Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-22
NOVEL COURTSHIP
Chicago Woman axle, Her Wit, on >.n.



Washington, ID. c., Dec. Ex-senator
PhleLuS sawyer, OF " IScouslu one of
Tie WealtnIeSL men III the United States
senate, has received an Uner OF marriage
from Il Chicago widow unuer cIr,:tnn-
stances which made the auur u amour
one Oh the most reluarkaDIe III the liter
; allure Oh CuurISnlp ana ruuldnce.
Senator Sawyer has Tor several years
lived iiIoue III lis vast and nIasnincient
ctLSIellated residence on Connecticut
avenue. lie has millions Ill ms COM
mand, but his WldOwernoOd has left INN
. 10 ENJOY alone In1 luAul1eS with which
, lie Is surrounded. Ills superb home
and millions nave been SO often alluded
10 III tue newspapers tnaI tney nave
evlu-nuy caught the attention OF at
least one Chicago woman, who, being
aIso alone III The Woriu, IeelS JnaL TWO
hearts should beat us one in the enjoy
melt OF these Riches.
The senator's man is constantly filled
Win letters requesting aid Tor one
! charity OF another. Among these let
ters one CAME the other day tar different
from the r~St. 1t WAS poStmarked Chi
casO, and the address on the envelope
showed the bold English hand of the
woman. Thus when the senator read
the letter he was both amused and as
tOniSheQ.
1t was Il frank and open proposal of
marriage. There was sincerity III every
word and line OF the epiStle. 1t showed
unniStakable evidence OF having been
written by woman of refinement and
education. There was nothing cramped
. about the writing; the sentences We're
well framed and the words We'll chosen,
and the whole letter showed the ear
ncsneSS as well as the intelligence of
the author. The name and address
were given in full, with many other cir
cumStantial details showing the high
standing of the lady, to place il beyond
the slightest suspicion OF being u joke.
1t was this fact which turned Senator
Sawyer's view of the letter from one of
amusement TO one of Amusement. He
laid aside his various senatorial duties
for the time being and went to consult
his immediate friends as to the course
he should pursue under the circum-
stances. He sought one of the members
of the cabinet with whom his relations
have long been very intimate and the
two talked over the position and con-
sidered the best eXpedient course. The
cabinet officer was at first amused rs the
senator had been, although he, too
came to recognize the seriousness with
which the proposition had been made.
One of the unique features of the
proposition waJ the circumstance which
had prompted it. The Chicago widow
explained her intimacy with another
Chicago widow. They were constantly
together and they had at times been
much interested il public questions, and
in the position of various public men
upon such questions. They had come
to have a high personal regard for Sen
atOr Sawyer and several of his associ-
ates, for their high-minded and patriotic
attitude on various questions OF the day.
Shortly before the recent election the
two widows made q wager as to the
results of the presidential contest. If
Mr.. Cleveland won, one of the widows
was to make proposal of marriage to
some unmarried man. If, on the other
hand, Mr.. Harrison won, the other
widow was to make the proposal of
marriage. AS it turned out Mr.. Cleve-
land won, the supporter of Mr.. Harri-
son had to keep good the wager by Il
proposal of marriage. She knew of no
one, she said, to whom she would rath
er make it than to Senator Sawyer.
OIL Ii vi
silly or sentimental move. 1t was a
plain business proposition in which she
felt that she did not sacrifice any of her
WOmanly dignity. She had accomplish
ments, a fair measure OF this world s
goods, an unblemished character, gen
tleneSs of disposition and cOmeliness of
appearance which would commend her
to a man of intelligence and taste.
Many other facts were recited to show
that the match could not be other than
of benefit to both parties. The cabinet
officer with whom Senator Sawyer
talked has very little romance in his
makeup, and it was due largely to this
fact that the novel cOurtShip received
q check. He advised the senator not to
answer the letter and to pay no atten-
ton to it whatever. The senator felt
that this would hardly be becoming ON
the part of a gentleman, and was in
clined to write courteous but explicit
declination of the proposal of marriage.
It was finally agreed, however, that
silence would be the best course, so
that this dispatch, giving the first state
ment of the proposal and the senator's
purpose Of silence, will carry grief to
the loving heart Of the ambitious CHI
cago widow.