Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
POPPING THE QUESTION.
How II 10 Done I'm Real Life and How II 10
Done In fictioa.

sneient institution OF matrimony which men
and women agree TO believe in more thoroughly
than its frs. phase.
The rash young man about TO throw himself
headlong into the matrimonial sea spends more
time upon the formula ofpoppins the question
than upon the prospect Of after felicity or the
advisability of getting married at all. His
restless days and sleepless nights are generally
devoted TO grinding out o host OF happy
phrases which when the time comes will induce
the fair one TO be hisn provided her prediec-
tons run in that direction) and he eagerly
cons book after book to discover how other
heroes and lovers met the difficulty. When the
ordeal Is all over no usually awakes to the
highly disagreeable truth that he hasn't,
strictly speaking. popped at ALL
IL appears TO have been a mute and mutual
arrangement between swain and darsel in
which mere words have no place and are en-
tireiy superfuous. Ii is q very pleasant feeling
while the spell is on. but when il il all over he
wonders whether after all he met the emergency
IN the proper manner and whether that mastery
silence of two souls WASH big blunder 20 be
regretted all his life
thousands Of young married men are going
about the streets of New York TODAY firmly
convinced that their married lives would have
been deuced lot happier IL their courtship
naon been SO prosy and unromsntic.
DEcADEScE OF POPPING.
But the fact is that there isn't nearly 40 much
popping" done as there used 20 be. A CEN
tury or two ago tine iovesick youth flung him
self down upon his knees. declared his love and
waited tremb,ingly for the ladys assent Now,
II We are to believe the iconoclasts, Edwin
throws away his cigarette stump and observes
nonchalaaty-we were going TO say almost
hip !!sr 4. ,v ,,..,,.. .,,,,. =
getting married:'E
Angelina sverring that the idea is not half
bad. the bargain is forthwith struck.
In novel literature il has always been under
STOOL that the strongest situation ia that in
which the hero proposes to the heroine. In il
eliminates the real interest of all novels which
nlnge upon love and the exploits of lovers.
III popping the question were left out. ard it
occasionally is done for effect. the artist must
be very great one who will not thereby spoil
ms or her story not insensibly. And il IL is SO
In novels why shouldn't il be so in real life?
There are hundreds of WAYS of doing the bust
ness however, besides finging ones self down
on one 6 knees. after the fashion of Don Quixote
and the early romancers A good novel is a
pretty safe rule or guide to go by if love affair
Is TO be brought to real and serious issue.
A woman naturally expects at least a slight
flavor OF romance when she is being wooed and
won. and marriages will be all the happier il
the lady feels that she has not been robbed of
that emotional gallsntry and earnest persuasion
OF the rapture Of accepting the man of her
choice. In Older times and in the country dis
trlcts at the present day matches have been
broken up or prolonged for years because the
lover could not nerve himself TO make the fatal
query. If he had read novels he would have
been bound to find some case which almost pre-
cisely fitted his own, and both would have been
relieved OF that long agony Of suspense.
INGENUITY TO DE CULTIVATED.
'Let me call you my Edith" says Harry
Coningsby in Disraelis novel, and that is the
way thousands of people in real life propose.
The liberty Of using the young lady's Christian
name is tantamount to a declaration of love.
Il may call you Rachel, them" asks one OF
Mr.. Trollopes lovers. ''Oh, no: please don't. {"
murmurs the bashful girl. What would peo-
pie Think Perhaps they would think the
truth. said he. Perhaps they would imagine
| called you so because liked you. But per-
haps they might think also that you let me do
so because you liked me. People do make such
mistakes"
An aspect of humility is sometimes effective.
Forgive me :" say a number Of Mr.. Besant's
suitors.
Forgive me, - exclaims Daburon in Gabo-
riau's lie Rouge Case" "A word from your
lips will decide my future happiness or misery.
Claire, do not spurn me. 1 love you"-pro-
nounced with the trembling accents Of the
most devoted passion.
SIN vain have 1 struggled" saws Darcy in
''pride and Prejudice" 1t will not do. Nv
feelings will not be repressed. You must allow
me to tell you how ardently admire and love
you"
"Romola." says Tito in George Elicts mas
terpiece. IF you will only let me saw / love
you-if you will only think me worth loving
little
SHOPPING TO CONQUER.
They nearly all go down on their knees these
very earnest lovers, and some that are not 80
earnest
you'll take somebody else, !" says Mr. Jingle,
in '.Pickwick," to the fair Rachel.
'.Yes''
..You shall Mr.. Jingle fell on his knees.
remained thereupon for five minutes thereaf-
ter and rose the accepted lover of the spinster
aunt"
Miss Summerson =" declares Mr. Guppy. the
attorneys clerk, in "Bleak House. II adore
you. Would you be SO kind as to allow me las
l may saw to file declaration-to make an
offer?" Mr.. Guppy then went down on his
knees.
Young Pendennis falls upon his knees before
his lady love. 'And-now-now. Laumr" he
says.
Esther said Felix Holt, reproachfully.
''She heard Felix say the word with an en-
treating cry and went toward him with the
swift movement of a frightened child toward
its protector He clasped her and they kissed
each other.
Before see you I thought all women alike"
declares the Ingenious Mr.. Sam Weller. But
now 1 find what soft-headed, incredulous tur-
nip I've been, for they amt nobody like YOU.
although like you better than nothing at all |"
Selected at random from the sensations,
nove!ists or the day, among whom were Ouida
The Duchess. Charlotte NJ. Draeme and several
American writer's are such varied declarations
OF love as the following:
AT last, most perfect of women, ] have an
opportunity of saying what has so long hung
like a cloud upon my hearth
Il would gladly defer what have to saw.
Corinne, but cannot ] dare not Hove YOU"
''You arc not like other women" he muir
INJURED. From the drst night we met have
been your sutton and your slayer'
VARIETY IN sAEESEss.
promise me, Agnes, you will not say no to
what have to ask. wish to call you mine
mine forever!'
II know am unworthy to even raise nv
eyes to your dear face. You know my faults
will you-can you accept me?"
Il have been waiting for months to tel Won
how much admire. worship you. If thought
If thought you would not forever spurn me
would ask you to-to be my wife,
This Is not the place, Miss Audley, to tell
you how much love you, to open up my heart
to the woman esteem above all others. Jane
Audley, listen to me. love you"
But il il very doubtful, even with these ex-
amples before him, If every lovelorn person
won { 60 on popping in his own wnv-that is.
his particular damsel ''as woman WINS ueye-
loved before" consequently he Is rather uppish
about the particular individual method which
he emplOvs He forOets that in mot <,<,,,;n.