HOW BASHFUL WOOERS WON THEIR WIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 41, 13 March 1909, Page 3

HOW BASHFUL WOOERS WON THEIR WIVES.

11' ever a woman understood thai poor creature, a man in love, it was surely tlie immortal Mrs. Todgcrs when i,lic dclivered herself thus: "Men are so much mure tiiniil llwn we think em, my dear. , I hey haul!; themselves continually, i saw tue words on Todgers's lips for months and montlH before lie said 'em. l»n g.ve .\lr. Muddle a little cncouragcliiem, and he'll speak fast enough, depend upon it." And if ladies only knew the mine agonies their lovers sometimes undergo lictore, in desperation, the la lend words are. blurted out, a little ciniricable encouragement would more often be foxthconiinjr. It is one oi life's little tragedies that this fact, so seldom dawns on them. "1 liiwl 'began to think that Maurice must be fond of me," said one of these lluniglitless ladies, "when he became so very low-spirited, lie used to eome and sit lor hours and do nothing but irroan or hold his head iu hits hands, i thought U must be toothache, and was oil Ihpoint of offering him remedies for it " Silly girl! It was heart-ache all the lime.

NEW USE roil "POOR PUSSY." Ihere is something pathetic, as well as amusing, in the straits to which baanful wooers are soim-times driven, all lor want of a little timely encouragement and help. For .months a dillidJiit swain had tried in. vain to nerve himself ior the fateiul question. One day as tick would have it, hu found his "ladylove seated by i| H . m e, knitting stockings, with a line mbby at her feet. After a long and painful silence, a happy inspiration seized him. Taking the cat on his knee, he stammered out, "Pussy ask Lizzie, if she'll marry .me." "Pussy" promptly retorted the blushing Lizzie, "you can tell Jantie that I'll tak' him " Another bashful wooer found the necessary inspiration in a prayer-book. «hieh he, handed, open, to the lady of his heart, with the words, underlined. »|lt thou have, this man to be tliv wedded husband'-" In a moment the hook was back again in his hands with the required answer underlined, "I will." THE PROFESSOR'S BLUNDER. Even widowers, with considerable experience of woman und her ways to assist them, do not always, liud the path to a proposal one of roses. When Prolessor llaldane, of St. Andrews, had chosen the successor to his departed -pou.se, he said no word to her, but set to work to refurnish his house, and invited the lady to inspect the nest lie had prepared for her. She was delighted. •It i* just perfect," she exclaimed in her enthusiasm. -\a, ,„,,'• stammered the, proie.ssor, whose opportunity was at hand. "It's not perfect. It canua. be that, while there's one thing wanting." ""hat is that';" asked Miss Kane, in allccted innocence. The professor caught up his hat and, as he made for the door, answered, "Eh, dear me, it's not ucrlect. It canua be till it's got—a sideboard!" The. poor man's courage had failed him at the last moment.

iloru successful was the lover who, alter repeated failure to propose in person, hit. upon the happy idea of presenting his fair lady with a phonograph and a number of cylinders. The lady's confusion aiul possible delight may "be pictured when, on trying one of the records, she heard a familiar voice entreating her, iu impassioned tones, to be his wife. How the answer was returned we know not, but that it was "Yes" is certainly "on record." HINTS TO SHY LOVJiKS.

Equally cdl'ectual and unconventional was Daniel Webster's method of winning hits wife. "One day, when kneeling before his lady-love, he suddenly dropped tlie skein of silk she was winding oil' his hands, and made, with a. piece or tape, a true Lover's knot. The lady completed it, and a kiss sealed the bargain." Even the tongue of gossip lias been made to help a bashful wooer out of his dilemma,. "Do; you know," said Si/ Alexander Dull' (.Jordan to the lovely -Miss Austin, "people are saying that we are going to be marriedV Sliall"—he stammered—-"shall we make it true!" And, of course, she entered into the conspiracy.