El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-09
CBy Eyvin Broholm.0

TOHAN LARSON was terribly bash
ful. and when after many delibera-
y lions he made up his mind to mar
~ he could think of no other way OF
nroposing than through an advertise
ment. Not because he did not kno"
several ladies whom he would have
liked to make Mrs. Larson. but his
bashfulness was SO strong that the
very idea that his friends might DIS
cover his intentions and laugh at MIN
made him SILVER
He was at that time 36 years oId'
quite good looking and of very gen
tie disposition. He was the owner OF
considerable real estate end at the
head of good business, and all ne
needed to make a happy home was
good wife.
But. try as he might, he found ii
impossible to write a suitable adNer-
tisement-
Il do not want an old wife" he said
to himself, but of course l cannot al
yertise that L want pretty youhs 3
girl-and pretty she must be. And as
for the rest. she must be refined. mu-
steal amiable and fond Of home life.
No. I cannot do it. If il was ever found
out that the advertisement was mine,
1 should be unhappy for the rest OF
my life"
For two days he hesitated, but at
last decided to ask the advice of
lady he knew, a young widow, VINO
had often sympathized with his lonely
life. 1t was strange that he, who was
so bashful, should turn to a woman
who would have been delighted to be-
come Mrs. Larsen, but strangely
enough he never thought of that Mrs.
Jensen was an old friend of his, whom
he had known from the time when she
was a little girl and he could think OF
no one else to help him out of this d.
lemma When she was only 10 she had
married a lieutenant in the navy VINO
died three months later She was now
% and very handsome woman.
She received him cordially and he
Immediately brought up the subject,
being afraid he would lose courage If
he put it off.
It want to ask your advice in a very
important matter l did not know any
body else whom I could talk to about
it. and I promise to follow your ad-
vice in everything, if you will help
me-"
The widow declared she would be
delighted to help him if she could.
The thing is this he began, I
have made up my mind to marry, and
as I know-as 1 know, that you"
AS 1 know@that you have more ex-
perience in these matters, and are so
good, so kind
yes" she whispered and moved
closer to him. And
And so disinterested
''She sent him glance full Of re-
preach.
so I thought 1 would ask your ad-
vice in regard to the woman 1 should
marry
Mrs Jensen stared at him all con-
fused Did he not want to propose to
her then?
And who is the lady" she asked
rather frigidly.
We'll you see-I don't really know"
you don't knowi"
NO he said quickly" I am afraid
It will cause a lot of gossip when
bachelor of my age marries, and /
would like to avoid that.
Larsen firmly believed he'was too old
to marry The widow did not share his
opinion and said so quite plainly.
But all my friends think so.'' he OBJ
jected. They would make fun Of me,
and that is why 1 have decided to ad-
vertse for a wife"
The widow was dumbfounded.
And what do you want me to %"
Help me to write the advertisement.
if you will be so kind.
Mrs. Jensen was greatly disappoint-
ed. She had done her best to capture
this man and the only impression she
had made was one which made him
look upon her as a sister, whose ad-
vice he wanted to ask. Now he want
ed her to tell him whom he ought to
marry, She had a very distinct opin-
ion on that subject, but of course it
would never do to say what she
thought. She must use strategy.