The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-09
Her Splendid inconsistency.

distance. Moonlight. broken up by in
terVening trees into bars and sDlotches
Of golden radiance. lay all about them
anda.
The right kind of a woman always
appreciates a proposal Of marriage from
any man as a great compliment. Com
ing from yon it is the much more to be
valued, but 1 cannot marry you,' said
the woman
4 have to thank you for having lis
tened to me SO patiently. Might 1 tres
pass a little more upon your good ma
ture and ask permission to discuss the
matter further with you?"
No 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 that 1 owe you permission to
indulge your love for discussion or ar
gument-'
Thanks for the permission" said the
man, still in his stolid manner. L cam
not recognize my proposal as, IN any
sense. a compliment but 1 am willing
that you should if you wish, take the
manner in which / made it as a COM
pliment- Recognizing the splendid de-
Velopment Of your own logical facul-
ties, 1 have made my offer of marriage
in perfectly business-like FORM l have
heard you often declare that contract
of marriage is like any other contracr.
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 wo-
man.
The man looked trihe surprised.
and replied:
AT least I give YOU credit for hav-
ing a splendidIy consistent mind. You
do not mean that [ have erred in my
manner of proposing, that you would
have preferred more of an air of 70
nance. and all that sort of thing?
.
this continued the man in very much
the same tone of voice that he would
have used in arguing an important case
before the supreme court. You are
nty-nine-or is it thirty years old,
have a reputation as c, beauty, and all
that. You can, I know, marry any one
of two or three men who can offer you
at least as much as I, but mOdesty was
never a prevailing characteristic OF
mine. and 1 have not feared to meas
ure myself with these other men.
ION the other hand, 1 can give you
pretty much anything you desire that
costs money. l stand well in my pro-
fession, and have prospects of soon be-
ing near the top of it. Altogether, l
am satisfied that any one would can 1t
a very suitable match all around.
docs the prosecution here close its
case?" inquired the woman, laughing
a little
Il hardly care to regard the matter
as one of prosecution and defense,
you wish to use the terms am forced
to admit their applicability. Will the
defense rest it's case on the testimony
submitted by the prosecution, or Will
it elect to submit an argument
1.-The defense will submit an argu-
ment" replied the woman L ADMIT
that the match would be, as you say,
pronounced suitable to everyone AS Tor
the two or three other men whom you
aver that I can marry at any Time L
cannot answer. 1 have noticed that the
number of my proposals has been fan
ing off of late, and attributed the iact
you said [ was thirty. I 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 members OF So
ciety-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 q monk always hides either
a disappointed lover or a great rascal,
and while I do not indorse his opinion
unqualifiedly. 1 am firm in the belleI
that every old maid is a woman who
was disappointed in love or who was
too cold bloodedly selfish ever to marry.
Surely you do not come in either
NO" said the woman, refectively, Il
can't say that do, and yet"
Perhaps" said the man, and now his
voice was very gentle, as though ne
feared he might here touch some OLD
wound unwittingly, there is in your
life some romance which I have not
guessed. Believe me, 1 would not
wound you for worlds, and trust you
will pardon my clumsy speech.
''Oh, I am not a blighted being, never
fear" this with d laugh that did not
ring altogether of merrlment.
Then your refusal to marry me is not
based upon the ground that you prefer
some other MANI
NO, I am not in love-with some
other man."
Then why not marry me?''
Il have given you the best of all a
Womans reasons, because.
But your refusal of me is final. L
may take it?''
"Yes"-the yes" with an almost in
audible sigh, a sigh so nearly inaudible
that it did not reach the man.
He had thrown away his cigar and
stood for a moment gazing out toward
the trees. Then he began TO SPEAK,
and his voice was harsh with feeling
that had been restrained.
Il think I quite forgot to mention one
thing in my proposal. I did not say
that I loved you very dearly; that. not
wishing to be a beggar of love, L have
waited all these years to be in posi-
ton to offer yop the things which l
mentioned as rendering me eligible for
your hand. You. who are so cool and
calm, what can you know of love and
paSsiOn2 Now, know that have
worked all these years in vain-no. not
altogether in vain-for I 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 her. not once. but many
times, on her forehead, on her eyes and
on her lips. and then released her, with
the full consciousness that he had done
an objectionable thing which he did
not regret.
But the woman held out her arms to
him and said:
''Oh, Jack. dear. why didn't you tell
me that you loved me at first"-W. w.
Hines, in San Francisco Call
q Bit of Medical History.
1.-THE subject of the first use of the
E..-r.aa ernie sz-,.i.a $4,000