The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-12

days, teaching you the newer doctrtn
that women have tho right to So
whether you have tho right to do a
you please with yourself. In othe
words, some one of them will captur
you in spite Of yourself"
"Not much they WON'T" asserte
Mr.. Culver with o great show of cour
age. "If there is anything l dom
want to marry, it's Il woman with foo
notions OF that kind"
| Susanna's heart won't down to he
shoes on tho instant. Here was an in
surlnountable obstacle in her path
and with Mr.. Culver hold ing to sucl
an opinion, what good would u pro
posal be from her even il she shoult
| muster up courage enough to make IT,
Tho thought made her mute for Il min
ute, and in that minute IL new Thought
came.
81 think mysolf they arc horricd,'
sho said with an effort to swallow
something that would not SO down very
easily. But thore Is the lcap-ycar
privilege. All women, new and oid,
can claim that, and you mustn't forget
that this is leap year"
81 had forgotten it," he said moving
his chair over into the far corner OF
tho fireplace, but still not so far away
flueuco Of Susanna's reurness. He sat
thero for an instant making himself
shiver with terror, ana then no moved
back, possibly u little nearer than
before.
"Fore warned is forearmcd," she
said, "and now that ! have told you OF
tho dangers ahead, l hope you will
profit by my advice"
"Oh, Pm not afraid" no asserted
in q good voice, "l'm just 'waitiag for
that sort of thing. Tho custom, or
tradition or whatever you may call it,
is an old-fas hioncd one, and only an
old-fashiOned woman would think Of
it, and that is the kind | wan. So
none OF thom had better try it, unless
she means business"
Surely no finer opening could DO pre-
sentcd to u young woman in her mood
than this, and Susanna gave herself Il
little shake and took another long
breath. Tho time bad come, aud she
was not tho woman to lose SO glorious
an opportunity.
MIR. Culver" sho began in a firm
voice and with great ctrnestness,
have for q long time been thinking
that you ought TO marry, and | havo
even gone SO far HS to select Just such
q woman as | think would suit you.
| have had two or three consultations
with her, and she is willing that |
should present the matter to you, be-
cause know you so we'll, and you will
understand it better from me than if
5 he should present it hcrsclf.'
Miss Susanna he exclaimed,
"don't say another word. Really, /
cannot listen to it,"
But must say it to you," sho in
because, as it seemed to her,
that was the proper way TO conduct II
succcssl,! courtship, and now that she
had begun it, sho most decided y
wished it TO be successful.
"l tell you | won't hear it. This is
entirely unexpected, aud | am sure
nothing in my conduct has ever war
ranted you in broaching this subject IL
me-"
Mr.. Culver was very evidently in
earnest, and Susanna almost chuCkleC
TO herself, for this was tho very way
young women acted under the circum
stances in which MIR. Culver wa,
placed. All it needed now was u little
moro coaxing, and Susanna ncrvcd her
self for the final pop.
"Perhaps you havo not thought so,
she said in her softest voice, " but t.
me there has ever been Il desire to sa
to you what | am now saying. MI
Culvcr--John," and Susanna cam
very close to him, Notwithstanding sh
was SO nervous shc hardly know wha
| to DO.
Hold on, Susanna, hold on h
exclaimed. ConfOund it tina
shocked her, for she know no girl eve
talked that way under snch clrcun
stances, however much sho mign
have thought i; 81 don't want you I
bo talking in any Other woman's ir
tcrcsl. There is only one woman i
the world that l want, and-und-an
-" MIR. Culver was getting nervou
| himself now, and Susanna gaspcd
"and-oh, Susanna he said desperate
ly, "don't you know that woman
you? You, Susanna. Don't you kno'
it is you ?"
Mr.. Culver caught Susanna's tw
hands in his, and looked into her tw
eyes with such IL pleading, pathetic
Intense sincerity that ali her plan
were consumed as straw in Il iicrc
blaze, and she simply tu,nbled into hi
arms and let him finish the propos;,
shc thought she had begun in such
} mastery manner.
And MIR. Culver finished it wit
! glltterlng success, much TO tho rciic
Of Miss Susanna Morton, spinstcr.