The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-07-28
to friendship. would call

| Dot oh tui lug " NY GOOm duQ tuA
ing down my books | found myself
going over in my mind the topics we
had discussed rather than those was
to be called to recite upon the next
day. or, rather, l would be thinking of
Miss Whitney herself She would
thrust herself between me and my
studies IN an aggravating but at the
same time pleasing way.
However. was assigned a part at
commencement and acquitted myself
fairly well. Meanwhile l had discov-
cred that l wished Leona Whitney to
be my companion through that career
upon which was about to enter. I'm
mediately before leaving college
made her proposition Of marriage
had certain dread since was 80 ju-
venile and she SO mature Of facing her
and breaking over the line that had
thus far separated u.s. So wrote her
note in which in very few words
l asked her to be my wife.
l left college couple of days later.
and before having received an answer
l left my address with the registrar
80 that any letters coming for me
might be forwarded Every day after
my return home l looked eagerly for
some word from Miss Whitney. None
came.
With all the sensitiveness of a
youngster who had offered himself to
n woman considerably older than him.
self. and one. too. who was not with
out offers from mature men. some of
them desirable parties. made up my
mind that the lady considered my Of
fer in the light Of presumption and
had not deigned reply. This view
Of the case was certainly not 6atter-
ing to her. but when sensitiveness
comes into question valid reasons
take fight.
Twelve years passed. One day 1t
was announced that the government
was about to erect building in the
town in which lived. A year later
It was finished and the postoflce
moved into 1t. Going to the door one
morning to receive my mail from the
carrier. he handed me q letter. at the
same time giving me an explanation
with regard to It In tearing away
the fixtures Of the old postoffice sew.
eral letters had been discovered that
from time to time had slipped down
out Of sight. The letter he brought me
was one Of these.
II was postmarked at the town
where was located tie college at
which I was graduated. had been for
warded. and the date stamped on Il
was just twelve years before. 1t had
been addressed to me at the college
and forwarded. The handwriting was
that of lady. but unfamiliar to me.
l opened it without any thought
whatever as to who had written 1t;
but. looking first at the signature. l saw
1t was LeHGa Whitney. 1t was reply
to my proposal Of marriage.
!. 1t is singular to be transported by
some incident backward in time. Hold
ing that letter in my hand. was again
Il youngster OF twenty. In love with q
woman considered far above me.
] Then 1t occurred to me that Miss
Whitney must now be within a few
years of forty. while was thirty two.
and old at that.
While these thoughts were flashing
through me began to read the letter.
1t told me that the lady had been
touched at the expression Of the ten
der feelings had avowed for her and
, considered my proposal. to say the
least. an honor. But there We're rea-
! sons why she should hesitate. While
was far more matured than most
men OF my age. II must be remembered
that In ten or dozen years l would
still be young man. while she would
be past middle age. She confessed
that this was her only reason for not
returning favorable reply to my pro-
posal. She suggested that was just
at the beginning Of my career and II
as time passed | felt the same she
would be pleased to hear from me
again.
While ! was reading this letter was
sensible Of having passed from my
youth to that period where a man be-
gins to feel that young girls consider
him old. l had been much fattered
that my recent attentions to a girl of
eighteen had been looked upon with
favor. had taken her out number
Of times and persuaded myself that
| the tender passion was stealing into
my aging breast. But | was not and
never had been anything Of butter
fly. was and always had been a
serious man. found it somewhat
irksome to go about as an escort to a
young girl to amusements in which
took no interest. The very night be-
fore | received the epistle from a
distant past had attended my little
girl to ball where she had kept me
for lust on more dance" till 8 o'clock
In the morning.
1t Is not strange that I was affected
by Miss Whitney's reply to a PROPOSE.
ton made twelve years before. The
dozen years she had spoken OF had
passed and while was still on the
lower side Of middle age she had pass.
ed beyond 1t. Nevertheless my interest
in bachelor life-if l ever had any
had died down until its pleasures had
turned to gall. My recent attendance
upon a society bud during the small
hours of the morning was still fresh in