The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-16
A WOMAN s PROPOSAL
BY MARION MAY HOLT.
Copyright, 1909, by American Press Asse-
ciafjop

/
of ever inheriting the throne. Those
who are born at the wrong end of
royal family are not in an enviable po-
sition. The princess must needs keep
up all the customs of regal estate With
| out ever coming to a regal Inheritance.
| Her brother. the heir apparent, was be-
trothed 10 girl he had never seen.
| he would be king The princess was
expected to marry one Of royal blood
| without hope that she would ever be a
| queen.
| The matter did not especially trouble
her till she took it into her head to fall
in love with her tutor. His father was
a count. and the son would succeed to
the title and estates. but he was no
match for kings daughter. No SOON
err did the princess discover that she
| wanted the handsome and intellectual
young man than the injustice of her
position occurred to her. She went to
! her father. the king, whose pet she
was. threw her arms around his neck
and begged to be allowed to marry the
tutor. The king. who could refuse her
nothing. at last consented and told her
she might send her sutton to him.
But he is not my suitor," said the
princess.
Certainly not replied the king. sit
is you who have proposed to him."
But have not proposed to him."
well. then. if you intend to marry
him you had best do So"
The objections having been removed.
the princess bethought herself of the
proposal. However will do it 2" she
said to herself i've read stories of
men who have shrank from proposing
TO the girls they loved. and never
had any patience with them. | must
be brave
70 make matters worse. both be
cause OF naidenly modesty and that
she had not supposed she would be
permitted 70 marry the man of her
choice. she had never given him the
slightest iniimation Ina, she loved
him. She must assure him of this and
follow it UP with y proposition. ~
shall intimate to him.. she said. (which
way the wind blows. and if he fails to
see it can't help it."
Having vainIy tried for Il month to
make up her mind to the task she at
last resolved to do so after her daily
lesson on a certain morning. So. the
exercises being finished. when the tu-
tor arose to go she said to him:
please don't hurry today. | have
n something to say to YOU
/ He resumed his seat and looked at
), her inDuirinSly. There was not much
encouragement in his reception of the
: announcement
You told me Yesterday" she said.
that it was the turning Of the earth
on it's axis that caused the trade winds
to blow in one diagonal direction in
the northern hemisphere and in an op.
4 posite direction in the southern hemi
sphere. We are in the northern bemi
sphere. where the winds blow east.
believe that's right Now. if we were
in the southern hemisphere they wouC
blow west. wouldn't they"
n quite right
well. what would like to know I!
if everything in the southern hemi
sphere is transposed? DO the mel
and women down there stand in a re
versed relationships"
Astonished at the irrelevance of tn
4 question. he looked at her in silence
for time. then said:"l am not awar
of any such transposition. The on!.
countries lying south Of the equato
are Oceanira. Africa and South Amer
lea. and in none Of these have we aD
Il such condition.
She looked at the ceiling. then at th
floor. then out of the window. II
waited for her to proceed.
:, Il didn't know" she finally conti,
ued. "bul that you. being very Smar
& man. would catch my meaning
Still more COMPOUNDED. he scrutinize
. her face for a clew. Begging YOU
royal highness' pardon. he said "
: fail to see any connection whateve
I between your question and anythin
! that pertains to a single organic, ino
: ganic or spiritual condition.
J IL suppose she said in Il dishear
:? pned tone that | shall have t" as
4 you leading question. You are a
I ways asking me leading questions. 20
! know
I pray do So
! lat the pole she paused.
I well. at the poles"'
! (which way does the wind blow?"
: The young man knit his brow. pulle
J his mustache. crossed and recrnsse
( his legs. then said:
! Theoretically there should he
Z dead calm at the pOles.'
! The girl turned away impatiently.
I II see." said her tutor. you did n
! intend to ask the question scientifi
7 ally"
mo: i did not"
I II dare say am very stupid. ~
! not been used to associate much wi
I the members of your sex. Your la
guage is too subtle for me-"
Perhaps said the princess. risin
: ''the day may come when you will u
: derstand what have said to you"