Evening journal., 1909-12-21
s'proposaIsC Chat
Make You Smile

WW@ HE poet Gay was IN his most
inspired mood when he wrote
"In love we are all fools alike" ."
n and this folly-happy folly. IL
you iike-probably manifests itself in
It's most varied forms when n man
reaches the crucial stage of his wooing
and invites the object OF his alteration
to be his wife. In the romantic days
Of patches and powder there were a
stateliness and a dignity about the pro-
posal to which the modern lover is a
stranger. Charles Grandison's speech,
in which he lays his hand heart and
fortune on the shrine Of beauty, runs
through nine closely written pages in
this exalted strain:
Il must fatter myself with the honor
OF Miss Byron's whole heart, as well
as the appreciation Of all her friends.
! cannot be thought at present 70 de-
serve Il. but IL win be the endeavor Of
my lifo to do So"
Rochester when proposing 20 Jane IN
''Jane Eyre" was more in touch with
our own times when he blurted out his
declaration in these uncomplimentary
words: "You plain. you almost un-
earthly thing. I love you'll"
The Romantic Lover.
In fiction the romantic lover takes a
maiden's slender form TO his breast
and as the western sun sinks into the
empyrean murmurs. Death alone
shall part us" The dignihod wooer
bends toward the blushing maid. prints
o grave kiss on her brow and whispers,
Promise me. darling. that you will
weep nowhere but on my shoulder"
You have read In some Laura Jean
Libbeyish novel perhaps Of the hero
who with a gesture of passionate love
draws the little head 10 his shoulder,
where Il nestles softly. and as a pair
OF soft arms steal around his neck he
hnds voice TO whisper Cin fiction they
all either whisper or murmur), my
own darling, you will love mo?" Her
answer is a long. gentle kiss
n r. to be feared that few OF the pro-
posaIs IN real life touch the same lofty
heights OF sentiment and romance as
those Of fiction. though they have more
variety and certainly more humor
Here are some historic instances Of
how famous EnRlishmen proposed.
Rowland Hil could think of nothing
better when he wished to win Miss
Tudway's consent TO be his wife than
70 ask he- TO accept a "poor worm" FOR
her husband Swift's letter Of pro-
posal was very amusing In fact. Il
was a catalogue OF questions asking
the lady whether she could keep house
on f300 a year. whether she would en-
tertain him and comply with his de-
eires and way of living" and so on,
and he particularly stipulates that she
shall be olean-in her personal habits
The great DIR. Samuel Johnson as a
lover Is hardly less amusing, for. Il
seems. he prefaced his proposal by in
forming the lady Of his heart that one
Of his uncles had been hanged An
other famous man wrote TO the lady
who had won his favor. Il am much
too busy to have tins for lovemaking.
but ! should like to marry you and
shall be glad to learn your decision be-
fore the enc OF the week
Expsdients Of Diffident Lovers.
The oxpedients to which dimdent
lovers are reduced are both ridiculous
and pathetic. One bastful swain who
for months had struggled vainly TO
give voice TO his passion found his
problem happily solved for him one day
by the domestic cat. After sitting for
an unccnscionable time by his ladylove
as she knitted stockings. with cat
purring al her feet, a happy inspira-
tion seized him Taking the cat On his
knee he said, PUSSY. ask Lizzie n
she'll marry me-" To his delight the
answer came promptly Pussy you
can tell Jamie that tn TAX him" And
pussy had never even said meow"