The daily Alaskan., 1909-05-11
BGgiiRiDgat t18B8giAning
lcOpyrIght, i90J, by American Press AsaO-

. Copyright, lgUy by American Press Asso-
 oiltiOu.l
 "I nm practical chap and believe in marriages made on common sense principles. What does q man want to go and get intoxicated on love potions for and then settle the most important matter in his liIc|'
 This was my reply to Eggesion . when he got off lot of fOldcrOl about love and sentiment and all that. lad init was interested, for l was medi- tntlng a proposal myself. l felt very sure Lydia would have me. Why shouldn't she? ! was q pussahle fel' low; some property Of my own; doing well In business; fairly educated and of good social position. That's the view expected Lydia to take of me and a union with me, not whether she would decline me on the ground that l | didn't get muuGlm over her or she over me. The question was, Having fairly good offer with chance to set tie down into matrimonial life, was she to accept it or run the risk of not getting another as acceptable! 50 went to her and said:
 Miss BrlnsIey, I'm going to make you a proposition-nOmcly that we pass our lives together as man and wife till death do us part"
 She looked at me out of pair or stccly eyes for q few moments and said:
 "EIow about divorce:"
 I've noticed that, no matter how composcdly a man makes up his mind to deal with Il woman, she straight way sets about to discompose him.
 "Thc more common sense we put into marriage the less likelihood thcrc'l be of q divorce l said.
 "It Is the only part of marriage in which there is likelihood. Death is certain. Divorce is possible, sometimes probable. It is a contingency that should be provided for"
 "It seems ro me that the first Qucs- ton to be settled is whether you are prepared to enter upon mutrimony with mc. After that we can take mp the provisions, !f there are any"
 "Thara just like a .man-always get ting the cart before the horse. It seems to me that the provisions should be settled first The marriage is mere ly possible conclusion to them"
 Good cruciousw I exclaimed under my breath. I waS not prepared 10 hcnr woman speak of proposition of marriage as categorical sylloCiSm.
 Suppose" I said, "that we leave di- yorcc till the last of the provisions or, rather. contingencies and begin with something of more immediate con ! ccrn."
 "Wcu, what's your iUcomc' Again wincrd, not so much at the question as at her cold bloodCd manner of asking it. However I considered it am cmincnIy proper one to ask and responded frankly:
 "I have from Investments S5,jOO."
 Real estate bonds, stocks or what" This was getting irritating, I was becoming ilustcrcd.
 After all, wus right in the first place." said a hit sharply. You ex- ,, Dcct me Co lay bare all my affairs to won when you haven't given me the slightest inumulion that if they are ' satisfactory you will accept me for n husband"
 "I was not uwarc,' she replied jelly, "thut expected anything. thought | that you were jhc rXpcrtant person. O heavens. Worse and worse. sat feeling and doubtless looking like d fool. took out my handkerchief and wiped my lipS-thcy didn't need wip- ing-thcn dusicd some spccks on my coat collar, then crossed one leg over the other and said nothing. Neither did Lydia.
 "I think" l said presently that l ud better
 Begin an oycr?'
 A desire to get even with her by saying something smart took possess sion of me. When man tries to beat woman by saying something smart he always gets deeper in the mud
 "Or drop the subject l said, with some huutcur.
 You haven't taken it up yet was her impurluTbaDlr reply.
 What did she mean by this, l won Lcrcd. Haven't taken it up! I thought I'd very much taken it up.
 "PcrhupS you haven't undcrstood,' 1 said. what I've been talking about" "I dare say l hayenL'
 Didn't 1 make myself plain|
 That depends upon what you had to say"
 was getting more miltcd every mo- mcnt. looked ominously at the door, but it didn't seem to frightcn her. rose. That didn't frightcn her either. "On rcncction," l said, "I think my powers of stating things may be bet ter adapted to some other intellect"
 Male or fcmale|
 This broke me up completely. stood stupidly looking down at my tOes
 "Why don't you go and explain it to
 T,t n n1