The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-28
Beatrice Fairfax
The Lover Who Fails.

He signs his letter bitterly Yours, One Who
Intends to Stay a Bachelor" And the letter is
bitter enough in all faith Let's get part OF II
down where can study II.
II am twenty-six and make some three thou
sand year. I have no bad habits and have
a fairly good bank account. might be able
to give any girl "a good home. But / cannot
dance. i cannot take girl to the park and
bill and coo with her. I cannot make up any
beautiful poetry like Francois ViHon's in Nc
Carthy's story .If Were King" do not wear
flashy ties nor fancy shoes. My hands are not
white and soft but hardened and scratched from
the work do. | am OF cold dnpoeuc nature;
and 1 cannot tell girl would 60 to the end
of the world and beyond for her.
"Result-two broken engagements and two
proposals of marriage turned down in the last
three years All the girls in the case are mar
ried to good dancers with empty pockets and
gift for making pretty speeches.
81 turned down because l can only give
a girl a home and love and honor n woman in
my heart without telling it to her in quotations
from Shakespeare and Byron
Now let's talk to the young man who throws
out his chest and says:
Il am Of a cold, unpoetic nature and cannot
tell girl would so to the end of the world
and beyond for her"
Young man, listen to me. When it suits you
in writing to a stranger whose sympathy you
wish to enlist you manage to turn phrase
very neatly and descriptively. WIN you tell
why you shouldn't make as much effort to
express yourself pleasantly to some girl you
wish to WOO?
AN INFLATED EGO.
No, don't tell me! I'll tell you! It's an ex-
aggerated idea OF your own Importance. Now,
II you're as bad as hope you aren't you will
fling down this article in disgust and a crumble
of paper. II you go on it must be VITA the
clear understanding that I'm going TO scold
you and all the young fellows like you and to
ride tilt at all for which you stand.
Maybe you aren't the sort to change one iota
from the qualities which you loudly proclaim
as being Characteristic of you. But bottle of
glycerino would soften your hands so they
wouldn't rasp against your sweethearts cheek
when you touch it. A visit to department
store haberdssher, conducted modesty and
with n request to the clerk to aid you in choos-
ing your ties would secure you neat and becom-
ing neckwear. A bit of instruction and the
would wear Off. Then you could take your part
in n healthy, joy-rromoting exercise.
As for making up poetry and quoting IL, It's
sheer bravado which shuts you off from doing
IT. No one "lowbrow," as uncultured as you
pretend TO be, would know that Francois Vllon
ever existed. And you've evidently read and
joyed Shakespeare and Byron.
My dear young cynic, you're living n lie. You
earn good money. And you think you're honest,
But about everything else you pose. You see
you're proud and opinionated and sensitive, too.
And you don't want to do things at which you
don't excel SO you deliberately pooh pooh the
things yori think you might belittle yourself by
doing badly.
Don't deny Il. 7 know. I'm dreadful duffer
at golf. and | deliberately don't like" the fine,
old Scotch game Sec, smile as I confess Now,
why don't you smile and confess that all you
ness Of love and courtship is that you feel awk.
ward about 'cmT The honest confession will be
good fer your soul.
NOT THE REAL THING
stop swanking and putting out your cheeks
and talking about what you have TO offer girl
what good Is II 10 IL isn't what she wsnts7
All women need tenderness and consideration