Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-12

The SuitorS didn't golf with them all
morning and sail with them all after
noon and dance or sit on the veranda
with them all evening, didn't Know ex-
actly what the girls thought on every
conceivable subject, couldn't figure
them out like a mathematical equation.
my grandfather wasn't cocksura
when he proposed to granmother 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. l sup
pose that's true, out they were senti-
mental 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 a
my uncle says women used to be
born coquettes, but now they are ed
ucated firts. II a girl doesn't firt
now, she shows a man frankly just
what she thinks of him, up to a GER
tain point.
"Given that much information, it is
easy to speculate on futurities. A man
isn't taking any chances in proposing.
Occasionally one will risk what he
sees to be a forlorn hope, but he aver
age modern mar feels very sure he
will be accepted before he thinks of
proposing"
"Then you think the percentage of
rejected lovers is going down." asked
the bride.
The pretty girl laughed.
81 do all I 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. I never had a really ar
tistic imprisoned proposal in my life.
Our men are so deadly afraid of max
ing themselves ridiculous. Nine out Of
ten of them would rather appear wick
ed than absurd, and they seem to have
the idea that any display of sentiment
or strong feeling makes them look
absurd.
They may be sentimental when they
don't mea anything, or sentimental af-
ter they are engaged and absolutely
sure the girls adore them, but no mat
ter how sure Of a gin the modern man
feels he isn't going to take even the re-
hottest chance of being laughed at.
'He is too horribly self-conscious to
propose with a flourish as his grand
father did. I hope it is a sign of mod
esty. but I suppose it is only egotism."
Jack says" began the bride. She
usually begins that way. Probably the
old editorial instinct crops out n
Jacks remarks are the only copy she
has to work with. Jack says that is
hard for a man to make up his mind to
marry today.
I'm the first place, he is so abomin-
ably comfortable as a bachelor. He
] doesn't need a home as much as his
grandfather did. He is free, has every
material comfort and little responsible
ity.
He must be tremendously in love to
marry for love. Even when he is in
love he hesitates, and holds back n
wonders and questions.
"He has a good thing and he knows
it. Matrimony is a lottery even when
one marries for love.
$50 he puts off the fatal step Inc
fools around. If the girl is fond of him
there's practically an understanding
long before he has come around to q
definite question.
Everybody takes the engagement for
granted, even the contracting parties
begin to take it for granted. The thing
drifts along and at last, after every
thing is settled, the man asks the girl to
marry him
ITS a mere matter of form. For
NAL proposals went out with knee