Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-07-23

II suppose So" Mr.. Culver unwilling
ly admitted; lit takes fools to be hap
Ply; wise people know too much"
care you wise?" questioned Susanna,
nervously, for she felt that she was
launching herself at this point upon an
unknown sea.
''I'm old enough to be-" Mr.. Culver
frankly responded, for M. Culver's age
was too well known to be denied, and too
great to be hid under bushel.
isn't there something somewhere
about the old fools being the biggest p
laughed Susanna.
''But I'm not so old as that, yet"
''Ah!" and her eyes twinkled. lis
yours case Of:
" Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the silly seasons meet?"
Mr.. Culver assumed more serious air
and there was smile on his face when
he replied; there was rather shadow
of regret:
eyes, Miss Susanna" he said, II do
not stand reluctant, for think if I had
been more of a fool in one regard would
have been less of a fool in another. That
is to say, man is fool to waste his life
selfishly as have DONE"
This was the suspicious moment
Susanna had been seeking. She would
now lead right up to the matter and
find a listener to her proposal.
'sWhy don't you marry, Mr.. Culver?"
she asked, with directness. "You are
not too wise to consider the question.
] hope"
certainly not, Miss Susanna he
smiled tive been considering it for
20 years"
Then you ought to stop considering
1T and pop it," Susanna laughed and
MIR. Culver also.
II hardly think I'll ever do that" he
said, seriously. II wouldn't know how
to go about it, to make my case half
presentable. I've given myself up, you
know, as bad job
Some Of these new women will be
charging down on you some of these
days, teaching you the newer doctrine
that women have the right to say
whether you have the right to do as
you please with yourself In other
words, some one of them will capture
you in spite of yourself"
mot much, they WON'T asserted
MIR. Culver, with great show of cour-
age. If there is anything I don't want
to marry it's a woman with foolish no.
tons of that kind
Susanna's heart went down to her
shoes on the instant. Here was an in
surmountable obstacle in her path, and
with Mr.. Culver holding to such an
opinion, what good would proposal
be from her, even if she should muster
up courage enough to make it. The
thought made her mute for a minute
and in that minute new scheme came,
one that had been there before, too, but
had gone wool gathering while she was
beating about the brush with the new
woman idea.
Il think myself they are horrld,'' she
said, with an effort to swallow some
thing that would not go down very cas-
ny. But there is the leap year priv
ilege. All women, new and old, can
claim that, and you mustn't forget that
this is leap year"
II had forgotten it, he said, NOV
ing his chair into the far corner of the
fireplace, but still not so far away that
ne was out Of the pleasant influence
OF Susanna's nearness. He sat there
Tor an instant making himself shiver
with terror, and then he moved back,
possibly little nearer than before.
SC
land now that have told you of the
dangers ahead I hope you will profit by
my advice"
"Oh, I'm not afraid" he asserted, in
good voice, Tin just waiting for that
sort Of thing. The custom of tradition,
whatever you may call it, is an old
fashioned enc, and only an old-fash-
Toned woman would think of it, and
that is the kind want. So none of
them had better try it unless she means
business
Surely no finer opening could be pre-
scented to a young woman in her mood
than this, and Susanna gave herself u
shake and took another long breath.
The time had come, and she was not TIE
woman to lose SO glorious an oppox.
tunity.
''Mr. Culver" she began, IA a firm
voice and with great earnestness, 81
have for long time been thinking you
ought to marry and have even gone
SO far as to select just such woman as
[ think would suit you. / have had two
or three consultations with her, and
she is willing that I should present the
matter to you, because I know you so
we'll, and you will understand it better
from Inc than if she Should present it
HERSELF