The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-01

of the Old styieT
Since the time when cd made Eve to
be n companion 10 Adam the destiny OF
lovers has awaited the proposal OF man
The sweet old story has been told again
and again by old and young, by lips trem-
nlous and lips firm. Fiction, the mirror
of life, has pictured for us the 1eetihg
blush. the trembling voice, the claspeu
hands.
With the progress of the world ana the
evolution of the novel the form OF the pro-
posal has changed from grave to gay; from
the stilted and courtly to the most de-
lichtfully offhand declaration. Literature
shows tho lover true TO his time from the
day when Jacob met Rachel at the well
down to the electric present.
AS the world emerged from the darkness
of the middle ages life lost something OF
its simplicity and the expression OF It's
lnotions became more complex problem'
The courtships In our earliest English nc
lion are intricate affairs, in which the
real feeling seems well nigh hidden be-
meath the kid gloved etiquette and the
stilted phraseology of the time.
Imagine nineteenth century girl living
through such narrowing experience as
that of the heroine of "The Mysteries OF
Udolpho" or of Amanda in children OF
the Abbey" 1t must have been extremely
depressing, and we do not wonder that the
tears of sensibility were always coursing
down Amanda's cheeks. No proposal was
properly carried out by the kneeling swain
without general accompaniment OF signs
and tears and deathlike swoons.
Dickens, that master of human emo
lions, has "A varied style, yet one easily an
alzyed. With his fun loving disposition he
could not fail to detect in peoples love
affairs the element of comedy, and this he
holds up to us in clear light For pure
fun what could excel that most unique
proposal of Mr.. Barkis?
The old carrier and tho youthful David
had been discussing Peggotty's culinary
skill and Barkis had been assured that the
field was clear of rivals. David tells the
story:
"'AhP no said, slowly turning his eyes
toward me. well, If you was writin to
her, p'raps you'd recollect to say that
Barkis was willn, would your
+" THAT Barkis was willing, repeated
innocently. Is that all the messenger
'Yee-s, he said, considering. 'Ye-es,
Barkis is willin.
Strange to say, this brave beginning
was devoid of effect. Peggotty after the
receipt of tho message remained as silent
ms the sphinx. When David took his next
ride in the cart, the old carrier was un-
happy. 49,,
"'When n man says he's willin,' said
Mr.. Barkis, it's as much as to say that
mans waitin for n answer.
Have you told her so, Mr.. BarkisY
i \ NJ l. T. tt,..
about it. i amt got no call TO goand
tell her so. l never said six words to her
myself. / amt a-goin to tell her so.
Again David acts as mediator and Mr.
Barkis gives him his message.
Says you, "Peggotty, Barkisis waitin
for an answer" Says she perhaps, An
swer to what?" Says you, "To what l
told you" "Wbat is that?" says she.
"Barkis is willin," says you
Or take the immortal cOurtship of David
and Dora. David was struck with bash
fulness and thought first that he would,
then that he dared not, till Dora reproach-
ed him for his neglect. Then no flung
prudence and bashfulness TO the four winds
and told it all in minute. He raved,
Dora cried, Jip bnrkcd, David protested
thar "no lover had ever loved, might.
loved Dora. The more madly David
raved the more madly Jip barked. Then
in minute it was all over and they were
engaged.
Dickens had, however, too much rever-
! ence for real love to hold it up to ridicule.
He raises laugh at times, but when he
depicts the real thing tho genuine God
! given love between man and woman, he
70 int oil nd Il RVS,
and beauty Of which such a master is
capable.
George Eliot's proposals are harder to
classify. She never provokes smile. Life
and love arc too earnest and too sad. 1t
is difficult to point out in her writings u
single instance of thoroughly happy love-
| There is always some grim shadow stand
| ing by TO rob the most sincere love Of it's
/ perfectness. For Dinah Morris and Adam
Bede there was present the thought of
poor. lost Hetty; Daniel Deronda in ask
ing for Mirah's love asked also to be al
lowed to share in the pain and disgrace
which her father brought upon her.
Perhaps this ever present pain is truer
to life than we care TO think. Human be-
ings are seldom entirely happy, and there
are few hearts that do not hide skeleton
Yet we cannot but wish that our mirrors
would show us the ideal, the JOY without
the pain.
Occasionally, while making heroic
effort to bring his proposals within the
realm of everyday probabilities, writer
succeeds only in making his characters
ridiculous. An author, whose name |
have forgotten, pictures for us a young
man, beautifully got up for the OCCASION,
coming to make u morning call upon his
ladylove, only to find her engaged I'm get
ting out the family wash. The gentle
man, 1t seems, has the freedom Of the
house. So he seeks his Dulcinea In her
household haunts. While her dimplinp
elbows are flashing in and out of the
snowy suds no makes his declaration OF
love. For her answer the impulsive young
lady filings her arms about his neck and
hides her burning bushes on his breast
Whether-think of it-she paused deliber
ately to wipe the soapy water from hel
arms upon her apron or whether-think
of 1t, again-she precipitated herself, soap
suds and all, into his embrace, regardless
of broadcloth and immaculate linen, the
author neglects to inform us.
However, IL you want pure, unadulter
ated, practical realism, come down to pres
ent day fiction. In this age a man Is moth
inc III he tc mot r,rn ctica1 H. trr,. .zs.a.