Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

30 and then go up-town together. I have been cen- sured for this by my brother, who says that I am very foolish to be seen with a man in a down- town restaurant. Please let me have the benefit of your advice. FanniE F. B.” Your brother’s ideas on this subject meet with our entire approval. While a woman may very properly eat luncheonat a down-town restaurant in company with a business man, it should be be- cause she is there on account of business and not for the sake of pastime. Your calls on this man . seem to be purely social, and while you are doubtless perfectly innocent of a desire to do wrong your action is not well advised. It will in- jure the reputation of any young girl to be seen about a man’s office during business hours, pro- vided she has no legitimate business there, and he is nota near relative. Furthermore, no good business man mixes pleasure with matters of sterner importance, and your friend cannot be very substantial or reliable if he invites you to call upon him at times when he should be giving his entire attention to other things. Grace Shirley would advise you to cease calling on this man at his office and insist upon his call- ing on you at your home instead if he wishes to see you. —————E “T frequently go to the theatre with a young man who always wants me to go to supper after- ward. I have gone with him to a restaurant once or twice, but when we do I seldom get home be- fore one o'clock or later. My father storms about my coming in so late, but I certainly do enjoy our cozy little supper after the play. Is there any harm in my continuing to do this? I can’t see anything wrong in it myself, but would like your advice. MATTIE S. K.” There is nothing wrong in the simple act of eat- ing a bite of supper after the theatre, but we do think that late hours are very undesirable for - young girls, and your father is quite right. “T am distressed in mind, and I beg that you will help me! My lover and I have had a bitter quar- rel and’all because I say that McKinley will be re-elected, Have I nota right to my opinion? I have a far better education than my lover has, and as my father is a politician I have made poli- tics a study. If I were a voter I would vote for McKinley, not that I admire him personally, but I object to free silver. Kitty C.”’ It is a great pity that lovers should quarrel over something that neither of them can assist or prevent. One vote will not elect either candidate for the Presidency, so your bitter words will be worse than wasted. Can you not learn to disagree amicably on such trivial subjects? The President will be chosen as usual by the people, and thus far no one of them has done any particular damage. Why nob join handsin hoping for the heat man to win, and accept the outcome in the most graceful spirit. There are too many subjects more important to a young couple on the verge of matrimony—why waste valuable time in arguing politics? MY QUEEN. “Will you kindly answer the following ques- tion? Can two people live comfortably on twelve dollars a weék? Iam engaged to be married toa young man who earns eight dollars a week while I earn four. By putting our salaries together, do you think we could live in comfort? M, Er We do not approve of marriage on a financial basis. You do not mention in your letter whether you love the young man or not. We shall have to hear your sentiments and his, also, on this sub- ject before advising you. If you really wish Grace Shirley’s advice, you must tell me your age, your expectations and ambitions. ‘“‘Miss Shirley has answered so many letters from girls in so kindly a way that I feel sure she will be willing to give a man the benefit of her wisdom. I have been calling on a young lady for two years, and, while I have really nothing to complain of, I feel that I have utterly failed to interest her. She is nice to me, but never seems to prefer my society to that of any one else, and my presence or absence seemsa matter regarding which she is perfectly indifferent. Can you sug- gest a way in which I can arouse her interest in my sincere attentions? JAMES D. F.”? The young lady, we should judge, is as yet ‘heart whole and fancy free.’?’ The only way we can suggest by means of which the interest of another can be aroused is by making yourself of value to her. If you can make yourself essential to a woman, make your presence to an extent in dispensible, then you will arouse her interest and have the chance of that interest being centered upon yourself to the exclusion of.others. So long as you are only one of the average type, so long as you do not find any attention to show her that. other men have not shown, you cannot expect her to care any more for you than she does for them. ' Make a place for yourself and keep it. Then this young woman will some day realize that you are necessary to .her existence to an extent, Whether she will even then have any affection for you is a problem. Love never goes where it is driven, and seldom where it is coaxed. “T have accepted the attentions of a young man for three years to the almost total exclusion of other society. During all this time, while he has often talked to me affectionately, he has never spoken of marriage, It does seem to me that it is about time he married me if he intends to at all. Would it be unwomanly in me to speak to him on the subject? CLARA W.”? No, indeed, it would not be at all unwomanly, Let your suitor realize that you respect your own womanhood too much to alllow him or any other man to play fast and loose with you. The young man is probably afraid to assume the responsi- bilities of married life. Let him realize fully how small you think he is to absorb all your time and be unwilling to state his intentions candidly and freely, The man who will ask a woman to give to him all the companionship of her younger years without her receiving anything in return 18 a Eomichooks. com pie. as