Telegram-herald., 1891-08-08


falter, and to wipe his damp forehead,
and to urge his suit with stammering
tongue. and to seize a hand which very
family struggles to escape. and so on
and so on until the fortress capitulates.
and after awhile the coy captive con-
fesses that she likes him = little" and
will promise to marry him, and then the
years go on until after awhile it is she
who does the kissing and he who turns
the cheek. she who talks sentiment and
ho who reads the newspaper.
Now this. think all of as are agreed,
IL the proper and conventional mode for
proposals. Of marriage to come about,
aud our question is, May this method
ever be reversed. and the woman do the
wooing and the proposing?
should say she may never do the
wooing. but sometimes may give it to be
understood that at least "Barkis is
willin'." Again there may be circum-
stances where q woman stands alone in
the world. needing no protection, nain-
tenAnce or counsel, suffcing to herself
for all worldly or business requirements
and uttering no plant OF loneliness or
need of comrsdeship. A man seeing such
e woman moving in her own orbit as a
queen, and surrounded by admirers,
might well hesitate before venturing to
beg her to abdicate In his favor; to accept
him as her lord and master. the arbiter
of her destiny. the controller OF her move
ments; asking her TO give up the very
name by which she Is so widely known
and admired. and to adopt his compare
lively obscure cognomen.
Or 1t may be beautiful girl in the
full flush and pride Of her first season,
with wealth at her back. q powerful
family connection. . wide circle Of
friends. admirers and acquaintances. a
girl In fact with the world at her feet
and an almost unlimited power OF choice.
A young man. Obscure Of family, undis-
tinguished in appearance or manner,
poor in purse. perhaps clerk upon q
moderate salary. perhaps a struggling
young lawyer or doctor. sees the debu-
tante: secs, loves, worships her. and al
though he cannot conceal his devotion,
he no moro thinks Of declaring it than
he does of asking the evening star to
come down and illuminate his humble
lodgiuga
Now II the stately and self suincins
woman, or il the lovely girl upon her
pedestal OF sweet pre-eminence. should
cast her eyes upon the silent and un-
presuming adorer. should look and lis
ten and read the secret Of his love. and
feel that in that love lies all the promise
Of the future, should also perceive that
% deep Is the mans self distrust and
consciousness of the great gulf life has
opened between them that he dares not
| speak--what 10 she 20 dos
To bury her own feelings and not per-
ceivs his' To go on through life with a
sense Of loss ever growing upon her? To
marry another man and creep along at
his side like broken hearted captive,
like the poor child described first?
Is she to bury the best possible love Of
her life. and smooth over the grave. and
plant ID TO grain--good practical. mar
ketable grain-or perhaps 10 hollyhocks
ard sunfiowers and haunting poppies7
Aht well, some women, mary women,
do one of these things and the air Is full.
full, could We only hear them, Of these
might have beens,- the sobbing, sigh
ing. weary mosns Of hungry hearts; very
mistaken. perhaps, In their estimate Of