Year: 1872

There Is always great reluctance to
speak of that event which is the central
point of life. This is probably owing to the
fact that nine-tenths of humankind look apy
thing but heroic when in the attitude of de.
claring their passion. 1t is said that Glib
bon, the historian, on the occasion of his
genuAection before certain lady to whom
he offered his hand and heart, was unable to
rise from his knees, on account of his troub-
lesome obesity. This is certainly an epi.
sode which by no stretch of courtesy could
be called either romantic or heroic. I'd
avoid such awkwardness some will adopt
the method of letters, and will even 90 so
far as to deliver them in person.


One such singular epistle thus handed in
by country farmer read as follows:


g TO MiSS.-:


" want somebody to cook my beans and
bacon for me, and to help eat EN-; also to
play eribbage. Will you try: If so, name
the day, and I'm ready for the church.


Your devoted admirer,


Now and then the proposal takes more
refined form, though still preserving its sin
gular character. There is a story, said to
be vouched for on good authority, that a
youth who had loved for some time, but
had never been able to make the fact known,
was one day accidentally thrown next to the
lady IN the same pew at chulch. Taking
up the Bible. he turned to the first chapter
OF Ruth, and underlining the words, En-
treat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee," passed on the sacred
volume to his fair neighbor. Having read
the words, she took out her pencil, scored
the remaining words of the verse, and pass
ed it back to the trembling swain. 1t is
satisfactory to know that the parties were
married after this piece of genuine romance
Another story is related of schoolmaster
who had not courage either to write or
speak his proposal, so he took the house
keeping keys and ratified them in the pres
ence of his fair inamorata as an earnest of
his intentions.


Other singular cases are related, where
the extreme of awkwardness seems to have
been reached. 1t is credbly reported that,
after the most intense signing and restless
ness, a lover on one occasion threw his pro-
posal of love into the form of this very sim
pie and unmistakable question, Will YOU
darn my stockings?" and received low
uttered "Yes" in response. The general
opinion of ladies in regard to this most try
ing ordeal is. that while it is period of the
most exquisite sweetness, they are always
glad when it is over. 1t is to be looked
back upon with compacency in after years ::
but the actual moment is one of mingled
bliss and anguish. and the ingredients are
so evenly mixed that it is impossible to dis
tinguish which predominates.


To those who intend at some time or
other to make proposal in writing, a we'll
authenticated case may be cited as a warn
ing to them on the sut5ect of penmanship
An English duke made an offer to mer-
chant of marriage with his daughter, and,
to his SURPRISE received back the answer,
" Declined with thanks, on account of pre-
vious engagement" His graces writing
was so bad that the merchant had read his
letter to contain an offer of box at the
opera, and the mistake was not explained
for several years, by which time the duke
and the lady had been married to other in
dividuals


This question has, however, its grand and
noble side. The meeting of Petrarch and
Laura, the proposal of the poet, and accept
ance by the lofty maiden the interference
of the aristocratic mother, and enforced ac-
ceptance of another suitor-all these rise
before US when we think of illustrious ex-
amples of proposals which have been broken
off before the period Of fruition. We could
ill afford to have lost these experiences.