Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-11-24
AN ODD PROPOSAL
BY MARY MANTELLi.

my usual seat. sharpened pencil and
waited. l glanced ut his face, and 1t
occurred to me that he had something
on his mind. Presently he threw
down the papers and said abruptly:
Are you ready?"
l told him that was, and he die
tated two or three letters, then said:
III you give these letters to the girls
to type please read over their copies
before they are sent out. You nre the
only one can trust"
Certainly! Is that all?
He fdgeted, taking up first a Den.
then book and dropping both. Then,
turning squarely to me, he said:
No; there's II lot more to come. 1t
isn't business. but I've been Il business
man so long that l can't do anything
except in business way. So l shall
make a muddle of it."
Cant l do it for you?"
Moves"
"How?"
The way you often help me with
my letters when you fnfuse policy into
them. only in this case sentiment is to
go in instead"
Every well. Proceed"
I'm going abroad. want stenoe-
rapher with me. I've dictated 30 long
that | can write nothing but my name.
want you. You can't go without be-
ing married. VIII you marry me?"
Excuse me, Mr.. Burton. I'm NOT
capable Of infusing any sentiment into
that bald statement"
Then why not dispense with the
sentiment?"
The statement is yours. not mtne
II you prefer to dispense with the sen-
timent l am agreeable"
We'll. what is your answer"
NO"
Your reason?"
Il decline to give a reason"
HIN. Ike that. How do you sup
pose am TO reduce you to my will
without knowing what have to over.
Gomez"
You seem to be able to get your
way with people in business"
but told you in the beginning this
is not matter Of business"
What kind of n matter do you call
tt-something like an auxiliary yacht
that is moved part by steam and part
by wind?"
Yes: the steam is the only force by
which it can be sure to get anywhere.
This disposition to take wife and to
get her is the all important factor in
my case. The rest is wind"
That makes 1t very easy. Almost
any of the girls in the office would
jump at your proposal"
You tlatter me. III not give any of
them the opportunity to jump"
If I marry it will be for love"
What is love but a sentimental con-
dltion."
If that is true. why do you marry?
There are plenty Of men stenogra-
piers. Take man abroad with you"
HIN. That, no doubt, would be the
most sensible way out of it. The trou-
bic is that I've got used to debating to
you. You take all the roughness out Of
my letters. replacing it with policy,
and when they 20 to their destination
they produce the best possible effect.
In other words, you have become a
part of me-"
Only an intellectual part"
"y u keep me from doing many fool
.lgs."
If / succeed in keeping you from
marrying simply to take stenogra-
pher abroad with you l will certainly
prevent your doing Il foolish thing"
He drummed with his fingers on his
desk for awhile. Ny last argument
had told. Presently he said:
LAS to the folly Of the proceeding, I
am the best judge. didn't mean by
saying you keep me from doing fool
ish things that you can run me better
than l can run myself. l referred
more especially to my communications
with Others
The woman you propose to take
with you, for instance"
He smiled faint sickly smile. 'If
she were some one else you could do
the Job beautifully" he said shame
facedly.
There you are wrong. No one can
do such n job for another, or, If 80, 1t
will still be only job"
He sat for some moments in silence,
evidently rolling the matter over and
over in his mind. Presently I arose
and was about to withdraw.
"Sit down."
resumed my seat.
You have beaten me at every point"
he added presently. You have a lot
Of common sense in that head Of yours.
and that's the reason l want you,
though l presume there are other rea-
sons to which my practical nature
blinds me. But l can't talk soft and
If there's no way but that to get you
fear must let you 60"
Somehow this statement seemed to
take the wind out Of my sails. 1t was