The San Francisco call., 1905-01-27
HER
CRITICISM.
BY james TroutmdD.
- DO not like it." declared MISS
Converse positively.

is awfully clever
mo nice girl" said Miss Converse
oracularly, would ever lead a man to
propose"
This is your third season, isn't it"
asked Darrow.
"It is not polite to remind me that
am growing to be wall flower" child
ed the girl.
You are not" declared Darrow
promptly. IF wanted to be slangy 1
could say that you were daisy"
There are times" said Miss Con-
verse, when even slang is excusable."
Then consider it said." he answered
with a bow. But to get on. You've
been out three seasons, and you say a
woman never leads a man to propose.
''I said no nice woman" corrected
Miss Converse.
How about Barton and Nellie Rice"
he urged.
"She didn't" defended Miss Converse.
'She told me all about it. He said he
wished he had wife to make him as
comfortable as Mrs. Rice made Nells
father"
And then what?" exulted Darrow.
"She merely said he never would get
married until he had courage to ask
for what he wanted" completed Miss
Converse.
Considering that he'd been dragging
about after her ever since she came
home from school, 1 guess she could
imagine whom he would ask for,
couldn't she?" crowed Darrow.
'I don't call that urging" protested
Miss Converse.
"She was doing the best she could"
proclaimed Darrow. "She frightened
him into proposing"
"I don't see how you make that out"
IF he didn't ask her then he was
afraid she would think he was a cow
ard
ANY man who has not the courage
to propose does not deserve to be mar
ried,'' she asserted.
That's not fair" he cried. I know
lots of good fellows who simply can't
think what to say"
Fine fellows they must be-" she
laughed. Fancy man, a big strong
man. being afraid Of weak woman.
Say" he began confidently, do you
know that when a man loves a girl she
looks bigger than the side of house
sometimes?"
II hope nobody loves me them" she
said sharply. "A man cannot love
woman when he applies such simile
to her."
That's all you know about it," he
declared sagely.
ANY. man can propose, and propose
nicely If he really wants a girl" she
insisted.
"I couldn't" he said discouragedly
Not even with the aid of Ready
Letter Writer and Guide to Court
ship"
Nonsense" she dissented. I'm
sure you could make pretty speech.
Try it."
'I can't think of a thing" he COM
planned after a moments silence.
Won't you give a fellow a start?"
How is this?" she asked. MY
dear Miss Smith,
Converse" he corrected.
'T said Smith," she insisted.
"It don't sound natural with Smith"
he complained, make it my dear Miss
Converse. What's next?"
You only wanted a start" she in
sisted.
That's only the address," he plead
ed. "Give a fellow a bigger boost
than that"
We'll" she began, you might saw.
Surely you cannot have failed to have
noticed'-now go ahead!'
From the beginning he asked.
Certainly, go ahead" she said i'm
/ patiently.
my dear Miss Converse" he began
rapidly surely you cannot have failed
to have noticed that 1 love you and
want you for my wife. How''s that?"
TOO abrupt" she complained.
Lets hear you 60 BETTER" he
! jeered.
Surely you canot have failed to
notice that you have inspired in me
feeling beside which all other senti-
ments fade into nothingness."
"Geel / wish 1 could do it that
way" interjected Darrow admiringly.
For a long time but one hope has
filled my mind; the hope that one. day
I might be so fortunate as to inspire
similar feeling within your breast.
feel that 1 cannot wait longer for the
answer to a question which will either
fill the whole world with perfect
/ radiance or plunge me into the deep
est despair. I love you. Will you not
say that may hope some day to lead
to the altar the sweetest little woman
! In all the world? Nowi"
i She turned toward him triumphant
! ly to meet his admiring gaze.
Say" he said wonderingly, i've
J been trying to tell you something like
that for about three years. Will you,
| dear?"
1t was some time later that he said
good night.
DO you think, Nell" he whispered
teasingly. that the girl in the book
wasn't so bad after all?"
George Darrow." she .stormed. ''if
you ever dare say that I helped you
propose, I'll"
He stopped the threat with a kiss.
II don't care who did It," he said
tenderly, so long as I've won you.''
Copyright, 1905, by T. c.. McClure.)
L