The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1912-10-24
"a LEAP IN
THE |: T: DARK.
By ESTHER vANDEvEER

BY ESTHER VANDEVEER
miss Eldridge." said Mr.. Tourtelotte.
Il have called on q matter Of great i'm
portance to me; whether 1t is Of any
Importance whatever to you remains
to be seen. You remember we met but
= month ago on yachting party; thar
/ chatted with you casually on that
occasion; that you graciously permitted
me to call upon you; that l have seen
you since that first meeting perhaps a
dozen times. During these meetings it
has been but natural that should take
pains to conceal my faults: that |
should wish to appear to you in as
favorable a light as possible. You can
have gained only superficial knowl-
edge Of my character. l may be strong
OF weak. generous or mean. well poised
q passionate. but you do not know
which Of these traits l posses.
Nevertheless have come to ask you
to be my wife. Why I have done so.
promising my invitation by calling your
attention to your meager knowledge Of
me. will explain in a few words. l
do not believe that. however long a
man is acquainted with woman or
vice versa. the one can learn the others
good or bad qualities. To discover this
they must have been married some
time.
Furthermore, l have observed that
friendship rarely brings love. The sex
4 e. mate through mysterious drawing
together under the influence of what
We call love, and all the world knows
that love is blind. I therefore ask you
to take the leap with me in the dark
4 After this extremely we'll poised
proposition Mr.. Tourtelotte took out
his handkerchief. drew it across his
m0uth-with no purpose that was ap-
parent-put it again in his pocket and
awaited Miss Eldridge's reply with his
eyes fixed on the ceiling Miss Eldridge
preferred looking on the floor; from
which some women scorning men
would infer that the male aspires while
the female grovels.
II assure you. Mr.. Tourtelotte." re-
piled the lady. that appreciate-am
deeply touched-by the compliment you
pay me. l am not surprised that one
Of your age should look upon marriage
- leap in the dark. I have always
myself considered it so. and perhaps
that Is the reason why am approach
ing middle age without having married
Like you. I am somewhat analytical.
While I see in man great deal that
b noble, l also perceive great deal
that woman cannot admire. Till the
twentieth century It has been his
province to be a master to his wife.
1e = only recently that brides are re-
fnsfng to use the word obey in the
marriage service. Then. too. a woman
has no assurance when she marries
hat she will be gently treated. Our
1orefathers who lived in the middle
ages considered women a. their in
1eriors. In some barbarous lands to-
dry girl children are made away with.
Among the Turks it Is still disputad
paint among the men whether we have
sonls"- ." fN!
'Pardon me-" Mr.. Tourtelotte inter-:
xupted. the lady becoming more and
more wrought up with these growing
ajustlces. "Our men in America are
not descended from these semicivilized
s0ces: we are even more considerate Of
~0r women than our Caucasian breth-
E0o In Europe. Neither the Germans
mr. the English have the reputation for
eu0sideration Of women that re have
u America" % %
PRAY excuse me. the wrongs our
* have suffered for centuries led me
oo0ewhat further from the matter
nat pertains to you and me alone than
had intended. will return to It I
DGSposs q trial engagement for nix
0oaths. will agree to show myself
- yoa Just a. am at home: you to
edee yourself to do the same In your
Sw1 case"
Did I not say that We can never
really know each other without having
1ved together ~ man and wifer'
In that case" said Miss Eldridge
NDe3dedly. II see no hope for marriage
- cur case. cannot consent to we'd
1ock with man who for aught know
0ay turn out to be a villain. who may
0altreat me. and for whom love may
f
Il regret your decision. though I
cannot commend it's common sense.
would rather have given you an oppor-
4uDtty to know me better. but have
0ot the time. Tomorrow 60 to China
= engage In business. hoped to take
JON with me. Ny disappointment is
WY great"
An impressive silence followed.
Must you 60 80 soon 2" she asked
Il could not possibly remain over
e0r single day"
Another impressive silence
TT II a terrible risk"
Terrible
But"
But
Il know you are gentleman, and I