Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-05-09

MY Dear Madgc:
., l You see. y, venture 70 call YOU by your
gwen name If, In thus expressing myself
towards YOU. take undue liberty, beg
you to reprove me, and shall humbly re-
turn To the former address. think Of YOU
so often hat ] seem to have known YOU n.
very long time
j watched impaticntly several days for
your letter and was forced TO endure
number of Observation-Disclosures on that score,
ant las, evening was made glad. You
cannot think what pleasure your letter
brought me There Is nothing 80 good for
shs n9menIknss or Of fran sa q, in
the evening. but ! like my occupation
and am well and happy.
With kindcst regards to your mother.
am Your friend as always,
George Ormsby.
Madgc followed this lead amiably in
q few days:
My Dear MIR. Ormsby:
! like to be Madge to tho good friends
who help to make this world for me such
a delightful place to live In, and you are
one of them.
] am to take tho children to a picnic at
the riverside this afternoon, and IT LIZ time
to begin putting up their luncheon. 50
this must be one Of my short letters.
Your sincere friend,
Madgc Richardson.
Ormsby looked his book over cure
fully at this juncture. He could not
find another model which would form
an easy step between his last and a
proposal OF marriage. He feared the
latter would he abrupt now, but 1t
seemed the only course open. There
We're several samples OF proposals.. He
selected No. 1874 Marriage proposal
from IA gentleman of small MEANS
My Dear Madge:
was disappointed yesterday. but this
evening your letter cnme-and what q
welcome 1t received. ! cannot tell you
how much Il part of my life your letters
have become, how they have helped to
ilit me to II uurer. clearer atmosphere;
OF everyday liic seem noble and worth
while. Should our friendship end here
could not but be deeply grateful for what
you nave done for lne--done unconscious
ly by simply being what you are--and all
my HE should be 81 better man for hnv
ins met you. 1t has been hard. hurder
than you can ever know, my darling, to
love as ! have loved you ana be silent
Dearest. all that | have or am or ever
hope 10 be is yours; yours now and for
ever yours wholly and absolutely.
tle-oniy myself, DO you think you could
be happy as the wife of poor man?
Would the knowledge that my heart is
all your own induce You to feel corre-
Ing too much? Dear Madgc, can II not be :?
i hope your answer Will not be long de-
laYed, as my anxiety Will be great. .n-
Believe nc dear Madgc,
Yours "ery faithfully,
George Ormsby.
The answer was prompt and read
thus:
Dear MIR. Ormsby:
Your letter has made me very happy.
fCr some time haze believed that you
cared for me: how could think other
wise, from the way in which you CON
stantly devoted yourself to me- Still,
was very gald to receive the confession of
your sincere attachment and will not at
tempt to conceal how truly | return II
and how earnestly shall endeavor to
prove worthy of your devotion ] feel
sure that there is perfect sympathy be-
tWccE us and that my happiness will be
as safe il your hands as yours will be In
mine. Always aflectiorately
Madge Richardson.
Ormscy returned with No. go. TO
lady. on being arst accepted" be-
ginning:
cannot tell you with what Impatient
anxiety have been awaiting your an
swer to my letter. and though you were
too good to keep me long In suspense.
sun the interval between writing to you
and hearing from you was passed In al
terbate hope and fear. AT present / can
hardl: realize the happiness Of knowing"
ETC.. etc.
After q pleasant response, he es-
sayed From Gentleman to His
Fiancee." an easy. chummy one, COM