New-York tribune., 1903-01-09

take a practical more sensible view of
life; that have jettisoned nearly all those silly.
artificial conventions by which the Victorian
woman set so much store, no candid observer will
deny.
Yet. now. some of the aforesaid silly
ventior.s still survive and the silliest of ALL
I mean the relation of to man in the pre-
limnaries which lead. through courtship. to we'd
lock
Nearly forty years ago Darwin startled the old
wives of mis- day by exploding upon them
bombshell his novel theory of natural selection
I. too. in my smaller way have startled some old
wives of MY generation by torpedoing them, so to
speak, with my novel theory of matrimonial selec-
ton But I must tell you all about that theory
why formed it and how carried it into practical
effect
First. then. as 10 why I formed it. I had not
been out. many months when it occurred TO me
to inquire into the reason of the absurd custom
by which the right OF selection and proposal lies
exclusively with the man; to ask myself why ii
was that he should be free to pick and choose.
whereas she-his equal in many things and his
superior in most-should have to content herself
with being picked and chosen. And when came
to look into the point-to inquire the why of it.
l discovered that there why but that
II was merely meaningless Convention-an empty
custom existing because it existed and observed
because people were foolish enough to observe it
Nay. it was worse than meaningless-it was rotten,
1t was tniquitous- If marriage means anything to
either party "a point perhaps, open to discussion
upon which I will not EMBARK, 1t means
more to the woman than to the To him
it's but a incident, her it is career: to him
it's still the old tune with variations; to her
it's a brand piece that has to be learned and
studied alb initio OF this fact the process
is emblematical- Let him be Mr.. Smith. let her be
Miss Jones' They marry. What of him? He re-
mains Mr.. Smith to the end of the chapter. What
of her? Her Miss becomes forthwith converted
into Mrs. her Jones" transformed into
Smith" Her former name and style know her no
more In one word. he is the absorber. she the
absorbed.
Now to the absorbed the process Of absorption
is far momentous than the absorber.
That is automatic. It therefore follows that If
either one has greater liberty than the other in
woman. But in practically most absurd con-
venton-things precisely the Man. the
likes Of the Whole fair SEX Woman. the alb
sorbed is limited in her choice to Just those few
thousands to pick from. she has only units; and
worst of it. She may see the man who is just
suited to her; whom she knows she could make
in word. be the ideal mate for her. But he Is
q he those m net who have o 70
marries some one else as ps aller
in practice his doctrines is no true reformer.
He is quack, charlatan. a humbug: / am not
that sort, My motto, like Straford's. has always
AS arst step said to myself toward
matrimonial selection. will exercise that initia-
! 1--WE myself OCneTS, When IRey see my success.
custom by which my sex are treated as mere
limbo Of exploded faIlacies'
l first mentioned my resolve to mamma I did
not expect support from the amiable but obsolete
old dear: and h certainly did not get it. Mamma
rather, it would have stood on end had it been
| hers to do so. I did not mind mammals dis
formers to be misunderstood abused, derded by
their own families? Besides, was to be turned
aside from my high emprise by mere outburst OF
obsolescence? No. tndeed| 'Tis in such pinprtcks
spurred me on. I resolved to open my new cam
The first thing to do of course. to pick out
my man-rny ideal mate. That was simple. In fact,
his pedigree Observation-Disclosures his person prepos-
sessing; his manners agreeable; his pursuits ath-
Ietic; and his moral character above reproach-
Moreover (but this is Incidental and in no wise in;
iuenced my considerations he had lately Inherited
from on his STAT father fortune Y9 Of 5s2 t2o9 co. ,+.d
Next to appTS him Of my b{ 5eeep % fiIde and to @ invite
thought It out The result Of my refectons was
that decided to seek expert advice; to pick up
pitched on DoiiIe Duiverton who had been lately
absorbed by young Cattistock, of the Bays; and to
After unfolding to her scheme in general out
''A that I wish to do at the first going off. is to
change the personality Of the proposer. not the
much all at once Therefore / have come to you to
ask If you can give me any useful tips based upon
experience as a past prOpOSee.
"Ah" said Dollie, smiling. you wish me. in fact
to COdCh you UP IN Ine manners anu IultS VI 6Oou
prOposng?"
phraseology Mr. Cattistock made use OF when he
proposed to you. It may useful line. ~
DoIfe thought for a moment or two, picking up
the threads of recollection Then she rejoned:
Very well my dear. you shall have precise &C
count of all the circumstances. The affair took
place at Lady X dance Frank began by remark
ing that the room devilsh-he begged my par
don-confoundedly hot. ] acquiesced- Have you
made note of that, my dear?' r
go on" I remarked. with some impatience: Il
wish to get to the kernel of the nut. These little
preliminary breakings of the outer shell are tmma-
terial' L. A. 49,
Nay answered Dolle. you cannot get to the
kernel without little preliminary breakfngs OF
the outer she'll Is integral part of the process
However, I will proceed. Franks next observation
referred to the floor, which he declared to be a
ripper I concurred. Then he said. give MIN such such
q floor and partner whose step suited his, don' I
you know and, by Jove. what more could fellow How
want? I said nothing. l only looked hard at the
toes of my satin shoes. l knew now what Was Was
coming and that the less interrupted the quicker
ii would come. Frank cleared his throat and tugged
{ at his nnustache Then he embarked upon con-
fused and ungrammatical rismarole. In , which
'Partner-step suitedball of hte-heaVen on eartn.
were the only distinct and inteltgbe expressions
Doie paused.
And that's ALL she said. - ,
DO YOU mean" demanded, that ne never askeo
Won in so many words. TO marry him