Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-05-13


when they asked
q the decisive ques-
ton, but it will doubtless be admitted
that the stories should continue to come
from the women. Women who desire to
contribute true stories to the realistic
should remember that there is no need
to write the whole story of the love af-
fair. Simply tell of the proposal-the
place, the circumstances under which
the question was put and the talk that
passed.
Proposal No. L.
In this case L am Annie and he is
Arthur. We went together only short
time; but in that time Arthur took me
everywhere, and every time he came to
see Inc he had some amusement on hand,
and, as it was summer, not a picnic
escaped us. On this evening we had
nothing to do except to go for a walk,
and we went.
The evening was lovely, and the sky
filled with stars. Arthur asked me if
I had ever counted stars. I did not
know what he meant.
He then asked: Annie, did you ever
count nine stars in nine nights?"
1 said l had not.
''Well, then, start this evening, and
don't miss an evening, for if you do
you'll have to start all over again.
1 wondered awhile and then asked
why, but all the satisfaction l got was:
''Oh, nothing, only when you are
through let me know-that's all"
So L commenced, and the evening
after I had finished counting my stars
told Arthur about it. He laughed and
said: ''Shake hands on that" We
shook hands, and then he said: Annie,
you and 1 will be married, because am
the first man you shook hands with
after counting nine stars in nine nights
without missing one night; so, then,
what do you say?" he asked, eagerly, as
he held my hand. L answered.: How
dc YOU know?' and he said he would
have no one else, and he didn't; for,
when two years after Il was of age),
IN place of wedding there was funer-
al, and, as I got no other proposal, am
still unmarried, though five years have
passed. / have met many but none
that loved as 1 did Arthur.
Proposal No. 2.
The first proposal ever received was
from an old playmate of mine. L had
just returned from school, and he and
were together for the first time. When
1 invited him to call that afternoon, he
told me he had something important
to tell me- When he came that evening
waited for his important 'something.
but he did not mention it.
At last. about IL o'clock, we heard my
father and mother coming up the long
walk. and Burt said, hurriedly: Ethel,
the matter L came to see about was this
Il love you!'"
perhaps you can't answer me yet"
he added. as he noticed that was rather
taken back by this business-like pro-
posal, but l answered that l could de-
eide right away. I accepted him. just
as the folks came into the hall. drove
him almost to madness during our short
engagement, and finally L gave back
his ring.
Proposal No. 3.
He had been a widower nearly two
wears. After his wife's death his sister
Sarah took care of the house and the
motherless little boy.
One pleasant Sabbath morning,
went to church not far away. 1t was
the first time that 1 had left my home
since nv mothers death, four weeks
before. I was feeling very sad that
morning as / was walking to church.
L thought 1 would apply to some one of
the farmers to hire as a girl of all work.
and rent my house and few acres that I
then possessed. On going home. as I
raised the churchyard gate into the
road, it just happened (as I then
thought) that Charley got ready to
leave at the same time. AS our homes
were in the same direction, I didn't
think it strange that We should go to-
gether. AS we were nearing my gate,
he said: Hannah, you must be very
lonely now?"
1 said: 'Yes, very, very lonely and
sad
He replied: s'Don't be sad. How
would you like to come and live with
me?"
Nothing would suit me any better"
I replied. His remarks after that I
can't quite remember. Finally / said:
ST didn't know you meant that" But
L invited him in, and not once thought
of dinner till he made the remark that
he had eaten breakfast at six o'clock
that morning. Perhaps his dinner at
home was a long time waiting for him.
As you know, widowers don't approve
of long engagements, and he said Sarah
was anxious to go home, and wanted me