Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-05
A Unique
Proposal
tcopyrisht. 1915. Western Newspaper Union.
ByF. MITCHELL

romantic as every girl Of twenty shoult
De. Indeed Il Is questionable n won
en- ever lose their romance.
''Do YOU see that rock out there 2
she asked.
"Yes what OF ~"
at Is called lovers rock. There Is
n tradition that II a man proposes 10
girl out there she can't refuse him"
you mean when the tide o. coming
In aud she Is cut on from shore; she
can't swim; and the fellow won't save
her unless she will agree TO marry
him"
How you talk II isn't that nj all.
There's some spell that Is thrown over
the girl which draws her 10 the man."
II didn't know girls were moved 10
love on q barren place like whales
back. | thought the way TO win them
was amid music and flowers"
ayes. but I cnn understand how be-
ing under a spell might compel n girl
20 yield on barren rock like that,
when moonlight. music and flowers
would fail"
81 think ! would be most easily in
duccd 90 propose to girl after
good dinner"
Il fear that In your brain where the
bump of romance should be there is
fiat place"
Rather n hollow. However suppose
we go ont on the lovers rock. and see
what will happen"
There was no reply TO this. She
sat gazing out TO sea. evidently des-
pairing of being able TO touch a chord
of romance in him. or rather regretting
that such n chord did not exist.
"Comc." he added rising. I'm curl
Gus 10 know II l will be compelled 10
propose 10 you II we go out together
60 the rock"
THAT isn't II at all. II isn't that the
man Is impeIled TO propose to the girl.
It's that II he does. she Is impelled
by some strange influence to accept
him"
"WeH. let's try II anyway"
He put out his hand and helped her
60 rise from her seat on the sand. and
led her TO rowboat moored TO a
floating platform leading out into the
water. She got into the boat without
saying a word and he pulled over a
hundred yards Of shallow water to the
rock. There he coiled the painter
around n stone and they went to that
side OF the rock facing the ocean. They
had only TO take few steps. for the
tide which was rising left uncovered
no great space. They sat down side
by side.
81 feel II coming" he said present
ly.
whats comIngr
'The spell"
"NOnsense."
''Do you feel ltT'
'Feei whatir
"a desire to have me propose 20
you
'Didn't tell you that II the man"
"Yes. yes. but Is n man going 10
propose to girl In cold blood? Is
there no love current between them?
MY opinion Is that n there is any
thing In this rock forcing the man to
propose, the girl has as much to do
with II "s he"
. "Not g. all. The tradition Is sim
ply" 90 -
"That a woman is obliged to accept
proposal. But"
"Wenf"
Great heavens! There goes our
boat"
The rising tide had unloosened the
painter and was carrying the boat
away. There would be no use in try
ing 10 regain II by swimming, for II
was even now further from the rock
than was the shore. and II was reced-
tng rapidly. Looking about them they
saw that the rock was nearly covered
with water.
sWhile we have been talking" he I
said, -the tide has cut US on from !
shore"
"what shall we dor cried the girl
much frightened.
1--WE haven't tested the proposal ,
matter yeti"
Don't talk nonsensel Our lives are
mt stake"
81 don't believe you have any ro- !
nance In you after ALL"
Come, come; how are we TO get |
hshoref"
They were far from their hotel or /
any house. Indeed there was no one /,
near 20 render them assistance. Be
sides the twilight was fading. He took !
her hand and said:
II think ] am going to"
"Heavensl Don't faint"
Propose"
: "Are you crazyr
"No. am under the influence OF the
spell"
She had by this time lost her aelf
control. and although she could not
swim. marched out into the water
hoping that she could wade ashore. IL
was nowhere over her head but 30
deep M once place as to reach her
She feared 20 proceed.
"Helpw she called TO him.