Show now nu rito rosED major glinton waa ono of ho most courageous fellows in the world according to alio nicu who know liim but when lie ladies of his acquaintance heard this opinion they laughed it to for they considered him alic most awl said or he would not spend all his evenings at parties or making calls yot no ono lady old or young single or had over known him to express liis regard in any way that was not extremely decorous and formal flirt 1 hey would is soon think of a tombstone ori telegraph polo attempting to ellirt most of be majors in ile acquaintances carried scars on their hearts as results cither 0 attacks more honorable than judicious or of sudden by but koono could imagine the major lo 10 have sulT cred ny such ml il aap iap for jio not only mado no fancis but lie always retired precipitately within himself at the first hash of a pair of ayos leveled directly at him the was hat the bravo major was not only as modest as 1 model maiden but ho was painfully besides desire of his life was to marry lie was financially able to do but the important preliminary step of proposing was one he had never take until he had readied adult years ho had mot scarcely any women but liis two sisters to whom he had tried to be a father and upon whose rare purity and sweetness ho had based his ideas of womanhood loth married and went far from their old home so they could not help him to gain n difo by disabusing dis abusing him of his impression that nil women were too good for him tu glinton nearly every woman appeared a saint iio worshiped one after another although only one at a lime and his tn sacs were so correct eliat lie was obliged to change liis divinity about once in three months to avoid worshiping another mans wife old scar lieal cil and 1 delicious throbbing of lie heart told of n new dart that had found its way to liis heart lie vowed solemnly to propose at once and vary the dreadful monotony of having another man stop sto p in him and each time he delayed just for n day or a week or because ho feared too much or hoped loo wildly and every time he waited a little too long every lime but bouc for alien alic major met alice wall arson lie felt aliat to loc her too would be more than liis life could endure she was pretty as all women seemed to alio llio major alic was good and she was sweet the major was sure else hy were all oilier women unusually ond of her kest of nil sho seemed the most modest and bashful maiden in liis circle of acquaintance and through these qualities would bo able to offer him sympathy with feelings that all other people regarded smiles hut how should he propose being a woman her bashful nature inest be far doiy sensitive than his own so even if he were to nerve for the ordeal liow could ho be enough of a brute to inflict greater trepidation upon her if le loved her even were she favorably disposed toward liim he was sure eliat listening to n proposal would put her heart in a terrible tumult liow more dreadful would it be then for her to listen to him should she not bo favorably disposed lie know thai alic always looked at him favorably he felt that alio bad even been grateful to liim one evening when both at a party and both through timidity retired to thu asimo liala corner of the drawing room each innocent of the approach of the and each overanxious on meeting to show that the affair was a mere accident this was alie only basis of cliftons Clin tons hope and yet he had been disappointed so many limes hu could not bear to think of the failing now lie made several calls with alio intention of proposing but every timo lis courage failed liim besides mra A always ia the parlor of course he could not say buforo two what lie dreaded to say even a single bearer worse still miss nell ho was a brilliant brunette of alio irrepressible species could not avoid teasing him slyly at every possible opportunity and ho always lost his tongue under her onslaughts then he tried to propose in writing ami for a week of evenings he wiota steadily with no more satisfactory than 1 note to mrs allerson in which ho intended to his proposal chance finally came in play to his aid miss nell 33 one of a trio of girls who had devised a surprise party for a friend wrote to alio major about tho project and begged eliat lie would call and give her some assistance among their mutual ac among gentlemen As the major read her note a brilliant bought occurred to him whilo talking business miss nell certainly would not endeavor to tease liim his bashfulness never troubled him while talking with ladies on uny subject requiring common sense opinion and executive ability ho therefore bo able to feel nicase with miss xcell and niile in that unusual condition he would make a confident of her and osk her advice and assistance si stance lie would kiy to talk to her as if she were a man it might bo a experiment but lie felt equal to almost any degree of rashness when ho thought many times before he had 10 and failed so abc major went to the LODI on the appointed by mis mlis xcell with n stouter bicart than ho had felt outside of business loui louig g sinco the war ended ho arranged with the boim lady to biln nil lii malo frienda anil she rather confused her new view of alio majors diameter was most in nal atwon ta years of ny anil bains no older bior years was completely astounded by tho la jors cool could not help bior curiosity she looked nt tho major inquiringly quirin gly she dropped into and she said to bior mother alio cajoto tho door of the parlor ft moment about somo nal nfl air strictly of a family nature that mi glinton wai entirely from what alic had imagined him to be iut the major did not know this and tho business of the evening ended ho acan to feel lie old familiar cold sweat that had been iiii torment in ho of tho years before conversation had dropped to tho dead level of the national acid amy tho last new novel and Il rowna last volume of poem allot which very bid mis nell looked interested pretty and sentimental until tho major liala sho would bo her natural self for lie biad at last roused himself to alio llio combative state ami ho wanted to talk with her in the most serious manlier about her sister at ladt lie made a desperate effort and said miss I 1 called this even in onla on business but I 1 for a longtime wanted to say something to you nebout n mitter excuse ine just for a moment major interrupted miss yell the gas is hissin dreadfully won t yon in enough to acl jcl arn ert in sorry to say the major hastened to abc rescue lie heard n hissing noise as of alic escape of loo gai he could not lie sure which of the sk burners wa at so ho turned down one after another until alic noise slopped and the parlor was almost dark you arc very kind murmured miss yell as the major resumed hi scat near her alio blowing of gas is dreadfully annoying to the car by alio way you were saying hat alio major resisted a temptation to say 0 nothing of any ami said 1 I have been long alio most reverent adorer of a certain young lady who 0 major exclaimed miss yell tho idea of you being in lovo did you evens me miss said the major but no one is com to pas in opinion on my condition of igind but myself I 1 fully know my own feelings and merely fisli an opportunity to explain in such manner as bo most respectful 1 I beg buur pardon major said miss adl bow on glicr guard ll cae continue and believe no one here can doubt your sincerity alio majors bicart civo si mighty borud evidently this mischievous girl something and was willing to suppress herself 1 I have long been worshiping 11 lady whom I 1 would leavo been glad to mak my wife continued alie fijor if I 1 laid not feared hat my lovo and what else I 1 had to her would not seem compensation for what she would be obliged to give up 1 our docs vou lionor major said mias yell iu the kindest way in alic world thank you thank you said lie major hastily then you will understand why I 1 speak with dioro than my customary freedom mis wall arson I 1 was trained in my youthful days to lucli unquestioning reverence for woman as woman that I 1 feel almost like n when I 1 think of asking any woman for glicr hand and heart again major I 1 must arny that your ind delicacy do you honor said miss yell as demurely a if she had nc er any one in thank you thank you said tho major again 1 I would like first to explain my telf it I 1 may trouble you for a moment I 1 am I 1 believe an honorable man I 1 have a good business anil a good bank nc count 1 want to both and my life beside to the service of the sweetest woman that ever lived I 1 cannot expect her to love me is I 1 jovn her for she is nn angel and I 1 am only well only i man A true ann said miss yell stil as demuro as a parson is as good an any thing cle in the world even as good as a true woman do ou really think so ho major 1 I anut vou my will bill entirely according ly my in well the woman eliom 1 love you know very well no ono can know her better she is pure good sweet noble tender major major exclaimed mist yeii please dont contradict me on thi particular point said tho major 1 I really think I 1 know I 1 am sure I 1 do then said miss adl it would be very impolite in uio to contradict but really keally Kc ally said lie major I 1 am weighing my words most carefully caie fully ami mean all I 1 say I 1 want to oner her all I 1 am and have under any conditions sho may imjoo dont imagine mo impulsive or rash in this matter ann cnn the major extending both his lands in his earnestness 1 I w at for miss nell in accordance with glicr own ideas of what alic excited man was arving to say murmured enough fell upon alio majors and threw glicr arms around alio muford neck could the astonished man do would any gentleman do in lucli circumstances miss alice dipped into aliu parlor found it dark turned tho gas saw the couple and exclaimed 0 my her sifter looked up into alio majora face for a second then dropped aci brow on his shoulder and said 0 my and the major looking down at tin face before him now entirely empty ol 01 ami everything else but forgot all alio past placed his arms about the graceful legro eliat lestch aiu him and said 0 my and although ho lias boon married ten years ho never ha had reason to regret his mistake the lour sophia williams of philadelphia is a foreigner but that her from having husbands all alive and kicking because she has not received at least two divorces she is a practical too in a small way having tried to do away with her third better aalfs children by a former wife and now charged with to poison two ot her own oll tann give n fair field and no favors and there will bo no marketable husbands or children left la a cw |