The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-21
SH0RTONROMANCEE:
Some EminentIy Prosaic Pro-
posals of Marriage.
Hardly as Picturesque as the stiited
Forms So Popular With Lovers
in the Pages of Fiction, but
Meant the Same Thing.

Perhaps the romantic nronosoIs of
fiction are more picturesque than the
usual proposals of real life: the fact
mat lovers are reluctant witnesses
make it hard to tell. But certainly the
queer or comic proposals and attempt-
ed proposals of fiction cannot be any
queerer than some of those recorded in
actual chronicle of COUNTRYSIDE tradi-
ton.
Mr.. HoWellS in his "reminiscences
gives an amusing middle West exam
pie OF country bachelor who be-
latedly made up his mind to marry.
and in his default of female acouaint-
ance took his place on the top rail of
roadside fence and called to the first
woman who passed: "Sayt You mar
ried woman?
And then at the frightened answer
Indignantly gasped out, Yes, sir = he
offered mere 'Ohr for an apology
ana explanation, and let himself vanish
by falling into the cornfield behind
him.
Almost equally contemptuous of
finesse was a New England bachelor
in middle life who had lived con-
tentedly on his farm under the able
administration Of an aunt only Il year
or two older than himself. His next
door neighbor, and the owner Of a
small but coZy farmstead, was q COM
petent and cOntented spinster, in whom
Enos had displayed less than the or
binary neighb0rly interest. But one
day he hailed her over the dividing
fence: Hi, Selma ~
Selma did not immediately under
stand that she was being addressed,
and so Enos leaned across the fence
and continued shouting Hi Hi Hi !"
until he attracted her attention.
We'll, Enos, what is it?'' she in
CURED, turning.
l1nos allowed her to walk close to
the fence before he replied
Aunt James going to get married,
think about it, Se1ina?"
Il think ye better, Enos"
Then eff veil have me, guess I bet
ter marry you, Selma"
EFF l will, Enos, I guess We better"
'Will ye, Selina?'
II won't Enos."
''Shucls, Selma, We better"
That's your say-so, Enos. My idee
is, 1 bettern'tr'
Certainly, whether she would have
bettered herself or otherwise, she did
not marry Enos, and he remained a
bachelor
Even less of grace and g1amor at
tended the courtsIip of prosaic youth
by the name of Joseph and his sweet
heart-if that term is not too poetic
the excellent and practical Susannah.
Coming up her fathers farm lane, Jo-
seph perceived her crossing it at the
far end with a bucket of pig wash, and
called to her to wait for him.
Cant stop, Joe, the pigs are wait
ing y she shouted back.
jest minute, Sue I got something
to say to ye!' yelled Joe.
"Ye can say it after I've fed the
pigs! !" shrieked Susannah.
Joe broke into rum AS he ap-
proached her, where she had paused
reluctantly to await him, he painted in
| dignantly, aye got to let the darn crit
ters wait for once, Sue! Hang it, I
want to propose !"
Come along and propose, them" re-
sponded Susannah with sweet encour-
agement. "Ye kin do it while we feed
the pigs, can't ye, Joe?"
Joe could and did; Susannah accept
ed him; the pigs were fed. Whether or
no the match was made in heaven, it
| proved as happy as if its. atmosphere
of early bliss on earth had not been
mingled with the aroma Of the pigpen.
Years of My Youth.