The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-09

pressed her opinion, but being a hos
tess she controlled her emotions, and
the bride seemed shamelessly oblivious
of chaperon traditions.
Zone evening we We're dining togeth-
err she said, after a little reminiscent
pause. ''He was reading the Saturday
supplements and ] was looking over a
dummy of the magazine. 1 glanced
across the table. Jack was good look
ing; | wasn't unattractive. He was
buried in his work; / was buried in
mine. The situation seemed all wrong.
/ resented it,
(" We might as well be married?'
said Grossly,
Jack looked over the top of his pa
per.
"Ive thought that for five months,
he said.
HE came up to the office and brought
me my ring the next day"
The girls sighed.
ut wasn't so very romantic" said
the pretty one.
The elderly woman frowned.
"1t is the sort of thing one expects in
these days. said she.
The bride smiled.
1T satisfied Jack and me- she said.
She has a fashion of saying Jack
that makes the name sound musical.
But men do propose urged one of
the girls.
The pretty girl nodded.
They do she agreed. Then she
mony.
I've studied the thing good DEAL
she said.
You've had exceptional advantages, ,''
suggested the bride.
'.Of course, don't know just hiw
men used to propose. but I'm afraid
1t is a lost art-that is, in it's highest
artistic form. Why, it was a regular
function in the old days. Now we
crowd it lin during two-step with 900
people looking on or we get through
with it While we are waiting for the
couple ahead to leave the putting
green.
Even if we do have plenty of time
and an appropriate stage setting for
the ceremony, we don't manage it with
any artistic skill. There isn't any
trembling supplication or trembling
yielding.
You see, a man and a girl know
each other so we'll nowadays before
they get to the proposing point that
the result of proposal is foregone
conclusion. When our grandmothers
were courted they posed as mysteries.
"The suitors didn't golf with them
all morning and sail with them all
afternoon and dance or sit on the We
randa with them all evening, didn't
know exactly what the girls thought
on every conceivable subject. couldn't
figure them out like a mathematical
equation.
my grandfather wasn't cocksure
when he proposed to grandmother that
she'd say yes. The uncertainty led to
noble effort. 1t must have made things
much more interesting.
''They say girls were more senti-
mental then than they are now.
suppose that's true, but they were
sentimental in the abstract.
"They were taught to conceal their
real feelings in any particular instance
at any cost. A girl may do that to-
day, but If she. does, it isn't ON gen
eral principles. It's because she can
have more fun that way.
my uncle says women used to be
born coquettes. but now they are edu-
Gated flirts. If a girl doesn't flirt now
she shows a man frankly just what
she thinks of him, up to a certain
point.
"Gven that much information, it is
easy to speculate in futurities. A man
isn't taking any chances in lpropos'
ing.
occasionally one will risk what
he sees to be forlorn
man feels very sure he will be ac-
cepted before he thinks of proposing
"Then you think the percentage of
rejected lovers is going down." asked
the bride.
The pretty girl laughed.
"I do all l can to keep it up to stand
ard, but I'm sure it is falling"
"And the men, feeling sure of the
result, propose in an offhand manner?'
Exactly. l never had a really ar
tistic impassioned proposal in my life
Our men are so deadly afraid Of MAX
ing themselves ridiculous. Nine out
of ten of them would rather appear
wicked than absurd, and they seem
10 have the idea that any display of
sentiment or strong feeling makes
them look absurd.
"They may be sentimental when they
don't mean anything. or sentimental
after they are engaged and absolutely
sure the girls adore them. but no mat
ter how sure of a girl the modern man
feels he isn't going to take even the
remotest chance of being laughed at.
"He IS too horribly self-conscious to
propose Wlll n iiOuliSh 90 AAfH = HAAN
father did. / hope II is a sign Of mod
esty but suppose II Is only egotism.'
Jack says" began the bride She
usually begins that way. Probably the
old editorial instinct crops out ana
lacks remarks are the only copy she
has to work with. Jack says that II
is hard for a man 10 make up his mind
to marry to-day.
"In the first place. he IL so abomin'
ably comfortable as a bachelor. He
doesn't need home as much as his
grandfather did He lE free, has every
material comfort and little responsi-
billy.
''He must be tremendously In love
10 marry for love. Even when he u
in love he heslfates. and holds back
and wonders and questions.
"He has "a good thing and ne knows
IL. Matrimony is a lottery event when
one marrleF FOR love.
so be puts on the fatal step ana
fools around. VI the girl ie fond ~
him. there's practically an understand.
ing long before be- has come around
10 o. definite question.
"EFeFybody takes tn" enNaEcinfnt
for Frnnfed. even fho contracting par-
ties begin 60 take a f0f gfanied. The
thing drifts llonE end ai lnfl afiff