Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-11
DAILY SHORT STORY
Proposal by Proxy.


Eyes; a lovely girl"
81 want her. She is n very advan-
tageous match. Help me to get her"
How can l help you:'
Uncle, you are devoted to her moth
er-don't deny it-and the widow is
devoted to you. Your influence will
turn the scale in my favor"
pooh, boy! Do you suppose Il man
of forty-five an old bach, is proper
person TO interfere In love affairs?
Besides, are you sure Miss Pickering
wishes to marry you?"
mo. 1 wish your intercession with
her too"
every well; 1 will see what 1 can
do"
The next evening Major Joseph
Stone, feeling in honor bound to keep
his pledge to his nephew, called at
Mrs. chickering's.
II have come TO plead cause" he
said nervously. Your daughter is a
lovely woman, and 1 have come with
reference to a prOposal-from one
whose heart 1T
The major broke down. dr
Indeed" The lady looked curious
and pleased. Il have noticed the gen
tleman's attentions to my daughter. l
am not surprised"
"IIe may be n little off as to age
"That would be no objection, l as
sure YOU"
Sut, you see, T.
Il see very clearly. major. The in
come is OF no consequence. My daugh-
ter is very well off. What she wishes
is Il man she can respect and love and
be proud of. The hero off,
Pardon me- Heroism has nothing
"'Not another word, ma jor Modesty
is the most charming of qualities. You
will find Ellen in the music room. Go
and plead your cause with her, and
may you have every success. l shall
be proud
The major disappeared in the music
room, and at the same moment Miss
Pickering opened the door of the par
lor, where she had left her mother.
"Oh, Ellen, l thought you were In
there Your hero has come TO propose
for you. Fortunate girl! He is return
ing 1 will leave you here" And as
the major re-entered the mother dis
| appeared.
Mamma was mistaken, major.
| Here l am
II am glad to see you looking so
charming, for u woman cannot well
look charming without feeling charm
| ing. This will make easier delicate
mission l have to execute"
4 II am listening"
81 came to plead Il cause, the cause
OF one who loves YOU"
"Oh. MAJOR dropping her eyes.
yet one who admits that he needs
some friend to help him."
He needs no one but my mother.
If she is pleased, there is no one else
to be considered"
Your mother sent me to you. wish
ing me success. She has noticed the
drift of this affair, and she will be de-
lighted with the match. You see, you
have every good quality. while the
man. though trifie young for you
| "Ha, ha. What n pleasant irony!
The man is just the age / would
choose. You know l am a young thing
of twenty-elght."
- HE has many estimable qualities.
can assure you. He is-well, he Is a
bit of trifier''-
"Oh. major, how you amuse me! \
trif1er! You are stumbling along as
you stumbled up San Juan hill"
THAT was an easy job compared
with this" taking out his handkerchief
and wiping the perspiration.
81 always said, major, even when a
little girl, that l would marry none
but n hero
That's too bad" disappointedly
1.-The heroism in this case-the heroism
OF physical courage = has never yet
been proved, but 1 dare say upon op-
portunity'-
"You dear major! You say that as
innocently as If it were really true.
Doubtless you think it so. The great
est heroes are the least aware of their
heroism. One thing l will admit-be-
cause a man Is n military hero it
doesn't follow that he has courage in
telling n woman he loves her."
II confess there is some cowardice
in this case. A man should not en-
ploy any one but himself to plead his
cause with woman"
But mamma doesn't count. you
know. You can't be accused of cow
ardice for speaking to her first. Ma
)or, you are as, utterly united Tor
proposition of this kind as you proved
yourself fitted to lead men in battle"
"Well, then, to cut the matter short,
you acceptT
81 do, most assuredly, and with my
whole heart"
'"Then, having nothing more to do, 1
shall wish you a very good evening
and much happiness" moving away.
Nothing more to do, major?" draw
ing very near and looking up at him
reproachfully.
Nothing whatever. It's all settled"
''Then have something to do"
Throwing her arms about the major,
she drew his face down till his lips
were within an inch of her own.