Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-04-11

susanna looked IKE fright or larry
and began talking about al sorts %
things, rs people do who talk for th'
mere sake of talking.
At all events that's the WAY it pre-
sented itself To Susanna. ami she fell
the spirit Of desperation slowly creep
Ing over her. She took long brcatl
for encouragement, and tentalivel,
turned the subject Of conversation upoI
the most recent wedding which hac
occurred in their circle.
"What Il pair Of fools they were anc
are, said Mr. Culver, sententiously
'to marry on nothing but his salary
and that not biz enough for two
But they are happy" argued Su
anna
II suppose So" Mr.. Culver unwil
lingly admitted III takes fools TO b,
happy; wise people know too much.
Are you wise questioned Sus
sanLa. nervouSly, for she felt that she
was launching herself ut this point
upon an unknown sea.
I'm old enough to be- Mr.. Culve,
frankly responded. Tor Mr. Culver,
age WAS too well known 10 he denied
and too great to be hid under bushel.
Isn't there something somewhere
about the old fools being the biggest -
laughed Susanna.
But I'm not 50 old as that vel"
"Ah = and her eyes twinkled. us
yours cas- of;
Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the silly seasons mect:"
MIR Culvcr assumed more serious
mir and there was no smile on his face
when he replied there was rather a
shadow oi regret.
"Yes, Miss Susanna" he said. Il
do stand reluctant, for | think if had
been more Of fool in one regard |
would have been less OF u fool in an
o:her That is To say, Il man is fool
10 waste his life selfshly as | have
done"
This was the auspicious moment Su.
sanna had been seeking. She would
nov lead right up to the matter and
find Il listener to her proposal.
"Why don't YOU marry, Mr.. Cul-
ver?" she asked with direciness.
you are not too wise to consider the
question, Il hope"
Certainly not, Miss Susanna" he
smiled. I've been considering it for
twenty years"
Then You ought to stop consiner
ing il and pop it, Susanna laughed,
and Mr.. Culver also.
II hardly think I'll ever do that,
he said seriously. Il wouldn't know
how TO go about it to make my case
half pre,eniable. I've given myself
up. You know, as bad job"
Some of these new women will he
charging down on you one 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"
Not much they won't" asserted
Mr.. Culver with Il great show of cour-
age. ''If there is anything | don't
want to marry, its a woman with fool
notions of that kind.
Susnnna's heart went down to her
shoes on the instant. Here was an in
surmountahle obstacle in her path,
and with Mr. Culver holding to such
an opinion, what good would pro
posal 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
thought came, one that had been
there before, too, but had gone wool
gathering while she was beating
around the bush with the new woman
idea.
Il think myself they are horrid, :"
shc said, with I'M effort To swallow
something that would not 20 down
very easily. But there is the leap
year privilege. All women, new and
old, can claim that, and you mustn't
forget that This is leap year
II had forgotten it, he said mov-
ing his chair over into the far corner
Of the fireplace, but still not so far
away that he was out OF the pleasant
influence ot Su~anna's nearness. He
sat there for an instant making him
self shivcr with terror. and then he
moved back, possibly little nearer
than before
"Forcwarncd Is iorcarmed, she said
and now that have been told YOU
will profit by my advice
"Oh. I'm not afraid, he asserted in
Il good voice, I'm just waiting for
that sort of thing The custom, or
tradition, or whatever YOU may call it +,
is an old fashioned one, and only an
old fashioned woman, would think Of
it, and that is the kind | want So
none OF them had better try it, unless
she means business.