The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-01-03

each one OF us, to make it as bright
and happy, for everybody, as possible.
Just one letter this week, which is
doing very well for the short time that
this column has been a part of the
Echo.
Girls, dear girls, beware of under
standings" If man is not sincere
enough to ask you to marry him, do
not let him use up all your time and
attention.
This first letter of the year is from
G. w. M, and we shall see what such
an understanding" has done for her.
Dear Uncle Donald:
Il am twenty-one. For four years
a young man two years my senior has
shown me constant attention, and for
the past two years has monopolized me,
if may use the term, while he himself
has seemed wholly devoted to me. He
has never actually proposed marriage to
me, but it has been generally under
stood in the neighborhood that we were
to be married, and he has never de-
MED nor tried to put stop to the re-
port, and his general conduct toward
me as we'll as many of his speeches to
me have led me to believe that he re-
garded our marriage as settled fact.
Now, his attitude has changed. He
neglects me; and makes rather fimsy
excuses for doing so; he scarcely takes
me out at all, and makes few engage
ments of any kind with me. l will say
for him, tho, that he strictly keeps
the appointments he does make. Be
sides, he is. lately, very frequently IN
the company OF another girl, and it is
becoming the talk Of this place, which
is small, and news travels quickly. 1t
is all very humiliating to me; tbs more
than humiliating, for I have learned to
love him very deeply, and I should
like to know what am to do"
Dear G. w. M, you are not the first
woman who has suffered in the way you
have described. There is many an
unloyed. unhonored old maid in the
world (not that all old maids are either
unloyed or unhonored, however, whose
life was wrecked by just such condi-
ton of affairs, and I earnestly hope that
such may not be your case.
Your mistake was the mistake OF
countless other girls-a trust too I'M
plicit and unquestioning. When the
young man apparently, as you say
regarded your marriage as a settled
fact'', he probably did take it for
granted; being one Of those individuals
who assumes much, he took your fideli-
~ to him for your assent thereto, and
thought it not worth while to definitely
ask it.
do not wish to melt any OF the
Echo's type by attempting to express
my opinion Of young man who VIII
"monopolize" as you have said Il am
going to remember that word, in that
sense. for future use) who will mono
police a girl in such fashion-claim
four wears in the very springtime OF her
life without in any wise pledging him
self TO her. Whether he so thought OF
il or not, it is cowardly.
Taking advantage, then, OF the TACT
that he is not bound to you by any ex-
press agreement, he has grown tired as
men are wont to do, and seeks that va
riety. which, he doubtless tells himself
is the spice of life. 1t is possiole/that
his sudden preference for another may
he hut midsummer madness, though
ont Of season, truly; but whether that
be so or no, can see hope for you IN
the fact that. while he neglects you,
he faithfully keeps such engagements
as he does make with you. His fimsV
excuses may be so by design or may
he so because he is new at lying. We
cannot tell yet.
And now, don't run alter him.
When he calls, do not make any I'M
usual effort to please him, Tor II you 90
he will surely be hattered thereby ana
and redouble his attentions to the otner
o;rl to see how far you will go to win
him back. But, upon the other hand
do not be visibly cold toward him. Tor