Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-07-24
THE
PROPOSAL

AlahAue hAnut up my AutHd " H. 4
was as enthusiastic as my friends
said had been SLOW before. II my
deliberation had been characteristic,
my ardor, once it was aroused, was no
less natural. assure you. for the Bid
dies, mother says. have always been a
cautious race. but steadfast and de-
voted when once they have espoused
a cause.
And 1t is but hereditary. 1 suppose,
that never to this day have seen
anything remarkable in the fact that
it took me ten years to make up my
mind to propose to SalIys
It did not take me ten years to
know that Sally was pretty, and good.
and charming; but it did take me ten
years to be sure that l wanted to
marry her-that I admit
But what is there amusing in that?
Heavensi Has not a man right TO
pause and consider so important a
matter as getting married? And
what right have people to link ones
name with another's prematurely?
Isn't 1t dreadful?
Now, haven't told a soul before
not living soul-and II l open my
lips now it's because l am tired of
hearing people litter when l ap-
proach. and because think it's about
time that some one knew the truth
of the whole matter. l hope am
man enough-Down, Mimi. down.
l will put her out if she annoys you-
Naughty! Naughty! Mimi. lie down!
There!
Well, as was saying. l had made
up my mind, and l went to see Sally
l was full Of the subject. Never had
felt so much of a man before.
was. don't you know, lifted up.
was nervous. of course All men ara
at such times. suppose. and don't
know how managed to get into the
house. l think | did remember tc
ring. oh, I'm sure rang, OF course
did But what mean is, that j
was in such state, don't you know,
that | was quite unstrung.
Well, Sally came down, as pretty
and darling as ever, and with afose
in her hair. She wore her grayScrepe
de chine-you know, the ca she
made for Mrs. Gales recepti-a. with
the Venetian lace. had Ee ar seen
her look better-neverl ind that
very fact disconnected me Still
when ! make up my mind to any.
thing, you know, nothing daunts ms
nothing, 1t is not my way to let
anything interfere. So, after the
usual salutations. l said to her:
Sally, have something very inn
portant to say to you"
And / said this to her. mind. in
such way that l supposed she might
guess the nature of my intended con-
fidence, not so much by the words
themselves, as by the-by the mel
lowness with which I-dont you
know. For-would you believe it?-
she did not dream OF what meant,
She only laughed and said:
"Ohl l know: you've co.1e to tell
me about Minis puppies. Elaine
told me yesterday. Aren't you going
to give me one Of them? l think you
might
Fancy! Fancy my feelings, Here
/ had come to her on wings of fre.-
to offer my heart and hand. | was
stunned. / did not know how to pro-
ceed. But l said:
"Oh. mo- 1t wasn't that came to
tell you; though, of course, you shall
have one if you like. 1t was to tell
you
And right then a bright idea came
to me-to turn defeat into victory
1t was to tell you. Sally" said.
that you might have all of them
all seyen-and Mimi, too.
wish you wouldn't laugh at me.
How else could put it-after what
she had said to me? / thought it
rather clever Of me-rather neat. you
know-to turn the phrase into what
one might call Its larger sense, and so
seize victory from defeat. But even
then she did not understand. She
burst out laughing.
oh, should like one, she said;
"but what would / do with all seven,
and Mimi?"
And she went on laughing at the
notion until l was quite-oh, quite
discounted, you know.
Sally" l said, you persist in mis-
constituting my-my intentions.
why. she replied. Il thought you
offered me all seven. and Mimi
$50 l did. Sally, in a way, / said
oh she said. then It was an
Indian gift. was it?"
An Indian gift?" repeated, per-
picked.
Yes; q gift with a string to it.
And what is the string. Freddie? Do
tell me. want to know!7
Well-would you believe it?-right
then an idea struck me- Another
ideal / suppose it was love that put
so many new ideas into my head.
oh. it must have been love. So
said:
Yes. there is string to my gift,
Sally; l am the string.7
~Youl" she repeated.
I'll" l said.
~The string?r said Sally.
~The strlng2" said /. And then
passionately: ~oh. Sally Don't you
comprehend me? Don't you? Have
you never heard the old. old saying:
Love me, love my dog?'"
She was pink all over, and would
have taken her in my arms-I really
would-had she not said to me:
We'll, have already told you,
Freddie, that I might take one OF the
puppies, but not all Of you."
She did. She used those very
words to me. and i was-oh, / was
crushed. don't you know. But l rose