The Mena weekly star., 1907-05-02
4 ADOUBLE THREAD

"ghetIand floss, the sirl IepiIeu, ..d,ng her pretty head to unite a ,snt wait; you have to hold two sreins-the pink and the white. un. ,nd from both at once. This shawl
 o,, limited with double thread. There, Now you may talk if you like"
 Madeline.
 she wound her ball.
 aand of course, I always come to my Athene when I need advice"
 "Your-?
 sAtbene. the goddess of truth and a,vine wisdom. Same as Minerva, you know
 4Ob. yes, heard of her once, l be- lieye--and also of George Washington If was your possessive pronoun was questioning.
 "Ohl Well, I'm not going to change that-not if can help it. In fact r." "Be careful, please Keep the skein taut: that's right. It's quite an art, holding yarn properly, you see. One mustn't let ones mind wander"
 ..Madeline, see here; Is it a fact that every girl. no matter how unattractive she may be, gets at least one proposal Inf marriage, and that most girls have more than one?'
 More than one. We'll, rather! Why, fin my own experience" !. "Yes? In your own experience?"
 Well, not to be personal, I've known girls, and they were nothing un. usual. either, who could come very near recording fresh proposal in their diaries every night of the week. Of course, they weren't all ffrst-time proposals. That's counting the men who were asking the second or third time, say
 Second or third! Do you mean to say any man would have the nerve to do that?"
 She laughed gayly. "They dol"
 T read a book last week, and there was chapter on How to Propose By man, wasn't it?'
 Yes"
 q thought likely. Any high school girl could give you more useful points than the wisest man in the world, when 1t comes to that subject. In the first place, the vital question, if you really want the girl, isn't how to pro. pose, at all It's how to take your re fnsal"
 What do you mean?"
 q mean that you can almost always win her on the second or third asking, provided your department has been correct at the time of the first rejec. tion"
 Well, she'll get no second or third asking from mel"
 Madeline went on winding.
 At least, I don't think she would It would be too serious matter wlth me"
 Madeline wound and wound.
 See here, Madeline, do you think fellow ought to count definitely on being refused once or twice before she says 'Yes?"
 "It's safe" she answered, demure. ly. Often girl doesn't know she loves man until she has refused him twice. But if he doesn't get her the second or third time, it's thanks to his own bungling."
 Well, this man in the book said il was selfish to wound a girls tender heart by making her say no more than once"
 "oh, don't doubt 1t! I know just how his ideal proposal would go. IL would be Remember, dear one, it is my philosophy to believe that we al. ways get what is best for us in life; so, if you don't love me, I shall be quite content At the same time. if you do care for me, I shall be glad to marry you knew one man of that type myself, and his proposal came very near precipitating me into the arms of another man. Careful! Hold the yarn up. What was I say. ing? Oh, yes. this other man dropped his face into his hands and let tear trickle through his fingers when told him No That was the other ex. treme, of course But, coming right after this cold-blooded, philosophical proposal, I almost-Therel You've done that again. Keep the skein taut, please"
 Henderson eyed her gloomily for . While, as she gave her whole atten. uon tn winding.
 don't care," he said at last. "A girl has an unfair advantage Here a fellow comes along with his heart Tn ms throat, dead in earnest, never dreaming of loving any other girl never tried proposing to any one. He doesn't think of 1t as fine art--it's He and death to him--and there she SIS, comparing him with long line ot predecessors, calmly classifying nm, deciding which of her plans of treatment will suit his case. l don't Ike 1t; it isn't fair!"
 But you forget" Madeline lowered her lace to the skein and began un twisting, or twisting, some threads you forget that. if the time should ever come when she wanted to say yes, 1t would be first experience TOT her, too" Her voice faltered.
 Let me see that tangle." Tender son put his face close to the skein.
 Then he whispered: T didn't mean U when l said I'd never ask a second