Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-02-12


TO you. but"
80 it's a throwdown, eh?" asked
the young man with the rosebud in
his buttonhole
YES" she admitted, frowning "If
you want to talk about It that way,
suppose it is"
"Al 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 a 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 1000 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?"
She tapped her little foot upon the
carpet, but answered him not
"And you, maGam!" he cried. wig.
CLING his index finger at her. What
guarantee have you that you would
not be one Of the 65,000?"
She shifted the air but that was all
Madam" he continued Are you
aware that when woman has
reached the age of 20 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 of the girl next door or the girl
across the street,"
twenty-five, eh?" she asked.
Eyes, '25!'" he said, eyeing her
sternly.
twenty-five, eh?" she sniffed.
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
"And you, madam! What right
have you to suppose that you are an
exception to the rule?"
She tried to pass 1t 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 declaimed. 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-
claimed. Gould you make oath that
you will ever receive another proposal
of marriage?"
He Strengthened himself with an
abrupt motion and shot his cuffs
again.
"Do you know" he demanded, chat
there are more than 100000 old
maids in these United States and that
the number is increasing every day?
All, think of them! Think Of them
with pity"
He leaned forward again impress
sively, almost tenderly.
What girl knows" he whispered.
"but that she win be one Of these
millions? Do you?"
Was it tear that glistened in her
eyer"
''Do you know" he continued with
a gentle mourfulness, that the num-
ber of old ladies' homes is increasing
in geometrical progression? That
every day, every hour, lonely spinsters
are obliged to seek the refuge offered
by these fast-growing institutions?"
He sat down beside her.
"Mary," he whispered, "are you
aware that the average adult males
income is less than nine dollars a
week-that l am getting $40. Don't
cry, little girl! It's all right. I'm
have you"
And when mother, wondering at
the silence, looked in a few minutes
later he was measuring her for the
ring in a lordly sort of way.
Mo Entrance Thara