The Art Of Proposing.

THE ART OF PROPOSING .

THE art of proposing , like the art of dining , is a matter of some importance to us all terrestrial atoms . Some of us may call to mind how Mr . l'ickwick sagely counselled Mr . Magnus as regards the former , and how Mr . llayward has eloquently dilated in

respect of the latter . Without , then , following in the track of that " immortal man , " Avho in his advice at Ipswich showed himself as shrewd as clairvoyant in all tltst re ' ates to so grave a question , I think it well to give the readers of the "Masonic

Magazine" to-day , and to some young friends of us all alike , a few hints , gathered from the experience of years , which may stand them iu good stead iu that alarming , nay , awful hour , of their mundane strivings , of their ephemeral existence . And as I

think that illustrations are of all things the most effective and convincing , alike to the feelings and mind of man , I shall seek to ' ' point the moral and adorn the tale , " by the personal history of an intimate friend of my own , during , as the poet says , '' those sublimated hours of a gander ' s existence . " My youthful crony , Walter Rumbold , who , notwithstanding some disparity of years ,

and difference of tastes , is a great chum and mate of mine , came to me the other clay with a long yarn , and a longer face . Rumbold , or as his friends all call him , " Rummy , " is a very good felloAV indeed in his way ; who , if he is not very bright , is

very true-hearted ; aud if lie isnot very sentimental is very straightforward . By the Avay , " en passant , " how oddly nicknames arise and arc handed on . W . M . Praed , many years ago iu the " Etonian" gave us an amusing essay on nicknamesand his

; pleasant words may be read as well , and are as true to-day as when first Avritten amid the busy crowd of Etonians . For it is very remarkable , as I said just now , how some one little incident or other will give a man an " alias , " for life ; not an " alias "

by which he is known by the gentlemen in Scotland Yard , like " blinking Jemmy , " but nevertheless an " alias" by * which he is familiarly hailed , recognized and welcomed , alike in drawing room and dining room , alike in billiard and in smoking room , alike at the cover and at the meet , amid a cheery circle of male associates , amid a laughing collection of female connexions

Once upon a time Eumbold's maiden aunt , Avho had a great affection for her nepheAv , aud from whom he had greater expectations , made a very memorable speech . Rumbold was going out very early * duck shooting , whereupon this cordial and devoted relative earnestly enjoined him to

take a glass of rum and milk before he started , "to keep , ' as that excellent and virtuous woman eloquently expressed it , " to keep the cold from your stomach , and the Avet from your feet . " From that hour , and that burst of aunt-like affection , my friend has answered to the name of

" Rummy ; " and I have no doubt that that name will cling to him until , as somebody says somewhere , he " shall shuffle off his mortal coil , " at least that , I believe , is the eovrect quotation . Not that my young friend , whoso real name is Walter , as I said

before , is at all given to imbibe Mr . Stiggins ' s favourite ' vanity "; but his nickname merely arises from the tiff' cting little incident in his early years to Avhich I have just adverted . Rummy came then to see me , as T just IIOAV observed , looking very much distressed and bothered .

" Hallo , " I said , " what ' s up ?" "What ' s up ? " he aus . vered , "I ' m A'ery down . " " What has happened ? " I repeated to him anxiously and energetically . " Have you , ' more juventutis ' , been dropping your tin on the Leger ? Are you keeping

racehorses , and have got a large bill for keep , & c , to pay ? Have you been losing at Vint John ? Or are you in love ? In the name of the 11 , 000 , are you thinking really of matrimony ? Well , Rummy , I had a higher opinion of you ?"

¦ ' Old fellow , " he said sadly , "I thought 'the last ' s the ticket ! ' Its all made up in the family bureau ; and I ' ve got to propose to the young Avoinan . And what I now Avant to know of you , for you know a heap of things , is , what I ' m to saywhat

, I'm to do ? I saw Jemmy Hope this morning , aud I spoke to him about it . ' Well , ' was his reply , ' Old fellow , I never did it but once , and that is to Mrs . Hope ; and all I said to her was , " I think you aud I had better set up shop together" and

; like a sensible girl , as she Avas and is , she calmly replied , ' '• I think so , too . " And so Ave squared up everything then and there ; proposing , kissing , and all that sort