The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-07-07
*++*+9t.F**st+'esl..e'


S~NrS~NoSo~-NoONr
" ROM the open windows came
n music by the orchestra In the
ballroom on the further side OF
the house. softened by distance. Moon
light, broken up by intervening trees
into bars and splotches Of golden ra-
dance. lay all about them as they
walked up and down the veranda-
The right kind Of woman always
appreciates a proposal of marriage
from any man as great compliment.
Coming from you 1t is the much more
to be valued, but cannot marry YOU"
said the woman.
II have to thank you for having lis
tened to me 80 patiently. Might tres.
pass a little more upon your good ma
ture and ask permission to discuss the
matter further with your"
mo amount OF discussion can profit
either Of us, so far as can see. But
as have said, In asking me to marry
you a great compliment was paid me,
and, in return for that compliment /
suppose owe you permission to In
dulge your love for discussion or argu-
ment."
Thanks for the permission" said
the man, still in his stolld manner Il
cannot recognize my proposal as, In
any sense, compliment but l am
willing that you should, II you wish,
take the manner In which | made 1t
as compliment. Recognizing the
splendid development Of your own
logical faculties, have made my offer
of marriage In perfectly business like
form. l have heard you often declare
that a contract Of marriage is like
any other contract, and should be en-
tered into only when both parties are
fully aware Of what they are doing"
do you think women are ever en-
tirely consistent interrupted the wo-
man.
The man looked a trlhe surprised
and replied:
AT least | give you credit for hNv,
ing a splendldly consistent mind You
do not mean that have erred in my
manner 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 in arguing an i'm.
pOrtant case before the Supreme
Court. you are twenty-nine-ot is
1t rtyf-years old have a reputa-
ton as q beauty, and all that You
can, | know, marry any one Of two
or three men who can offer you at
least as much as l, but modesty was
never prevailing characteristic of
mine, and have not feared to meas
ure myself with these other men.
ION the other hand, | can give you
pretty much anything you desire that
costs money. stand well In my pro
tesslon, and have prospects of soon
being near the top Of It Altogether.
am satisfied that any one would call
It very suitable match all around"
Does the prosecution here close Its
case2" inquired the woman, laughing a
little.
II hardly care to regard the matter
as one of prosecution and defence" ,"
said the man imperturbably, "but II
you wish to use the terms | am forced
to admit their applicability. VIII the
defence rest It's case on the testimony
submitted by the prosecution, or will
Il elect to submit an argumentT
1.-THE defence will submit an argu-
ment" replied the woman. 81 admit
that the match would be, as you say,
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 of OF late, and attributed the
fact 10 advancing age-you were tight
when you said | was thirty. may
close the discussion by saying that |
have made up my mind to become an
old maid"
Far be II from me to say anything
against those estimable members OF
society-the old maids" said the man
but | do not think you will ever be
one Of them. A wise man once said
that the cowl of monk hides either
q disappointed lover or a great rascal
and while | do not indorse his opin
ion unqualifedly, l am Arm In the be
lief that every old maid is a woman
who was disappointed in love or who
was too cold-bloodedly selfish ever tC
marry. Surely you do not come IL
either claSsT
mo" said the woman, refectlvely
II 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 / have not
guessed. Believe me, would not
wound you for worlds, and trust you
will pardon my clumsy speech"
''0h, am not blighted being, new
er fear" this with a laugh that did
not ring altogether OF merrifhent
Them your refusal to marry me is
not based upon the ground that you
prefer some other manT