Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-07-27
Her Splendid
inconsistency
By w. w. HINES
Copyright, 1904, by w. w. Hines

huuS ny TIE OrCueSud III the DdllTOO
on the farther side of the house, sOftel
ed by distance Moonlight. broken u
by intervening trees into bars an
splotches of golden radiance, lay a
about them as they walked up an
down the veranda.
They were two, man and woman
as befitted the waltz tune and tn
moonlight
1.-THE right kind of woman Away
appreciates proposal Of marriag
from any man as great compliment
Coming from you 1t is the much NOR
to be valued, but cannot marry you,
said the woman.
Turning In their walk, the woman
leaned back against one Of the pillar
| of the veranda, and the man seated
himself on the railing. He was takin,
his rejection with admirable GOODNESS
as the woman knew he would take it.
MAY l smoker he said politely.
The cOmmOnplaceness Of the request
struck the woman's vein of humor, and
1t was with little laugh that she gave
her consent. The man lit cigar, look
ed out toward the trees and the moon.
light and said
Rather a pretty waltz they are play
ing, isn't it?'
Then he puffed away at his cigar
refectivcly and continued:
IL have to thank you for having
listened to me SO patiently. Might l
trespass little more upon your good
nature and ask permission to discuss
the matter further with you"
His manner, as calm as though he
had been discussing some abstractly
ethical question, was very characteris-
tic. Perhaps the knowledge of this IT.
ritatsd the woman little, for she re-
Piled:
mo amount Of discussion can profit
either of us, so far as l can see. But,
as l have said, in asking me to mar
ry you great compliment was paid
me, and I'm return for that compliment
suppose that l owe you permission
to indulge your love for discussion or
argument"
Thanks for the permission" said
the man, still in his stolid manner.
II cannot recognize my proposal as,
in any sense. a compliment, but l am
willing that you should. If you wish,
take the manner In which | made 1t |
as a compliment. Recognizing the |
splendid development Of your own
logical faculties, | have made my offer
Of marriage in perfectly busnesslke
form. | have heard you often declare
hat a contract of marriage is like any
,ther contract and should be entered
ntO only when both parties are fully
Iware Of what they are doing"
do you think women are ever en-
irely consistent:" interrupted the
woman.
The man looked a trifle surprised
nd replied:
AT least, l give you credit for hav-
lg u splendidly consistent mind. You
o not mean that | have erred in my
lanner Of proposing. that you would
ave preferred more of all air of ro-
lance and all that sort of thing?"
"NOt at all." the woman FASTENED
, assure him. Perhaps one more
killed in woman nature would have
laced little credcnce in her words,
ressed never presumed TO doubt their
nth.
"Now. the situation is something like
lis" continued the man in very much )
Ie same tone of voice that he would
I've used In arguing an important
se before the supreme court. You
e twenty-nine-Or Is 1t thirty
'ars old, have reputation as
'auty. and all that. You can, know.
AIRY any one of two or three men
no can offer you at least as much as :
but modcsty was never a prevailing !
of mine. and | have not .
ared to measure myself with these II
her men. y
On the other hand. | can give you i
city much anything you desire that "
SITS money. stand well in my pro
'sion and have prospects of soon be- "
, near the top Of it. Altogether. | {!
satisfied that any one would call
a very suitable match all around"
Does the prosecution here close liz -
&C." inquired the woman. laughing u
little. l
i hardly care to regard the matter -
one OF prosecution and Defense" !"
d the man imperturbably, but il -
l wish to use the terms | am forced u
admit their applicability. VIII the
cnse rest its case on the testimony
omitted by the prosecution, or will y
elect to submit an argument Vi
The defense will submit an argu- w
mt" replied the woman. 81 admit VII
t the match would be. as you say, s''
nounced suitable by every one. AS en
the two or three other men whom ue
aver that can marry at any time, 40
nnnOt answer. | have noticed that lnS
number of my proposals has been gu
Ing off of late. and attributed the 'n'
to advancing age-yOu were right .n'
en- you said | was thirty. | may uo'
re the discussion by saying that ! VA
e made UP my mind to become an VA
maid" uol
Far be It from me to say anything
inst those estimable members of T.
ety-the old maids" said the man, tho
t l do not think you will ever be inf
Of them. l am firm in the belief nm,
every old maid is woman who ,yb
disappointed in love or who was hin
cold bloodedly selfish to ever mar An
Surely you do not come in either fire
ST. a,a,
TO-" said the woman ref1ectively, 81 ono
t say that do, and yet foil
Perhaps" said the man, and now vo,,
voice was very gentle, as though rep
'eared ne might here touch some
wound unwittingly. there Ia In