Morris tribune., 1911-04-07

! which I was graduated, had been Tor
warded, and the date stamped on 1t
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.
/ opened it without any thought
whatever as to who had written it;
but, looking first at the signature, saw
it was Leona 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
youngster Of twenty, in love with
woman l considered far above me.
Then it 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 I 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 were rea-
sons why she should hesitate. While
I was far more matured than most
men of my age, 1t must be remembered
that in ten or a dozen years would
still be young man, while she would
be past middle, age. She confessed
that this was her only reason. for not
returning a favorable reply to my pro-
posal. She suggested that was just
at the beginning of my career and if
as time passed I felt the same she
would be pleased to hear from me
again.
While I 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. I had been much fiattered
that my recent attentions to girl of
eighteen had been looked upon with
favor I had taken her out number
Of times and persuaded myself that
the tender passion was stealing into
my aging breast. But l was not and
fly. l was and always had been
serious man. l found it somewhat
irksome to go about as an escort to
young girl to amIsements in which l
took no interest. The very night be-
fore I received the epistle from a
distant past I had attended my little
girl to a ball where she had kept me
for "just on more dance" till 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 l was still on the
lower side of middle age she had pass
ed beyond it. Nevertheless my interest
in bachelor life-if l ever had any
had died down until it's pleasures had
turned to gall. My recent attendance
upon society bud during the small
hours of the morning was still fresh in
my memory, while the insipid nothings
I had been obliged to say and listen to
nauseated me-
I wrote at once to relative of Miss
Whitney asking what had become Of
her, and received a reply that she lived
in the house in which she had always
lived, and in which l had so often
called upon her while l was a student.
She was beloved and respected by all
who knew her and my correspondent
wondered that though she had receiv-
o1 oh ho6
A few days after the receipt of this
information l was in Miss Whitney's
home and sent up my card with the
letter I had so recently received, hav-
ing underscored on the envelope the
postmark showing the day it was mail
ed and another giving the day it was
received
When Miss Whitney came down to
receive me, with conSiderab BILE embar-
ra assment in her manner and telltale
blush on her cheek, l was surprised
that she did not show her years by
half a dozen, and there was not gray
hair in her head. She looked much
younger for a woman than 1 for a
man.
However, 1 had not come to see her
for beauty, but in the hope of re-
newal of that companionship l had
enjoyed a decade before. She told me
that she had been at a loss to under
stand my silence, for since her letter
had not been returned to her through
the dead letter Office she could not
doubt that had received it.
During an hours conversation with
her the fact became impressed upon |
my mind that | was not the man to |
marry a chit of a girl and that !
would find the companionship l needed |
In Miss Whitney. l received a promise |
that she would correspond with me, !
and since my home was not long |
journey from hers I made her num- !
Der of visits. But my own mind was
made I'D at our reunion and fortunate