Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-05-07
Hsr Splendid inconsistency.


further side of the house, softened by
distance. Moonlight, broken up ny inter-
yening trees into bars ana splotches of
golden radiance. lay all about them n
they walked up and down the yeranda
The right kind or Il woman always
appreciates Il proposal of marriage from
any man as great compliment. Coming
from YOU it is the much more TO be val
ued but | cannot marry you," said the
woman.
Il have to thank you for having lis
tened TO me so patiently. Might ! tres
pass a little more upon your good nature
and ask permission to discuss the matter
! further with yOuT
mo amount of discussion can profit
1 either of rs, so far as ! can see. But, as
! have said, i'll asking me TO marry You
| great compliment was paid me, and in
return for that compliment | suppose
that owe you permission TO indulge
i your love for discussion or argument"
Thinks for the PERMISSION" said the
man, still in his stolid manner. Il caunot
! recognize my proposal as, in any sense. a
! &C mphment, but | am willing that you
! shrould if You wish, take the manner in
! which | made it as compliment Rec
/ ognizing the splendid development of your
/ own logical faculties, / have made my
/ offer of marriage in perfectly business
/ like form. | have heard you often de-
/ clare that contract of marriage is like
! any other contract, and should be entered
/ into only when both parties are fully
aware of what they are doing"
DO YOU think women are ever en-
tirely consistent" interrupted the wom-
an.
Til" man looked trhc surprised. and
replied;
ing Il Splendidly consistent mind You
! | IN
mallh'r OF proposing, that You would
! have preferred more Of an air of ro-
nance, and all that sort of thing?"
Now the situation is something like
/ this, continued the man in very much
the same tone of voice that he would
have used i'll arguing an important case
I before the supreme court. You are
tWenty-nlnC-or is ii thirty?-yearS old.
/ nave a reputation as Il beauty, and all
J that. You can, | know, marry any one
at least as much as |. hut modeSty was
never prevailing characteristic of mine.
and / have not feared to measure my
/ self with these other men
"On the other hand | can give you
pretty much anything You desire that
1 costs money. | stand well in my profess
SION, and have prospects of soon being
near the top of it. Altogether | am
satisfied that any one would call il a very
suitable match all around"
Does the prosecution here close its
| caSe?' inquired the woman. LAUGHING :,
I little.
Il hardly care to regard the matter as
one of prosecution and defense" said
! the man imperturbably. but il Won wish
to use the terms | am forced 10 admit
their applicability. win the defense rest
i It's case on the testimony submitted by
4 the prosecution, or will it elect to sub
nit an argument
The defense will submit an argu-
ment, replied the woman. Il admit
/ that the match would be, as you saw.
| pronounced suitable to every one. As
/ for the two or three other men whom
/ you aver that | can marry at any time.
/ | cannot answer. | have noticed that
| the number of my proposals has been
! falling off of late, and attributed the
/ TACT to advancing age-you were right
when you said ! was thirty. | may
/ close the discussion by saying that /
have made up my mind to become an old
maid"
! Far be it from me to say ANYTHING
/ against those estimable memoirs of So
/ ciety-the old maids" said the man. ..but
/ | do not think sou will ever be one of
! them. a wise man once said that the
/ coWl of monk always hides either a
! disappointed lover or a great rascal and.
while | do not indorse his opinion I'M
/ qualihedly, | am firm in the belief that
every old maid is a woman who was dis
appointed IN love or who was too cold
b.oodedly selfish ever to marry Surely
/ you do not come in either class?'
No, said the woman, reflectively, Il
can't say that ! do, and yet
Perhaps, said the man, and now his
voice was very gentle, as though he
feared he might here touch some old
wound unwittingly, there is in your life
some romance which l have not guessed.
Believe me, / would not wound Won for
worlds, and | trust you will pardon my
clumsy speech
"Oh, | am not blighted being. never
fear this with a laugh that did not ring
altogether of merriment
Then your refusal to marry me is not
based upon the ground that you prefer
some other MANI
No, am not in love-with some other
man"
Then why not marry me:"
Il have given you the best of all IA
wcman's reason, because
But Your refusal Of me is final. | may
take it,"
Yes, the yes with an almost in
audible sigh, sigh nearly inaudhlc
that it did not reacn the man.
lie had thrown away his cigar anH
stood for a moment gazing ont toward
the trees. Then he began to speak and
his voice was harsh with feeling that had
been restrained.
Il think | quite forgot to mention one
thing in my proposal / did not say thai
| love you very dearly; that. not wishing
{ be beggar Of love. | have waited all
these years 10 be in Il position TO offer
y0u the things which ] mentioned rs ron
deFiDg me eligible for your hand. You.
who are so cool and calm. what can yau
/ know Of love and passion: Now. / know
that | have worked all these years in vain
no. not altogether in vain for ! am
going to Kiss you once, here and now. if
it means the loss OF all the little that is
left me Of your regard
He gathered her in his strong arms and
kissed ner. not once. but many times on
her forehead, on her eyes and on her lips.
and then released her with the fnl con.
seriousness that he had done an unpar,lon-
able thing which he did not regret
But the woman held out her arms TO
him and said:
"Oh, Jack. dear: why didn't vou tell
me that you loved me at first w. w
Hines in San Francisco Call.