The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-10
ENGLISHMEN AS WOOERS.
They No Longer Fall ON Their Knees
When Proposing Marriage.
Chicago Chronicle

Chicago Chronicle.
1t is pleasant to know that wooing in
England is, as rule. the preliminary to a
long and happy union. The latest statistics
show that the average annual number
of applications for divorce does not ex-
coed 5lJ, which is certainly small, consider
ing that the number of Englishmen and
EDghShWomen VINO marry each year is
computed at 10000. If we take the ten
years from 1886 TO 1896 we ind that the an
nual number of divorces has been about
five hundred and the annual number of
marriages about four hundred thousand.
An English scholar has actually thought IT
worth mis- While to collect statistics IN re-
gard to the manner in which men and wom-
en- of his country make love to each
other. He has spent considerable time
over this delicate work, and now at last
he informs the world how the men, as a
rule, propose to the women, and how the
women, as rule, accept the proposals Of
the men.
At one time it was the fashion for love-
intoxicated youths to fall on their knees
when about to make proposals OF mar
riage but this fashion is evidently dying
out, for we are assured that only per
cent. of those in love at present fall on one
knee, while only per cent venture to sue
for their ladies' favor on both knees. A
curious reason has been assigned for the
0ecadence of the chivalrous custom, which
is that of late years the neither garments
of males have been so constructed that
it is rather risky for any man to flop down
suddenly on his knees in lady's presence
Garments when strained will rip and tear,
and no Self-reSpectng lover desires TO nave
his act of alteration turned into a farce
by any such casualty. The number of young
EngliShmen who embrace their sweethearts
at the moment when they are invit-
ing them to become their wives amounts
to per cent. On the other hand, 81 per
cent. of the men in love kiss their sweet
hearts on the lips at the critical moment,
while per cent. shower kisses on their
hair and 2 per cent. content themselves
With kissing their hands.
The behavior of the young women is SINH
larly remarkable. When the men invite
means all act alike. Eighty-one out of
every hundred fall without a word into the
outspread arms of their chosen ones and so
very easily put an end to rather embar-
RAISING, if otherwise very delightful, situa-
ton: 6S per cent. blush very becomingly and
in maidenly fashion shrine away as though
frightened at their companions holiness;
one out of every hundred--pOSS1bly more,
possibly less, says the English statistics
falls on sofa as though about to faint, and
per cent. are really aStonished at receiving
proposals of marriage. Eighty out OF every
hundred know very well what the men have
come for, and hence they are not taken UNI
aware and they behave just as they should
behave on such a momentouS occasion.
Furthermore, GO per cent. look their WooerS
boldly in the eyes, evidently with the idea
either of still further bewitching them or
of relieving them from their apparent en-
barrassment. Curious facts these, but the
most curious fact of all is that one maiden
out of every hundred runs away before the
young man has finished his pretty love tale,
with the object of telling the good news to
her girl friends.
On the whole, says the statistician, wooers
of to-day seem to be far more nervous than
the gallant men who wooed and won a CEN
fury ago. Twenty per cent. OF the English
lovers are awfully nervous when the de-
cisive moment comes, and in the throat of
each mothers son of them there seems to be
a huge lump which it is impossible for him
to swallow. How he gets over this diff
Guilty heaven only knows. Somehow the
lump disappears after they have struggled
with ii a minute or two, after which it is
to be hoped that their agony is at an end