage to his sweet
heart by letter loses one o. sthe most interesting
experiences of his lifetime, says the Chicago
Herald. To conduct the negotiations through
tha kindness of the postman makes popping
the question a very tame and prosy affair. 1t
| is an ungaIlant, cowardly method. and should
never be employed except in cases where i.
| cannot be avoided. The ideal lover does not
propose by letter. He is too brave to shut HIM
self in a room and there with the assistance of
pen and ink ask the question he would fear
to breathe into his loved ones ear. He pre-
fers to kneel in her precious presence, and
as be kisses her dainty finger tips pour out
thu flood of love that is surging through
his heart. What priceless experience is
the telling Of ones love for the first, last and
only time! But it may not be for the last time.
Ay, there's the rub. The fair one may shake
her head sidewise instead of nodding an assent.
Then the lover will wish he had proposed
by letter and the answer had never reached
him. But it will be too late then. There will
be nothing remaining for him to do but to arise,
brush the knees of his trousers and go out in the
cold, heartlcss world to die. No. not to die,
but to find another sweetheart and repeat the
suit more happily. Women are such strange
creatures, that poor men, whom fate or fashion
has decreed must do the proposing, never know
how to take them. Just when men think they
know them best they misjudge them the more
and are likely to be made painfully aware of the
fact that they have been
TOO pREsUMINa.
Said she: PRAY tell me If you can
why men SO bashfu arey
They fall in love and dream and sigh
And worship Gfar.
But when they strive to tell the tale
They stutter. hesitate and fail.
eve ladies like man, you know;
One not afraid to speak"
And here thought blush appeared
THIS maidens heart belongs to me-"
And out spake: 20. lady fair
And since boldly dare propose.
Pray wilt tnou not be inine!'
NO. sir. said she. with wondering stare;
''Strange how presulning some men are
1t is safe to assert that with most men pop
ping the question is a serious affair, not to be
performed without more or less of nervous
perturbation. Most readers will doubt if such
incidents as the following which are occasion
ally reported in the papers, ever really happen:
Smith-"Well, but if you can't bear her what
ever made you propose?" Jones-"Well. we
had danced three times and couldn't think of
anything else to say"
HE GETS RATIFIED.
There is one popularity about proposing.
The man who is going to undertake it cannot
prepare for tho ordeal in advance, for if he
does it will be labor thrown away. 1t is gen.
orally believed that no lover ever succeeded in
delivering the speech he had prepared for the
| occasion. Something always happens to spoil
everything. When the moment arrives for the
lover to speak his little piece it hies itself away
and leaves him to blunder through the ordeal
| as best he can. We Americans, who are noted
f,rt hac4 nv,I h,nx- 4
everything, are said to propose with less to dc
than other people do. Lets consolidate" is
reported to be popular form Of proposal now
in vogue, but the negotiations necessary for
completing the trust are not always SO brief.
Nothing could be heater or more ingenious
than the proposal of the Irishman, who thus
addressed the rustic beauty upon whom he had
set his affections: "Biddy, darlint, they've been
telln' me there's too many of us in the world.
Now, if you an me get the priest to make us
| two wan, throth an wouldn't there be wan the
| less?'
In one Of Lord Beaconsfeld's novels an &C.
| centric old nObleman pops the question in the
following matter-of-fact language: Il wonder
| il anything would ever induce you to marry
| meY' That style is really much nearer the
terms in which the average man proposes than
| is the usual observatory proposal OF the novel
| list. $50 you would not take me to be twenty"
the polka one evening: what would you take
me for, them" 'For better or worge' replied
| he, and he was accepted.
FITTED BOTH WAYS.
gentleman who lived to be an old bachelor
studied long how to propose gracefully. He
bought q ring, composed neat little speech
and rehearsed the performance until he got it
| all down fine. Drawing the ring from his
pocket he struck an attitude and said: will
you wear this beautiful ring for my sake? 1t
resembles my love for you-it has noend." To
which she replied: keep your ring, sir. 1t
also resembles my love for you--it has no be-
| ginning
When Prof. Aytoun was wooing Miss Wilson,
daughter of Prof. Wilson, the famous ''Chris-
| topher North" he obtained the lady's consent
| conditionally on that of her father being Sc
cured. This Aytoun was much too sly to ask, and
he prevailed upon the young lady herself to con-
duct the necessary negotiations. I'VE must deal
tenderly with his feelings" said glorious old
Christopher. ''rll write my reply on a slip of
paper and pin it to the back of your frOck."
| "Papa's answer is on the back of my DRESS"
| said Miss Jane. as she entered the drawing
room. Turning her around the delighted pro-
| fessor read these words: with the authors
compliments" Though the course Of true
love never runs smooth there il no earthly pic
ture SO fair a. that presented in the courtship
Of young, trustful, romantic hearts.