Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-26
RULES FOR LEAP YEAR PROPOSALS.

ANY NTarriageabie Woman May Marry
Any Marriageable Man This Year.
The percentage of proposals by women
in 1888, the last leap year, shows an in
crease of almost 80 per cent. over those
recorded in 1884, which goes far to prove
that the gentle sex are beginning to feel
the spirit of the age and throw off the
shackles of conventionality. True, there
are men who say it merely proves that
they are getting Desperate; but these
scoffers are not worthy of notice. From
such are the ranks of cowboys recruited;
for they fly when the time approaches,
not daring to risk the suing of lovely red
lips and Eeseeching feminine eyes; not
willing to share their income with charm
ers in gowns.
Mems hearts have hardened, but in
most of them there is soft spot still,
susceptible of feminine wiles. You must
not feel above little coquettish arts, as
Boston girls are too apt to do. Roll up
your eyes like duck in a thunderstorm.
You may seem to yourself perfect idiot,
but the young man upon whom you have
designs will like it. A single killing
glance will do more toward making an
impression upon him than dozen Greek
quotations accurately given. Flatter
him. The more barefaced and open your
admiration the more it will tickle his
vanity. Praise his figure. No man ever
lived who did not secretly and away
down in the bottom of his heart consider
himself rather better looking than the
Apollo Belvedere.
Take him out for walk some dreamy
winter twilight, when everything in
clines the mind to sentiment. Lead the
conversation poetryward. Induce him to
repeat one of those humble efforts of his
own. Once started, there will be no
difficulty about his going on. He will
recite yards and yards of verses, telling
you in each case how and why and when
they were written, and when you leave
him at his own door later on press his
hand in sympathy, murmuring that
when he took up architecture he made a
has lost her Swinburne, her Morris
That young man will dream of you all
night with glowing sense of his own
worthiness and yours.
Now, then, you have entered the
wedge. Follow it up. Go to church
every Sunday-to his church, of course
Take a pew where you can keep your
eagle eye fixed upon him. After tho
sermon walk up the aisle by his side,
and ask him to join you in that interest
ing promenade ON Commonwealth ave-
nue.. Hint at walk in the afternoon.
Go for him! You will have to face the
family, which is trying, especially as
papa evidently longs to ask what your
intentions are, and whether you can
support a husband in proper style or not.
But in tho glorious cause of progress
there are some sacrifices to be made,
somo unpleasant situations to live
through.
Ask him if you may speak to his ia
ther. Mention the amount of your in
come. Own up to the greataunt who
was hanged for witch at Salem-he
will like you all the better for it, Re-
mind him that your waist is only twenty
four inches, and can be easily adapted
to ready made clothes. Tell him you
have no expensive habits and spotless
past; that you do not object to his hay
ing latchkey and keeping on with the
Somerset and the Puritan clubs; that
you will allow him so much year and
valet; that ho may have his own way
in everything and never be asked a
question.
There may be cold and relentless ma
lures that can Withstand such appeals,
but they are not many. Dear girl, if
you have done your work well, he is
yours, and the May moon will witness
Jacks head upon your shoulder and
hear Jacks shy, enraptured murmur,
'Dear Emily, am yours!'
Thackeray says any marriageable
woman may marry any marriageable
man. And so she may-in 1S92.-Boston
Herald.