The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-08-21
A Reversal
OF Position
b. LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS


the man she wants for a husband. he
being poor and not in position to pro
pose To her. The American method of
marriage Is that the husband supports
the wife. But few such eNp"dleEtS
have been published This is probably
because the matter is q delicate one. [
concerning only the contracting par
ties
George Parkinson was looking for /
some signal from Lctl.ia scarborough. (
He was "a sensitive fellow and would .
make no advances himself whatever. /
Miss Scarborough had "a number OF /
suitOrS. who. whether ur no they pos ,
scSScd the whrrcWihdi h. warrant /
their asking her II marry them. were J
not backward in indicating their ia
tcntion George seldom went 10 see !
her without stumbling ON a fresh ar
rival Of flowers sent by some fellow
as q preliminary 10 an offer OF his
hand They made him bite his lip, for
he very much wanted the ycuu- lady
for himself. but was too proud even
t. indicate the fact in any formal or
Informal way. He held that if "a WON
an with a future wanted Il man with
out one for q husband She Will fud
way t. let him know that proposal
from him will be- accepted.
He had been on friendly terms with
her-to apply no stronger word-ior
some months without her giving him
the signal During this time other
stars had appeared in the matrimonial
heavens. but had disappeared like
! those comets which. having once cir
| Cled around the sun. 20 forth never To
| return. out of the with"red flowers
! they left George gathered hope. In
| one way at least his position was pref
/ cradle to thcirs-they had placed gulf
between themselves and the lady 10y
! proposing to her. George had done
nothing Of the kind. SO long as n"
WAS not a rejected sutton he was free
to continue his attentions nd libitum.
He noticed that they all went
| through much the same course. y
man would meet Miss Scarborough at
some function; would ask permission
10 call: would do so several times.
/ Then an invitation To theater, concert
or opera would follow; more calls;
flowers Then the scene would sud
denly darken like a moving picture
screen when the films have run out.
The lady would remain; the man
would take himself out of her world
altogether
George did not accuse Miss Scarbor-
ough of encouraging these men. He
knew that she wished simply to be
: friendly with them, to avail herself
of their attentions, for which, by the
: bye. she always gave some kind OF
return. and when she saw the usual
+ signs of coming declaration she
! strove to prevent it. What reason had
d he to suppose. if he could bring him
self. as he expressed it, to ask her e
/ share her fortune with him. that he
, too. would not cease to revolye about
: the central sun and go out into space:
r Ii is a common thing for women tC
4 bring men to a declaration by some
artifice. but there are few cases of &
i man scheming for Il proposition from
4 a woman. Indeed. such Il condition l.
o an anomaly. George determined to dc
Z that very thing. He did not pout a
something she had said to him; he die
!, not look lanGuishingly at her nor drol
+ his ewes before her gaze. He told he
a that he was going TO Il far country t
= take up new abode, never to return.
e This was worse-far wOrse-than tn
n subterfuges women resort to, becaus'
e they usually mix up Quantum o
truth in their statements, and i'll an.
"a event custom excuses them for sayin;
"a one thing and meaning another. Blu
II George deliberately lied.
T. He was somewhat encouraged whe
o. he made the announcement of his in
Or tended departure to her TO see he
vince. But he remembered that no on
Is likes to give up friend, and such dis
r inclination is no proof that woma
., will marry man to keep him from e
" ing to a foreign country. She aske
Ie the date of his departure, and George
e. who was a trifle impatient, said that
III was fixed for one week from that da!
e. You will surely come to see me b'
1T fore you go?" she asked.
Of Certainly. But | shall be very bus
OF for few days before | depart. | wi
$. call to say farewell next Wednesda
We afternoon"
n On the appointed day he called an
g, was ushered into the library, where b
in found the lady sitting at desk wri
he ing q letter On his entrance she lie
the desk to welcome him. After cha
n ting with him for awhile she left II
room, saying she had a little partir
80 gift for him which she would bril-
OF back with her. George. after her wit
We drawal went to the desk for penC
lis In order to write an address. CatchiT
49, a glimpse Of his name, he seemed un
BILE to prevent a rapid glance at Il
note 1t was to the writer's most j
innate friend, saying:
Today is my parting with George Pa
- kinson. Would that l were the man al
he the woman that l might propose
himi
There wasn't much of it, but the
In was nothing indefinite in it. Geor
ed ,rouI5 NOT have hoya accented n dc