Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-03-27

FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
1he Various Ways Gf Choosing a Partner.
How Men Propose Marriage.
The lover who proposes marriage to
his sweetheart by letter loses one of the
most interesting experiences Of his life
time. says the Chicago Herald To
conduct the negotiations through the
kindness Of the postman makes popping
the question very tame and prosy
affair. 1t is an ungallant, cowardly
method. and should never be employed
except in cases where It can not be
avoided. Tie ideal lover does not pro-
pose by letter. He is too brave to shut
himself in room and there, with the
assistance of psn aud ink, ask the gu ss-
tion he would fear TO breathe into his
loved ones ear. He prefers 70 kneel i'm
her precious presence, aud as lie kisses
her dainty finger tips pour out the food
of love surging through his heart
What priceless experience is the telling
Of ones love for the first. last, and only
tinei 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 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 for him to do but to arise,
brush the knees Of his trousers, and 60
out in the cod. heartless world to die.
No. not to die, but to find another
sweetheart and repeat the proposal
business with the hope that it will re.
suit more happily. Women are such
strange creatures tlat poor men, whom
fate or fashion has decreei 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 PRRsuMINa.
Said she: "Pray tell me il you can
Why men so bashful are7
They fall in loYe and dream and sigh
And worship us afar
But when they strive to tell the tale
They stutter, hesitate and fail.
We ladies like a man. you know:
One not afraid to speak"
And here thought blush appeared
Upon the maiden's cheek.
Then to myself said: | see;
This maiden's heart belongs to me-"
And out Ispake: 20, lady fair.
My life, my love art thine:
And since boldly dare propose.
Pray wilt thou not be mines''
No. SIR" said she. with wondering stare;
Strange how presuming some men arc"
1t is safe to assert that with most men
popping 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 occasionally
reported in the papers, ever really
happen: Smith--Well, but il you can't
bear her whatever made you propose?
Jones-Well, we had danced three times
and Icouldn't think of any thing else to
say.
There is one popularity about propos-
ing. The man who Is going to UNDER
take it can not prepare for the ordeal in
advance, for if he does it will be labor
thrown away. Il is generally believed
that no lover ever succeeded in deliver
ing 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 b sst he
can. We Americans, who are noted for
the haste and brevity with which we do
everything, are said to propose with less
to do than other people do. Lets con-
aniidoko 10 Oh 10 h0
form of proposal now in vogue, but the
negotiations necessary for completing
the trust are not always so brief. Moth
ing could be neater or more ingenious
than the proposal of the Irishman, who
thus addressed the rustic beauty upon
whom he had set his affections: "BiJdy,
darlint. they've been tellin' me there's
too many of us in the world. Now, if
you an me get the priest to make US
two wan. tIiroth an wouldn't there be
wan the less?"
In one of Lord Beaconsfield's novels
an eccentric old nobleman pops the
question in the following matter Of fact
language: II wonder if anything would
ever induce you to marry me?" That
style is really much nearer the terms in
which the average man proposes than
is the usual dishwatery proposal Of the
novelist $50 you would not take me
to be twenty, said young lady to her
partner while dancing the polka one
evening. What would you take me
Tor, then?" For better or worse, re-
piled he, and he was accepted
A gentleman who lived to be an old
bachelor studied long how to propose
gracefully. He bought a ring. COM
posed neat little speech. and rehearsed
the performances 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
sake1 1t resembles my love for you--it
has no end. To which she replied:
Keep your ring, sir. Il also resembles
my love for you-it has no beginning"
When Professor Aytoun was woofng
Miss Wilson, daughter Of Professor VIII
son. the famous christopher North, "
he obtained the lady's consent condition
ally on that Of her father being secured.
This Aytoun was much too shy to ask,
and he prevailed upon the young lady
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