Marion Marlowe's Disappearance, or, Almost a Crime — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

“What would you advise me to do, and do you think there is any such thing as true love in me? < ‘‘ JASPHR.”’ We admire the candor of your letter, Jasper. P - No, we do not think you incapable of true love. * It is merely that your character is undeveloped at present. Why not cease giving so much time and thought to the subject of sweethearts and employ * esi . ‘ your mind with other matters? Asthe years go by you will learn what you most requireina - wife,and when a girl that just ‘‘fills the bill” - erosses your path, you will no doubt love her truly and make her a good husband. We do not _ think the question of stature makes any differ- 4 ence, as a rule, in matters of the heart. Le 2 ae e ; : «Would you kindly give me a few words of advice. Iam a girl of sixteen, and this is my sec- ond yearin the high school. My class has made + wpa whist club, and my father does not wish me to attend, for my father says I am too young, and it brings me home too late. Now, will you _ please teil me if you think my father is right? Am Ito stay at home yearin and year out with- _ out any pleasures? FANNY B.” agi By the tone of your letter we should judge that you were very angry, Fannie? Now which do you suppose knows best what is for your good, _ yourself or your father? We judge by the spell- ing, punctuation and capitalsin your letter that _ your father sees a better way for you to spend ad evenings than in playing whist. An occa- . onal evening of pleasure may do you no harm, but you are entirely too young to set your opin- _ ion against your father’s. You have time enough _ for whist after you have finished your education, _ which in spite of your second year at high school, has been sadly neglected. We were obliged to make several corrections in your letter before we handed it to the printer. — “You find time to answer some letters from men, so I hope you won’t fail to answer mine. I - am deeply in love with a beautiful girl who is _ only fifteen years old. I am twenty-seven, and have a good position, and am able to support a marry me considering her age? Of course, I _ wottld speak to her parents first, as I realize that _ Ssheis very young for such a step, I would like a word of advice from you, though, if it is not too much to ask. ALBERT W., F.” We answer all our correspondents promptly, , and if you or any of our numerous readers find that there is any delay in the publication of their _ letters it is due to the fact that the letters must _ be in hand sometime prior to the date of pub- lication, and not because these interesting epistles _ are in any way neglected. Our readers will _ - understand that in the publication of such a large + €dition as “My Queen” requires, a great deal of _ and handling of the copies, despite the enormous - resources of the publishers. For this reason it is _ absolutely necessury that ample time be given . a a é so <, , y MY QUEEN. _ -wife. Would it be right for me to ask this girl to _ time is necessarily consumed in the mere printing © 29 the editor to prepare the material forthe printer’s hands, We are quite as glad to hear from our men readers as from those of the gentler sex, espe- cially when they write such manly letters as you have. The man who marries a fifteen-year-old girl takes a great responsibility upon his shoulders. Her character is unformed, her nature is unde- veloped, and her future is problematical. Her husband must be husband, father and lover, all at once. We think your idea of talking the mat- ter over with her parents first is a very wise one. We would also suggest that you keep on friendly terms with this very young girlfor at least a year or two, and allow her character to develop of itself. ‘CAg you have answered a good many letters in ‘My Queen,’ I write you this letter. 1 am a girl of seventeen and am very much in love with a young man who hasa trade and can make a liv- ing, but my parents want me to marry another man who ealls at the house to see my father, as he says. I like this fellow, but only asa friend. The first fellow does not want to be engaged for about two years, while the fellow that my pa- rents like would get engaged at once. I ask your advice because if I ask my parents they will say I should marry the fellow that I would not like for a husband. te Ade, We are of the opinion that the man your pa- rents have selected is the more desirable of the two, but we cannot understand their hurry to marry you off. Few parents care to lose their daughters so early, and surely you should be kept in school for some years longer. Why not drop all thought of marriage for a time? If these two men love you they will both be willing to wait, and perhaps in another year you will see things differently. “T am seventeen years old and I think IT am in love. There is a young man who lives on our block who has showed me marked attention, and I do think that he isa great deal nicer than any man Tever met. He has not said that he loves me, but I am sure he does, and that he only needs a good chance to declare his passion. How can I convince him that I am willing to listen to him, as he is very bashful? Kittin H.” If the young man has shown you ‘marked at- tention’? we would advise that you let him keep on showing it fora time, at least. You are too young to think of such serious matter as pro- posals and marriages. Have all the fun you wish with the boys, but leave anything else to your older sisters or companions. You have not had the opportunity to meet many men yet, and it is possible that in the course of the next few years you may find one who is even nicer than your present ideal. Do not be in haste to form a seirous affection for any man. They will come soon enough. “Tam a girl of sixteen years of age and have dark chestnut hair and large blue eves and have COomicbooOoks.com