Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

. “Do you object to advising a young man, Miss Shirlev? I am nineteen years old and am en- he ged to be married. The girl I love is very large and stout, she weighs nearly 200. I weigh only 98, and that is what is the matter. Don’t you ink I would be foolish to marry such a big girl, even if I dolove her? What in the world would Tdo if she should grow any bigger? I’d look fool- ish and feel foolish every time I went out with her. Of course, I want todo what is right. I <now she’d never get another fellow because of her size. Do you think I ought to marry her and be a martyr? JAMES L.”’ No, James, we do not advise you to play the “martyr,” but it is not altogether because of your sweetheart’s size, but because we are con- fident that you do not love her. Why, James, if you really loved her, you would be delighted to think there was so niuch of her! We are sorry for the girl, but we do not agree with you that she will never have another lover. We feei sure ‘that some noble, honest fellow will fall in love with her some day and be more than glad to marry her in spite of her superfluous adipose tissue. We fancy your soul is about as small as your body. At any rate, you are sadly lacking in moral courage. J have a very serious question to ask you, dear Miss Shirley, it is this: Cana girl love two men and love them both sincerely? I have never heard of any one doing it, but I confess that this is exactly my predicament. I love two young menand could be happy with either of them. Do youthink it better not to marry either, or ould it be safe for me to marry the first one hatasks me? I feel sure that they wil! both Nina B.”’ Your question does not impress us as being very serious. If you are so general in your affec- tion you might toss up acent to see which you ‘should marry. Apparently you are easily pleased jn the matter of a husband. For the sake of the young men, however, we trust you will not marry ‘either one. If they are honest young men they each deserve a good wife, one who will love _ them and them alone, with true, loyal affection. 4 a propose before long. “The girls in the school that I attend all enjoy athletics, and we recently organized a football team. We wear a suit with trousers like the boys wear forthe game witha short skirt over them that reaches almost to our knees. No one found any fault with our fun until this week when sey- eral of the more strait-laced people in the town ~~ eompilained to some of our parents that they thoughtit was immodest for us to go through the streets to the grounds where we play wear- — ing our costume. Won’t you let me know what you think about it? Erra W.” Dr. Mary Walker has worn trousers for years, ~ and she is a very estimable woman, still we have M never heard of her playing football. It does not —s- geem to tus to be objectionable at all, for trousers or -and short skirts are certainly very convenient and healthful. You did not say how old the girls _ in your school are, but if they are over sixteen we would certainly advise them to give up foot- ball. There are many other games just as health- ; , -; MY QUEEN. 31 ful, and far more graceful. I hope you girls have not been trying to kick the knobs off of the gate posts as you went to and from your play. Girls who imitate boys are sometimes given to these pranks, and in that event we do not blame the natives for complaining. ooo “This seems almost a foolish subject for me to write to you about, Miss Shirley, but I hope you will find time to answer me. The young man whom I am engaged to simply hates pet animals, Now, I have a pet cat that I raised from a wee little kitten, and I Jove her and all animals dearly. Frank is always teasing her and grum- bling if I pether. Ihave been wondering if a man with this disposition would make a good husband. It seems absurd sometimes even to me to think it would make any difference in our married life, but I have thought about this one trait of his so much that I want to hear what your opinion is. CARRIE S. 8.”’ We are very sorry indeed to Jearn of this trait in your betrothed. It shows a bad disposition to dislike animals, yet it does not always follow that a man will be unkind to a woman because of that traitin his disposition. Personally I would not havea man about who was unkind to ani- mais, and I’am inclined to think that such a man would be apt to make almost any woman un- happy. The poor animals suffer enough, and there is no one to protect them but ourselves. If we neglect this duty it seems to me that we are culpable and deserve, even if we do not re- ceive, some severeform of punishment. We do not blame you at allfor feeling as you do, and advise you to try and reform your lover, if pos- sible. ——~ ‘(Please answer this question and oblige a con- stant reader: Isit proper to allow a young man to put his arm around you when you are riding in the surface cars or elevated, or when you are coming home from Coney Island on the boat. I have allowed my escort to do so several times, and some of my girl friends say that it looks very silly. ITamin love with this young man and he isin love with me. Is there any harm in our showing our affection? LAURA,.”’ The habitof hugging in public is certainly very bad taste, and we agree with your friends that it also looks silly. {In the first place, unless the young man is engaged to you he has no right to embrace you at all,and you would be much more modest and ladylike if you refused to allow him such privileges in public. Embraces are but the demonstrations of holy affection. They should not be paraded before the eyes of the public. ‘Do you think it iswrongfor a married woman to engage in business? I have a desirable situa- tion offered me, and am tempted to accept it, but my husband objects so decidedly that I have doubted the propriety of my idea of working. My husband seems to feel that I have no right to ROL Ks and saysthat he will not live with me if O. ‘“We have no children and I would be glad of EO JOO! AMG LS} (CO)