Evening journal., 1899-08-25
HIS BID FOR A WIFE.


young man, sadly.
Then don't show it."
The young man was sAsnt. From the ad-
joining ballroom came the strains OF the
last thing in waltzes. It struck him that
after all the Green hHngarians wsrs decid-
edly overTated.
"I'didna ask you to sit like mummy"
she remarked, at length. 'If you have
nothing to talk about you had better take
me back to the ballroom"
Il beg your pardon, am SURE" be began,
'but you put me in trying position. My
mind is full Of one subject, and one subject
only, and am not allowed to talk about it."
"Then undoubtedly gathered her
skirts together-"we had better go back to
the ballroom. To be depressed is almost
worse than TO be bored"
"No; please don't 60" he said; "at least
not till have asked you one question"
What" she said, yawning this time With
out any attempt at coneealment
81 want 90 know" he said, IF there is
really nothing Loan do that will make you
alter your feelings toward me-"
Il am afraid not, she said, a smile curv-
ing her red lips. "You see you are-well,
you-nothing could make you any different
nothing. You are, l admit goodLoodng
well-dressed, sufficiently wealthy to be able
to keep me in the state to which | I'm ae-
customod, but then so are plenty OF other
men, all Just as much in love with me as you
say you are. Why should l choose you IN
/ preference to the rest|
lie was silent. The hackneyed retort that
he loved her better than these other men,
was, he well knew, out of place on such an
occasion. 1t would have only excited her
rideule.
NO." she continued, tapping her fan
against her skirts, you see my argument Is
unanswerable. Only If h Is any satisfaction
to you it applies equally to the others as to
Yourself There is no reason why shouldn't
marry any one of you On the othep hand,
there Is equally no reason why should. Un.
der the circumstances prefer to remain as
am"
''But you will marry some day?"
"Perhaps-it depends. II | do l shall
marry a man not in the least like any, of you.
Anyone can be we'll dressed and good
looking and sufficiently rich. Those three
things are essential but they are not all.
The man / marry must be all that and some
thing more / want man who is man;
not mere tailor's dnmmy, or even reason
ing machine We live in a very artificial
age, when people pen up their emotions aRd
have no higher craving than to be always
considered good form. The naR l would
like to marry should be cast in quite diff
ferent mold. He must have done something
to testify his manhood; shown me somethihg
Of the strength that is in him. In an age
when heroism is fast becoming extinct !
should like TO marry hero; like that man
in India the papers are SO full Of this morn
ing, or that policeman who held two bur
4. -. II.. p, ltaIf
an hour. If prizehghting had net degener-
. ated into a mere methed Of making the max
imum Of money, with the minimum OF exer.
ton believe / should have liked TO marry q
2 prize-fghter, whose stakes had been not q
2 belt oria purse or anything Of that sort, but
, a real, living woman.
"And risked society declining the acqHaint
/, anes Of you susbandg'
= "Ah. tha4 Ia the worst Of It. Nowadays il
3 seems a nan cannot hp virile without beial
. a cad and bully tt the same hns, Brut'
I stroogth alvays sessps 70 lead 10 brute foree
4 SIN thera must be cafes Of raen who have th'
! one without tie other, whobre strong With
out being violent All, If only ! could fine
1 onel Why aren't men Ike that Aewg"
~ Is suraiy more a question Of opportun
e ity than anything else" said the young man
meditatively. EVERY man does not eet,th'
: chance OF risling las life for the woman hl
loves. Plenty of US would take such a ehanc'
gladly if it occurred" !"
J. Il don't know" she said, rising.
''But am certain Of II" he replied, offer
I ing her his arm.
b There is only one thing 10 do, be thought
as he walked home two hours later IN
,, blaze Of early sunlight, the opportrnit
must be found"
n Before bis home was reached he ha
y thought Of the way. He would force th
opportunity that so many waited for, an
If which never came. The money that woul
d support a wife should win her as well.
%
o A week later people turning out Of tn
park one sweltering afternoon were horr
N fed to see a hanson cab, the horse OF Whie
had evidently bolted, dash furiousy past tn
ls corner and on up Piceadlly Following
" with their eyes up the hill they saw il, afte
d escaping By some extraordinary chance il
VI numerable collisions, at length oame to
n sudden and violent stop, while down th
VI wind came rJexd after round Of heart
Pr cheering.
What actually happened, according 20 th
y evidence Of bystanders was this: The cal
which contained young lady OF great pc
sonal attractions, Vvas heading straight iC
III the big lamppost in the middle OF the roal
collision with which would have meant htt
~ short of annihilation. when gentleman, IN
maculately dressed from top to toe, sprar
/ from tho path and threw himself bodily ont
'- the horses bride. For some yards he-yi
dragged violently along, half on the groun
3u half IN tire air, but stil retaining his gpp q
ID the reins, despite a nasty bite in the ar
from the Infatuated animal \ momei
/ more, and in the very nick Of time, succe
crowned his efforts. The horse was brougl
2! up painting within foot or two of the pos
while cheer after cheer broke out from q
N gaping crown.
Another hero had been added to the list
~ London; another man had grasped the o
r. portunity that comes to most men but on
in a lifetime How often have men pray'
up for runaway horse that they might displI
de the bravery Of which they are capable, az
O. how seldom does the opportunity come
them.
lss, ItStakes genius as well as a steady ner
lle and hand to win heros crown, and o.
.n, Young man had had the genius as well as q
ma nerve. His genius might never be suspecte
but his bravery would never be questione