Marion Marlowe's Escape, or, A Dangerous Mistake on the Road — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

P. MY QUEEN. ‘advise you to retain every particle of your innate refinement. Never mind what ‘‘people”’ say! The right man will come some time! See to it that when he comes he will find a young lady of edu- eation, common sense and womanly modesty, and we predict that your “look of independenge”’ will not frighten or annoy him. Coldness in woman isa valuablé attribute. It is easy to thaw under the sun of genuine affection. —_—. i “You are so kind to all of your readers, I cany not help but come to you fora little advice my- self. I am just a little perplexed hy my case, which with your kind attention I will try to ex- plain. You, Iam quite sure, can and will advise me right. I am a young man, twenty-one years old. For four years I have known a little girl—a dear little one, I assure you. I say ‘I have known’—I mean have loved. This young lady never knew it, though, till two months ago. [ had not been over to the young lady’s house for three months, and when IJ did call the reception I received was most gratifying, better than I had ever received before. It happened that this young lady’s cousin was visiting her at this time, and I heard by their conversation that she is going to be an old maid. “My little one said, ‘I guess I will have to be one also.’ j ’ “T said, ‘I do not see why. There are lots of fine young men who would only be too glad to claim you for their bride.’ I donot know how I plucked up courage to say that. I was speaking for myself then. ‘She retorted: ‘I have met the young man whom I could love, but he never would speak.’ ‘Well, I kept silent then. I did more thinking than talking afterthat. I took it for granted it was me whem she meant. It terminated that it was I. I proposed by letter the next day. Have received no answer yet, now going on three months. I asked her if I should ever expect an answer. She said, ‘Yes, am very busy—no time to answer.’ “T waited till I am tired. I tried something else. I wrote her another letter altogether differ- ent this time, did not mention a word about last letter. I merely asked her if she would go to the theatre with me. I wanted to seeif that would bring an answer. It did not. “YT was alwaysin the habit of calling without an invitation stating particular evening. I called whenever convenient, but have not been over for three weeks now, because I took it for granted I was not wanted, as I have received no invitation or answer to either letter, so I do not feel as if I would be welcome. -“That is my case, Miss Shirley, and may I be oes if [have intruded upon your valuable me. “Tt love the little girl dearly—have for four years, but never had one bit of encouragement until that evening. Then I proposed, and now it asallover. I donot know what to do. She loves me, but I guess I wastoo quick. I probably frightened her. Your advice is earnestly solicited. READER OF ‘My QUEEN.’ ”’ In reply to your letter, we wish, first, to offer | | You our sympathy in the suspense which you _ seem to have so patiently endured, and then to Suggest that you ask her again. Have it out with her, as the saying goes. She has had plenty of A | .time to think over your proposal by now. Per- I think. 31 haps her parents object to your youth and hers, or perhaps they think you will not be able to support her. At any rate, you should have talked with the old folks, and in all probability the matter would have been settled. We advise you to have the question decided at once for your own peace of mind, and the best way to do this is to go straight to the house and do your talking. ‘Paint heart ne’er won fair lady,’’ you know. “We have a question which we want you to please answer forus. We each one of us havea rival and the girls we are trying to cateh don’t seem to another. We want you to please tell us how to find out which she likes the best. There are two girls, and four boys are trying to catch them. Please give us your advice on the subject. “h. By Cd 2. de Ae.” Your letter speaks well forthe girls of your town as athletes. They must be expert runners to so successfully evade being ‘‘caught.’’ Now, don’t you really think the race would be fairer if -you allowed two more girls to enter the contest? At the present ratio, it looks decidedly uneven. If the girls do not wish to be ‘‘eaught,’’ we can- not help applauding their cleverness, and we are pretty sure they do not or they would have shown some intimation of it beforenow. How would it do for you boys to turn and run in the opposite direction? We are sureit would bea great surprise for the girls, and it might even arouse in them a desire to follow. Then all you wotld have to do would be to get in the path of the right girl and fall down, when she would have no excuse for not eatching you—and the rest would be easy. Girls who are hard to eatch are often susceptible to these tactics, and ‘‘all is fair in love and war.” “T am scolded from morning until night be- cause I have one or two men friends whom [I allow to kiss me. My mother thinks it is awful, and says that a girl should not kiss any one but her relatives and the man she is engaged to. Please let me have your advice on this matter. “FLORENCE R.”? We do not believe in indiscriminate kissing either with relatives or with others. A woman - should bechary with her favors, and bestow them only where they are valued highly. Laxity in matters of this sort is not only in very bad taste, but is a positive injury to the one who is too gen- erous. What men get easily they never value very highly. If you do kiss one or two friends because you etseem them and really want to kiss them, you should at the same time let them understand that itis a privilege that may be with- drawn at any moment. You should not allow them to think that you are careless with your caresses. E “fT am perplexed about a certain matter and must come to you for advice, dear Miss Shirlev. You have been so kind to other correspondents show one any more courtesy than | GOnnilGooo SS (CO)