Imperial Valley press., 1912-02-19

| She hadn't entertained many grown
men. and her dashes at the job were
| spasmodic. In my case she brought
out a book with a lot of@silly printed
! questions. to which persons were sup
posed to write stupid answers.
| Not that ! minded this youthful non
sense. l was getting on to that age
| where l wouldn't have minded going
back few pegs. Daisy opened the
book, handed me pencil with point
on it any one would know had been
| shaped by "a woman-tlnt is. blunt as
a nail head-and asked me TO write an
| answer to tie first question. What is
! your favorite color | looked at
Daisy's lips and WAS about to write
''vermilioD' when our eyes met and /
put in blue" instead
"How singular" she exclaimed mild
ly. That's my favoritp color tco.'
My eyes are as black as stack Of
| black cats
The next question was, Are you
fond of poetry" TO which wrote. Il
love it deurly" 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 admire:" l
blundered. | couldn't remember any
poem except Little Breeches." and it
would never do to put that in Finally
paradise Lost" occurred to me, and
wrote it in the book
What kind Of paradise?" Daisy
asked. cooking her head Oh one side
and looking at me like a canary bird
"A lovely girl"
rs that really the paradise meant
in the poem
Evidently John Millions great work
was not familiar to her.
81 couldn't answer for that l re-
piled. Its the paradise mean"
She looked down on the book for
the next question. "What trait would
wrote. ignoring the true meaning. It
should like her to be blond"
Il didn't think you preferred blonds,"
said Daisy consciously. Il thought
you preferred brunettes.'
why should you think that?'
"Oh. l have noticed your attentions
to a brunette"
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 proverbs" To which l wrote
in answer, Faint heart never won
fair lady"
There couldn't have been proverb
more inappropriate. Daisy was SO un-
sophisticated. so tender. that she might
easily be won by a circus man or a
supernumerary in theater. groaned
when thought what l was sinking to.
But proceeded.
What age would you prefer the
woman you would marry to be?" was
Daisy's next birthday would come in
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 trifle more rapid
ly than usual. ! turned the leaves to
the. part where were the questions for
women and. pointing TO IL column begin
ming with the question. NV hat is your
favorife fower?" asked her to do
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
tremblingly wrote an answer to the
question.
Yes"
You have made me very happy"
said before 1 had noticed that she had
by mistake placed her reply in the
space allotted to Does music affect
you sentimentally? But l was glad
she and bad blundered. 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.
/ wonder if when he asks woman to
be his wife-the most important nego-
tiatiOn in life-he will go about it in
the fool way did. Why cannot young
persons do this thing with some ap-
proach to dignity?
Because it is the only part of mar
rage that civilization has left to Q
natural law.