Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-02-10
HE KNEW
HIS FACTS

] John" she said, 81 will be a sister
to you, but"
$50 it's a throwdown, eh?" asked
the young man with the rosebud in
his buttonhole.
YES" she admitted, frowning. eff
+ you want to talk about it that way,
suppose it isl
"All right" he said, don't get
warm. Wait bit"
He arose to his feet and consulted
a slip of paper which he took from
his pocket. Immediately thereafter
he threw his shoulders back, shot
! his cuffs and made comprehensive
gesture.
Madam" said he, "are you aware
that according to the last government
census there was, in the state of
New York, an excess of $4,000 fe-
males? Do you know that if every
single male was married tomorrow
there would be $4,000 females left
over? Were you aware of this?"
carpet, but answered him not.
"And you, madam!" he cried, wig
Cling his index finger at her, what
guarantee have you that you would
not be one Of the 65,000?"
II She shifted the air, but that was all.
"Madam!" he continued. care you
aware that when a woman has
reached the age of Is her chances of
matrimony grow less and less each
year until they disappear altogether?
Did you know this?'
He pointed his finger at her again.
"And you, madam!" he cried.
what ground have you for supposing
that your chances are better than
those o. the girl next door or the girl
across the street?"
twenty-five, eh?" she asked.
Eyes, '25!'" he said, cycling her
sternly
Twenty-Five, eh?" she shifted
With an impatient movement he re-
turned to his oratorical manner.
do you know" said he, that on
account of the unprecedented rise in
rents, food and clothing, the number
of marriages is falling off daily? That
every day woman's chance of mat
rimony grows distinctly less, to say
nothing of the decrease in her chances
on account of the increase in her age?
Have you been advised of this?"
He pointed his inexorable finger at
$ her and cried
cd hot {rLf
have you to suppose that you are an
exception to the ruler"
She tried to pass it off with a
laugh, but nevertheless she batted
her eyes in a thoughtful manner
DO you regard an honorable pro-
posal OF marriage as an everyday oc-
: currence?" he detained. DO you
know that there are thousands of old
. maids in this broad land to-day, lonely
and in despair, each of whom would
give ten years of her life to recall
: her light refusal of the first and only
proposal she ever received?"
He folded his hands behind him
and leaned forward impressively.
: "And you!" he solemnly ex-
5 claimed. Gould you make oath that
a you will ever receive another proposal
of marriage?"
He Strengthened himself with an
abrupt motion and shot his cuffs
I again.
t DO you know" he demanded, chat
+ there are more than 100000 old
q maids in these United States and that
the number is increasing every day!
Az, think of them! Think of them
L with pity"
He leaned forward again impress
sively. almost tender'y.
What girl knows" he whispered
but that she will be one of these
: millions? Do your"
. Was it tear that glistened in he,
eyer"
DO you know" he continued witt
gentle mourfulness, that the mum
6 Der of old ladies' homes is increasing
in geometrical progression? Tha
/ every day, every hour. lonely spinsters
d are obliged to seek the refuge Offered
l. by these fast-growing institutions"
He sat down beside her
MARY" he whispered, "are yo,
aware that the Average adult male.
income is less than nine dollars ;
IA week-that l am getting $40 Don
% cry, little girl! It's all right. III
.'s have YOU
St And when mother, wondering a
IS the silence. looked in a few minutes
De later he was measuring her for thu
o. ring in lordly sort of way.