The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-02-14
A New Way to Propose.

fOriginal.1


came for him to 60 10 Louise .AiliDson's
father to ask for her hand he d!slain-
ed to put the case in the ordinary way
viz. Il love your daughter aId Will
do my best to make her happy lie
had q way OF his own Of making his
proposition
Entering the library, he found Mr.
AllinsOn with his evening paper, SmOk-
ing. There was some of the trepida-
ton usual to such situations in the
young mans breast, but he did not
show it. On the contrary, he assumed
a very careless manner. He was little
known to the man to whom he made
his application, though he had been for
some time devoted to his daughter
This is not strange. Even couple
counting really know little Of each 9th
er, for they invariably assume to be
what they are not and seldom disabuse
each other till after they are married
and come down from acting parts to
life's real drama. Meanwhile their
been intimate, know less Of their pro-
spective son and daughter in law than
the couple know of each other.
Without giving Mr.. Atkinson even an
opportunity to speak a civil word by
way Of welcome Mason began to state
his case.
II have come, SIR" he said, "to tell
hof RI
has set her heart on me. 1t does not
matter that 1 may be unworthy OF her
or that l cannot, at Least not now,
maintain her in the style to which she
has been accustomed. know that she
has always been given what she has
wanted. She wants me, and | don't
doubt that you will not refuse her. 1
have the honor to ask that you will
give me to her"
Mr.. Atkinson when the young man
began laid down his paper, took his
cigar from between his lips and sat
| with it between his first and second
! fingers. There was no readable express
sion on his face. Indeed, it was i'm
penetrable. 1t was some time after
moved; then he resumed his cigar,
gave few deliberate puffs and, again
lowering it, said:
"You are quite right in assuming
that my daughter has always been
! given what she has desired. No other
course has been possible. From her
earliest childhood she has dominated
4 Of hor fa mil Inv wi
which would get anything she wished
out Of brazen image. 1t doesn't mat
ter that you can't afford to give her
luxuries. She will have them so long
as you have a cent left. Then after
she has exhausted your resources she
will doubtless come back upon me.
Her marriage with you. however. will
day that you are married propose to
take her mother abroad, and we shall
fix our residence in some corner Of the
globe where your wife will not be able
to find us. This is the happiest day
have known since the little curmud-
geon was born. How soon can you ar
range to be marriedT'
|
catalogue of terrors young Mason look
ed for some indication that he was
speaking in jest But there was not
; the slightest evidence of anything OF
the kind-nO twinkle in the eye, no
curve of the lips. And when he had
finished he breathed a sigh, as if hav.
ing shifted a great burden.
do you really mean that Louise
is
II am not so diShOnOrable as to per
NIT young man just starting in life
to put his neck in yoke without in
forming him Of the facts. Louise is
capable, attractive, and there is moth
ing mean about her. But you must be
, prepared when you marry her to give
up the last vestige Of independence
She will rule you as she has ruled me-
with a rod Of iron"
"She has never shown
"No. she has not shown her defect t.
you. AS you say, she wants you. She
will have you. She has the sense not
to give you a foretaste Of what is tC
come. But should one Of her cyclones
get the better of her discretion thai
would make no difference in the end
She has set her heart on having you
and nothing can save you from her."
Really twitching nervously, "thi:
is astonishing"
"Let me know" added the prospec
tive father-in-law, taking up his paper