The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-10-20
Y PROBLEM.
How It Was Settled for Richard
and Marina.


Then they both burst into laughter
for the young man, as he made tina
reference to proposing, shifted his pc
sition away from his companion will
an air OF alarm; the result being tha'
the little table on which he was seated
toppled over and he unexpectedly
found a seat on the grass instead.
Miss Mulgrove," said he, wher
their mirth had subsidized, and he wa:
beginning to gather up the material:
out of which he had been constructing
a toy yacht for her small brother
you observe that chance has supplied
an appropriate answer: the very men
ton of love upsets me-"
But it has brought you to you,
knees as we'll"
Il beg your pardon; it is duty that
has brought me to my knees, not love.
l have promised Tommy that his boa,
shall be finished this morning, and
now / can't find the rudder-bother
the thing!"
There it is" exclaimed Tommy's
sister, darting from her seat, and pick.
LIZ IiC LlloolhS al llSlC l4OLh lOhS
tuft of grass.
When order was restored once more,
and they had resumed their tasks-he
working at the little vessel with all a
sailors cunning, she making for it the
sails that he had planned-there was
silence between them for some min
utes.
At last Walton spoke in meditative
fashion, showing that his mind had
been bordering her unexpected ques-
ton:
II am inclined to think that love,
nowadays, is too often unreal; it has
lost its simplicity and spontaneous
ness, because so much is made of it in
fiction"
That is exactly what / have felt
myself" said Marina M%ulgrove, quick
ly. And l think we women are
chiefly to blame. We all know, in our
hearts, that modern civilization
doesn't admit of much romance in real
life, and yet We are not a bit satisfied
unless men make love to US in a high
ly sentimental way. 1t is delightful
if papa and mamma object; we get an
opportunity to pose like the heroine of
three volumes, and it is delightful, too.
if the dear man who offers his heart
and wants ours seems in a fearful
state of agony while we are thinking
whether the exchange is worth max
ing: and the worst of all is, there is no
honorable retreat for either Of the en-
gagged ones, even if they find, on bet
ter acquaintance. that they don't like
each other well enough to get mar
ried. No; the novelist has decided
that true love is eternal. and there
fore the poor wretches submit to
their fate. The girl especially is afraid
to return her engagement ring. be-
cause she has read SO much about the
frightful effect of jilting a man. He
was the pink of perfection yesterday;
if she says she has changed
her mind. and does not care to get
married, he begins life anew as a
scoundrel, or is a hopeless drunkard in
six months time"
when, instead of anything of the
sort happening, the poor fellow would
jump for joy to get his discharge"
said Walton. but that novelist has
decided for him that the girl must
necessarily break her heart, or end her
as a miserable spinster; SO he
also is afraid to speak his mind"
And SO they get married and lead a
cat-and-dog life" said Marina, PEN
sively.
But how is this state of things to
be altered, Miss Mulgrove? You have
thought so much.about the problems of
modern society. Is there any way of
making marriage a safer transaction
for both parties? You see, we can't
abolish love, but the calamity of mar
riage might be-might be"
'Avoided?" inquired Marina. calmly.
mo; we must recognize the ~inevita-
BILE, / fear; but something might be
done, surely. to moderate its evils"
well, what should you say to a
seven or ten years lease instead of
the present lifelong contract?"
Let me see, how would that work?"
said the young sailor musingly. Il
marry you-don't be alarmed; the case
is purely hypothetical-and at the end
of seven years you have had enough of
me. But although you may then be
glad of your liberty, your chances in
the matrimonial market cannot be,
seven years hence, as good as they are
That is a difficulty, isn't it,"
Yes, sir; and allow me to say that
your chances will not be any better
than mine. if l can help it,"
Miss Mulgrove. you are feminine,
and not philosophic, interrupted Wal
ton. with severity.
Pardon me; / am merely practical.
At the end of those even years you
will certainly try to marry again; and
the next lady of your choice will nat
come to me for references"
"Um-that will be awkward. A
genuine widower is snapped up by the
without inquiries out of sheer
sympathy-but this widower, by ar
must needs be armed with
testimonials from his previ-
ous partner"
.'Of course" said she with a mischiev-
Gus smile.
still, there is this to be said
will have all the more reason
for renewing the lease with each
because Of these unpleasant
consequences we have been discussing.
In fact, in the majority of cases il
probable that the partnership
.ro,ld ha q 1;folopr opa J,,et O @ 10 -