The San Francisco call., 1913-11-17
.HewteP Proposs
BY BEATRICE FAIRFAX

III
ID the little god OF love, who Keeps
all our hearts from going prema-
turely into cold storage. there are no
prescribed methods for proposing
marriage.
1t is not a problem whose solution
depends on a knowledge of weights
and measures. "wil1 you marry me?''
is not question that requires deep
lore to PROFOUND.
A man loves a woman. He can not
tell when love began. so softly did It's
messenger take possession OF his
heart He only knows that he loves,
and, it seems to him, dazed by the
great miracle. that his love had no be-
ginning He is as sure that it has al
ways existed as he is that 1t will know
no end.
He wants to take possession Of the
woman he loves, and he finds neither
moonlight. nor rustic bower, nor shady
dell, nor a boat, nor a seat that holds
only two, necessary to put his emo
tions and desires into words. A pro-
posal is independent of environment.
A man may propose marriage In
crowded street in the glare OF the
midnoon sun, and the music of his
words is as sweet and the loveiignt IN
her eyes is as warm as if he had set
the stage with all the romantic seem
cry demanded by fiction.
THE IMPORTANT THING
The time, the scenery, the language
he uses, If alone with her or In
crowd-none of this is important. The
important thing is that he mean
what he Says and the saying Is not
habit.
The man who proposes easily and
seriously, who is glib at this most
holy of declarations, has told TOO
many women he loves them to be
trusted. 1t is a situation when man
ner means more than words. 1t is
not necessary that he say much. But
oh. may merciful heaven protect the
girl If he doesn't mean the little he
says,
1t is neither eloquence. nor fervor,
nor grace CT speech or manner that
matters. All that matters is SINGER
ity. Just one little word, Sincerity!
Not a sincerity he thinks he feels, but
one that he KNOWS he feels. and that
he Knows he will feel SO long as life
lasts
If there are those who must have
a prescribed form, making of love a
matter so light it admits of rehearsal.
let them read what the immortal
Pickwick advised his friend Magnus.
After telling Magnus he must COM
mend the lady's worthiness. deplore
his own unworthiness. and expatiate
on the warmth of his love, he advises
him to seize her hand.
You should then" continued Mr..
Pickwick. come to the plain and SIM
pie question. Will you have me?'
think am justified in assuming that.
upon this, she would turn her head
You think that may be taken for
granted" said Mr.. Magnus. because
if she did not do that at the right
place, it would be embarrassing"
MIR. PICKwICK's ADVICE
Il think she would" said Mr.. Pick
wick. Upon this. sir. I should
THINK, Mr.. Magnus--that after had
done that, supposing there was no re-
fusal, / should gently draw away the
handkerchief that my slight knowl-
edge of human nature leads me to
suppose the lady would be applying
to her eyes at the moment, and steal
respectful kiss. l think I should
kiss her. Mr.. Magnus. and at this par
ticular point. am decidedly of opin-
lon that if the lady were going to
take me at all. she would murmur
into my ears a bashful acceptance
If the methods advised by Dickens
are too old fashioned, a book thrown
on the mercies of the public last
month gives a more modern form.
John Holder, the hero of "On the
Inside of the Cup a minister, and
poor. loves the daughter of his most
wealthy parishioner. They go for a
walk in the woods.
So" For she had put her own
hand out. not shyly, but with a
movement so natural it was but the
crowning bestowal.
"Allisonr' he cried. II can't ask it
of you. have no right"
you are not asking it." she an
swered. TT is I who am asking It,"
The girl proposed!
But what matters who. or when.
or how, or what, so that the WHY
is all right?