Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-02-27

w HAAA NASN 0LNCNS lIVI
ment against fate by wearing soiled XII
monos and sloppy slippers and quar-
reling over trifies and spending his
money recklessly. Besides, I don't see.
from the matrimonial records and the
divorce records. that men have made
such a success in picking out life part
ners that they should want to keep on
doing it. Women could dc it much
more scientifically"
Maybe they could" assented the
Mere Man ironically. but that doesn't
make us yearn to turn over all our fun
TO them. A chap wants he pleasure
of choosing his own wife and nnin
his own courtship and doing his own
love-making. just as a small boy wants
the privilege of choosing his toys and
running his own steam engine and
winding his w top. It's a masculine
trait to want to do things yourself and
a feminine one to want them done for
you.''
But it's awfully hard" sighed the
Bachelor Girl, Ito sit by and see a thing
all bungled up and stopped over and
spoiled and -
"What?"
TO watch a proposal" continued tn.
Bachelor Girl, being blurted out and
squirmed through and twisted out of
shape and turned into a farce, when
you could have managed it like a
Broadway production of Romeo and
juliet. Success in anything, even mat
rimony, depends Il whole lot on how
you begin it: and when a man begins
by getting so excited and frightened
that ne forgets what he wanted to say
and goes off and telephones it to you,
or writes 1t and sends it special deliv-
cry. it takes all the tang out of every
thing.
"There aren't any real proposals any
more. When a man wants to marry Il
girl nowadays he just casually mentiona
to her that he needs somebody to darn
his- socks and make his coffee and keep
his shirts In order; or else he begins by
railing at the laundries and berating
the boarding houses, and gradually
works round to a description of the new
mission furniture he expects to buy and
of the way he'd fit up a fiat IL she'd
come and live in it; or he may noncha-
lantly inquire whether she likes her steak
rare or we'll done. and follow it up by an
exclamation of delight at their mutual
tastes in meat and vegetables and the
suggestion that they might always give
Ithelr dinner orders together. And when
it's all over and she finds herself married
she has forgotten how 1T happened and
has nothing to remind her of her court
~ship-but the ring and the wedding GER
~tiflcate. But IL women could do the pro-
posing they wouldn't rush into 1t or STUN
BILE into 1T or slide into 1t, as If 1t were a
lunch room or q duty or an afternoon tea.
Wed walt for a proper background and a
full moon and slow music: and then we'd
lead you off to a secluded corner or a con-
versatory or the park, or-why, 1 do be-
lteve. were there already" exclaimed the
Bachelor Girl. i~nterrupting herself as she
turned with a little skip of delight from
the avenue into the sn~ow-covered path
beneath the trees.
we are" acknowledged the Mere Man.
with real fright in his eyes. but you.
didn't finish" he added hastily. what
would you do when you got US into q
tight corner or a propository or a lonely
park?"-
That's what I brought you here for"
answered the Bachelor Girl quickly.
Shall I show you'--
Hold" cried the Mere Man, flinging up
his hands impcratlvely. What have you
to offer me, madam"
"What?"
which l have been accustomed?"
ME-"
"Will you guard me tenderly from all
cares and troubles and make my life a
path OF roses and pay my tailor's bills
and keep me in cigarets and smoking to-
bacco?"
What are you talking abQut?'
Twill you settle my bridge debts n
my club dues and furnish me with fancy
neckties and decollete waistcoats and
monogrammed shirts. and TAX m travel
ing on the choo-choo cars, and tin my
valet and
do you mean to say
II mean to say that a proposal is an
oner. What have you got to offer?" And
the Mere Man folded hE arms and faced
the Bachelor Girl c~hallengingly.
But the Bachelor Girl walked on in dead
silence.
Il thought So" remarked the Mere Man,
trying to peep over the mum she held
up to her cheek. Its the chan who is
going to foot the bill who usually gives
the invitation to dinner or the theater-
or matrimony," he added laconically.
"Oh we'll" The Bachelor Girl slipped
her muf down from her scarlet cheek
and tucked her fingers cozily inside 1t.
"Tn let you 10 your own proposing,
then" she pouted.
"Thank you,' returned the Mere Man
politely. II was just going to. This is
such a lovely background, and there's the
slow music OF a hurdy-gurdy in the dis
tance, and I've got you of in a lonely
corner''-
do go on." urged the Bachelor Girl
enthusiastically. ~ never in my life felt
SO much like
you?" exclaimed the Mere Man
joyOusly. trying to catch her fingers
through the mum.
lor Girl ~haughtily. stepping to the other
side Of the path.
The Rhyme Of Life.
II life be az 3 flame that death doth kill.
Burn, little candle. lit for me,
With 9 pure fame. that I may rightly
To word my song. and utterly
Gods plan fulfill.
Forbid. the cunning frost that slave
With Judas kiss, and trusting love he,