The Democratic advocate., 1896-03-21

sAh r and her eyes twinkled Is
yours a case of;
Standing with reluctant feet
Where the silly seasons meetg'
Mr. Culver assumed more serious air
and there was no smile on his face when
he replied; there was rather shadow of re-
gret.
YES, Miss Susanna, he said II do
stand reluctant, for think if l had been
more of fool in one regard would have
been less of fool in another. That is to
say, man is fool to waste his life sell
iishly as have done. .
This was the auspicious moment Susanna
had been seeking. She would now lead
right up to the matter and find listner to
her proposal.
''Why don't you marry, Mr.. Culver?' .
she asked with directness. "You are
not too wise to consider the question, I
hope
Certainly not, Miss Susanna, he
smiled. ''Tve been considering it for
twenty years.
Then you ought to stop considering it
and pop it. Susanna laughed, and Mr..
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 pre-
sentable. 'I've given myself up, you
know, as bad job. .
Some of these new women will be
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 great show of courage. IF
there is anything I dom want to marry,
it's woman with fool notions of that
kind.
Susanna S heart went down to her shoes
on the instant. Here was an insurmount-
able obstable 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 minnie, and in that minute new
thought came, one that had been there be-
fore, too, but had gone wool gathering
while she was beating aroundthe bush
with the new woman idea.
Il think myself they are hOrrid, "
she said with an effort to swallow some
thing that would not 60 down very easily
e'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, moving
his chair over into the far corner of the
fireplace, but still not so far away that he
was out of the pleasant influence of Su-
sanna's nearness. He sat there for an in
stant making himself shiver with terror,
and then he moved back, possibly little
nearer than before
"Forewarned is forearmed, she said,
"and now that l have told you of the
dangers ahead, hope you will profit by
my advice. .
'Oh, Tn not afraid, he asserted in a
good voice, IN just waiting for that sort
of thing. The custom, or tradition, or
whatever you may call it, is an old fashion
ed 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. >
Surely no finer opening could be pre-
sented to young woman in her mood
than this, and Susanna gave herself little
shake and took another long breath. The
time had come, and she was not the woman
to lose so glorious an opportunity.
''Mr Culver she began in firm
voice and with great earnestness, 81 have
for long time been thinking that you
ought to marry, and | have even gone SO
far as to select Just such woman as |
think would suit you. l have had
two or three consultations with her, and
she is willing that I would present the
matter to you, because know you so well,
and YOU will understand it better from
me than if she should present it herself. "
This impersonal style was eminently
pleasing to Susanna, and she felt that her
task was not going to be so hard after all,
but she had not considered Mr.. Culver s
views sumcienty-
When she was about to proceed further
with her remarks Mr.. Culver showed signs
of real anxiety and arose to his feet.
Miss Susanna, he exclaimed, "don' t
say another word. Really, l cannot listen
to it.
s'But must say it to you, she in
sisted, because, as it seemed to her, that
was the proper way to conduct successful
courtship. and now that she had begun it,
she most decidedly wished it to be sue
cessful.
Il tell you I won't bear it. This Is