The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-05-28

to do? 1 decided to ignore It and pro-
/ coed as though II had not occurred.
IF you ask me-" be answered, IL
should say that there is n tribe too
much heeswax on It."
This reply was still more upsetting.
However, l made bold dash.
"Given such a 1oor and a partner
whose step suits one, what could girl
want more%
He was not silent. He did not stare
| at the toes OF his pumps. He did not
evidently know what was coming.
Instead, he answered genially;
Don't matter button-top to me-
The only dancing l ever do is to walk
through square. But dare say that
what you suggest is very Jolly for those
who like It."
This was too vexing. 1t quite killed
my opening for that metaphor about
'The Ball Of Life" and "Heaven on
Earth" so 1 was brought to a stand
still. Soon afterward he took me back
to mamma; and the chance was gone.
Evidently Dolly's method was no go.
And on thinking 1t over saw why IL
was no go. II was because 1t was an
abusive method. Now the abusive
method Is, no doubt, very sound for
man, and for this reason: Woman
knows him TO be a proposing animal;
she is, therefore. on the qui vive; she
leads up to it, But woman proposing
for the first time, as was doing, is in
a very different position, The man,
naturally, never suspects her inten'
ton haying always regarded her rs n
mere passive proposed; he cannot
make out what she is driving Mt, and
so her allusivencss is lost on him.
yes" said to myself, there is only
one way-the direct way. must treat
him as one treats children. must be
plain, literal, precise. l must say
what 1 mean IN the most simple, un.
'eQulvocal language, Yea! 1 must, as
1t were, propose to him in words Of one
syllable. 4 love you. Win you wed
meT There can be no mistake about
that. 1t is the formula that shall
certainly adopt"
We next met about four days later,
It was in tea shop in Bond street l
was drinking chocolate alone at
little table. There was n bunch of
hyacinths in vase on the table. Hell
came in; he saw me; he took a chair
opposite to me. Greetings were eH-
changed. 1 looked about. No one was
near Here was my chance. Bravely
l began:
81 love"
There stopped. The "you"-simple,
easy little word-would not for some
reason come out, 1t stuck in my throat,
"Well! What do you love" he in
quired.
The what lrritated me. Was ever
such incowigiblc denseness2 A woman
would have had the sense TO say
whom" MS matter OF course. But
he had invited a neuter, and ncuter
he should have, II only to punish him.
81 love-hyacinths," said, Grossly.
Yet even here there would have been
way out had he possessed IN ounce
Of perception. He had only to say, as
a woman in like case would have sold:
Happy hyacinths"
Then should have remarked:
81 always associate you with hya-
cinths."
But what do you think the opaque
creature did say?
"Don't care for 'em myself? Smell
too strong"
1t was really impossible to do any
thing with such a perfect miracle Of
obtuseness. So my second chance was
lost.
However, n reformer who gives in
after two failures is no reformer.
must try again. 1 must be still more
simple; still more elementary In my
language. After all, the 81 love you.
VIII you wed meT formula was what
loglcians would call complex PROPOSE
ton-a combination Of the categorical
81 love you" which in view Of what
followed, was really superhuous.
would only retain the essential por-
ton, viz. the interrogative "Wm you
wed me"
Four plain words of one syllable.
Surely, these admitted Of no ambiguity
or Misrepresentation.
Our next encounter was in Plccadilly, |
on the north side, near Devonshire
House. l was walking west, he cast
We met face to face. l held out my
hand. He took 1t. Now was the time |
1 made. the fateful plunge.
"Will you"
Would you believe it? Al that su-
preme moment, by the cruellest stroke
OF luck (surely the stars In their courses