The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-10-25
PERSISTENT LOVERS.
Stories That Look AS If "Any Man
Can Marry Anv Woman

Stories That Look AS If "Any Man
Can Marry Any Woman"
ANY man can marry any woman, y
Voltaire once cynically declared, IF
he only pursues her long enough"
This, at any rate, was the experience
of Jacob Halliday, well known char
acter in the north Of England couple
of generations ago.
Never did a lover win a wife under
such discouraging conditions as Jacob
for, after his first proposal, he was
soundly horsewhipped by the young
| lady's father and ducked in a con-
venient pond.
''Ill ask her again next year." Jacob
spluttered as he emerged from his
bath, the fire of his passion not a
whit quenched by his cold douche
Regularly once a year, on the ami
versary of his first proposal and inn
mersial," Nicholson says, in his BIZ
ography of Mr.. Halliday, Jacob at
tired himself in his finest raiment and
presented his petition, always with
same negative result. When he pre-
scented himself. now a middle-aged man,
for the twenty time, the lady
greeted his appearance with a peal of
laughter. It's no good, Jacob, 1 see,
she exclaimed, 1 may as well give in
now as later; but what a faint-heart-
ed creature the importunate widow
was compared with youl'
Sheridan took an equally bold course
when he sought to win the fairest of
the beautiful daughters of Linley, the
composer of Bath, who was strongly
opposed to the suit of the brilliant
young poet and dramatist. His lady
love, too, was beset by an army of
suitors, many of them far more eli
gible than the penniless law student.
The circumstances called for bold and
decisive action. After threatening to
destroy himself if the lady refused his
advances, and fighting a couple of du-
els with one of his most formidable
rivals, Sheridan took the bold step of
running away with Miss Linley and
conducting her to q French nunnery,
where she remained in confinemet I'M
til, succumbing to her lovers daring
and persistence she consented to mar
ry him.
An amusing and characteristic story
is told of Lord Beaconsfield in the days
when he was wooing Mrs. Lewis, to
whom in later years of married life
he was so touchingly devoted.
One day Mrs. Lewis, who was then
living in retirement at her seat in
a
walking leisurely up the drive Jane"
she exclaimed to an old servant, 81
really believe that horrid man Disreali
is coming up the drive. Do, please
run to the door and say I'm not at
home" Jane opened the door to the
undesired caller and gravely announced
her message. Il know" Disreali cool
ly answered, but take my bag to
bedroom and prepare luncheon. 1 will
wait until Mrs. Lewis is ready to come
downstairs, which, of course, Mrs.
Lewis felt compelled to do few min
utes later.
30, dear, what can I do with such
an obstinate, thick-skinned MANI" the
widow asked desperately later in the
day, when Disreali showed no sign of
raising the siege. Marry him, 1 sup
pose, ma'am," was James philosophic
persistent wooer had his way in the
end in this as in most other things
in life.
A judge, not long deceased, used to
tell diverting story of his wooing.
In those days he was a struggling and
obscure lawyer without even the
prospect of an income, and the wo-
man on whom he had set his affections
was the daughter of a, purse-proud
man with a high sounding name, who
was strongly opposed to giving his
daughter to a "penniless lawyer"
do you know, SIR" the father thun-
dered, when he was asked for his
daughters hand, do you know, sir,
that my daughters ancestors have all
been noblemen. and that one of them
was a favorite minister of Queen
Elizabeth's?" 80, yes, 1 know all that
the young barrister placidly answered;
land do you know that Queen Eliza
beth once slapped your ancestors face;
and unless you are more civil I will
do the same for you? - 1t is scarcely
surprising that so bold and daring a
lover had his way in the end, even
in the face of such a barrier of ghost
ly noble ancestors.
The late Prince Bismarck, it is said,
won his wife in much the same way
Although he had not known the lady
of his love more than a few days, and
her parents were not even aware Of
his existence, he presented himself one
day before them and boldly asked per-
mission to marry their daughter. In
vain the father fumed and clustered
and threatened to have the young man
forcibly elected from the house for
his impertinence. 81 am sorry to an
nov YOU. SIR the young soldier said,
but 1 must respectfully decline to
leave the house until 1 have your con-
sent Nor did he, although the con-
sent was given in these ungracious
words: "Well, 1 suppose you must
have your way; but 1 cannot compli-
ment my daughter on her choice of a
mule for a husband"