Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-07
WILL YOU WALK WITH ME,
MISS

Mr.. Walton
t Madam"
'What is your honest opinion about
love?''
"About love? Why-blt you are not
thinking of proposing, are you!''
Not yet
Then they both burst into laughter,
for the young man. As he made that
reference to proposing, shifted his po-
sition away from his companion with
an air of alarm, the result being that
the little table on which he was seated
toppled over and he unexpectedly
found seat on the grass instead.
Miss Mulgrcve," said he, when
their mirth had subsidized and he was
beginning to gather up the materials
out of which he had been constructing
a toy yacht for her small brother,
"you observe that chance has sup
piled an appropriate answer-the very
mention of love upsets me-"
But it has brought you to your
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 boat
shall be finished this morning and now
1 can't find the rudder-bother the
thingr'
'There it isr' exclaimed Tommy S
sister, darling from her seat and pick
ing the missing article from out a,
long tuft of grass.
When order was restored once more
and they had resumed their tasks-he
working at the little vessel with all Il
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:
Il am inclined to think that love
nowadays is too often unreal; it has
lost it's simplicity and spontaneousness,
because so much is made Of it in fic-
tom
THAT is exactly what 1 have felt
myself" said Marina Mulgrove. "And
l think we women are chiefly to
blame. We all know, in our hearts.
that modern civilization doesn't adj
nit of much romance in real life, and
yet we are not bit satisfied unless
men make love to US in a highly Senti-
mental way. 1t is delightful if papa
and mamma object; we get an oppor-
: tunity 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 making; and
the worst of all is there is no honor
able retreat for either of the engaged
ones, even if they find, on better &C
quaintance, that they don't like each
other we'll enough to get married. No;
!, the novelist has decided that true love
is eternal, and therefore the poor
wretches submit to their fate The
girl especially is afraid to return her
!, engagement ring, because she has read
so much about the frightful effect OF
iilting a man. He was the pink of
perfection yesterday; tomorrow, if she
says she has changed her mind and
does not care to get married, he begins
life anew as scOundrel or is a hope
less 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
days as a miserable spinster; SO he
also is afra--, 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 transac-
/ ton for both parties? You see, we
can't abolish love, but the calamity of
marriage might be-might be"
"Avoided"' inquired Marina calmly.
There was a hooking CLEAN in those
thoughtful gray eyes OF hers as she
spoke.
''NO; we must recognize the inevita-
bic, l fear; but something might be
done, surely, to moderate it's 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 2"
said the young sailor musingly. II
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 iD
the matrimonial market cannot be,
seven years hence, as good as they
are now. That is the difficulty, isn't
it?'
! Eyes, sir; and allow me to say that
your chances VIII 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; I am merely practical.
At the end of those seven years you
will certainly try to marry again; and
the next lady of your choice will nat
urally come to me for references"
! "Um-that will be awkward A
genuine widower is snapped up by the
sex without inquiries-out of sheer
sympathy-but this widower, by ar
rangement must needs be armed with