The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-12-27
A REALISTIC
PROPOSAL
By EDWARD L. SlcKLES
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

without rendering the room, lighted by
fire blazing on the hearth, cheerful
by contrast. had been asked by
Daisy to take cup of tea with her at
8 o'clock. She served the tea In thin
Dresden cups. her pink fingers vying
with the china in delicacy. She also
gave me very thin slice of buttered
bread on little plate. Then slte
handed me a napkin. With the bread
plate In one hand and the teacup in
the other, how was | to spread the
napkin on my knees? tried to hold
the dishes in one hand that might
open the napkin with the other and
spilled most of the tea into the saucer
| It's Just like woman TO hand man
several things at 0Ece. didn't want
either the bread and butter or the tea.
Besides, ! expected every minute to
break one Of fifty dollar tea set
This part Of It was over at last. A
maid came in and removed the agony.
and we settled down to n tete.a-tete
Daisy was young, barely eighteen.
was twenty .nine. ] should have talk
ed about some subject with a bit of
meat in It, but Daisy had just emerg-
ed from childhood and was making the
transit into young ladyhood. So
must follow her lead under penalty of
being considered old as Methuselah.
She hadn't entertained many grown
men. and her dashes at the Job were
spasmodlc. In my case she brought
out a book with lot of silly printed
questions, to which persons were sup
posed TO write stupid answers.
Not that minded this youthful non
sense was getting on TO that, age
where | wouldn't have minded going
back few pegs. Daisy opened the
book. handed me a pencil with a poins
on it any one would know had been
shaped by woman-that is. blunt as
a nail head-and asked me to write an
answer TO the first question. What Is
your favorite color2' | looked at
Daisy's Ups and was about to write
'vermilion" when our eyes met and l
put In blue" instead,
"How singular" she exclaimed mild.
Iy. That's my fayorite color too"
My eyes are as black as a stack OF
black cats.
The next question was, "Are you
fond of poetryT' TO which | wrote. II
love II dearly" This was keeping in
line very well, and Daisy was much
impressed with my taste and the deli
cacy With which | expressed IT. but
when ! came TO reply to the question,
what poem do you most admlreT'
Numbered. couldn't remember any
poem except Little Brooches" and it
would never do 10 put that in Finally
Paradise Lost" occurred TO me, and
wrote 1t in the book
What kind Of a paradiseT Daisy
asked. cooking her head on one side
and looking at me like a canary bird.
"a lovely girl"
rs that really the paradise meant
In the poemg
Evidently John Millions great work
was not familiar to her
Il couldn't answer for that" l re-
piled Its the paradise / mean"
She looked down on the hook for
the next question. what trait would
you most value in one you loyedT
wrote. ignoring the true meaning, Il
should like her to be blond"
II didn't think you preferred blonds.'
said Daisy consciously. II thought
you preferred brunettes."
why should you think that?'
"Oh. have noticed your attentions
TO a brunette"
A wave Of self condemnation swept
over me at STOPPING to this ''vealy'' dia-
logue. but can't say that | was bored
The next question was, what is your
favorite proverb?" To which | wrote
in answer. Faint heart never won
fair lady"
There couldn't have been a proverb |
more inappropriate. Daisy was so I'M
sophisticated, so tender. that she might |
easily be won by a circus man or
supernumerary in a theater. | groaned
when | thought what was sinking to.
But proceeded
what age would you prefer the T
woman you would marry to be?' was !
the next question. and. knowing that I
Daisys next birthday would come in
a month, wrote seventeen and eleven
months"
BY this time Daisy's color had height +
ened a bit and her shapely bosom was +
rising and falling a trifle more rapid
ly than usual turned the leaves to ,
the part where were the questions for
women and pointing TO q column begin
ming with the question. What is your
favorite flowerT asked her to do a
little answering herself. But in hand
ing her the book my hand touched
hers.
That was the beginning of the sec
ond part. She took the pencil and
wrote an answer to the
question.
yes"
You have made me very happy"
said before had noticed that she had
by mistake placed her reply in the
space allotted TO Does music affect
you sentimentally But | was glad
she and had Numbered I quietly
drew her TO me and kissed her lips,
That was thirty years ago. Our old
est son is nearly as old as | was then