The young lady may with
equal advantage make a brother, an uncle, or some good middle-aged
married man the repository of her love secrets, her hopes, and her
fears.

4. _Declarations._

We shall make no attempt to prescribe a form for "popping the
question." Each must do it in his own way; but let it be clearly
understood and admit no evasion. A single word--yes, less than that,
on the lady's part, will suffice to answer it. If the carefully
studied phrases which you have repeated so many times and so fluently
to yourself, will persist in sticking in your throat and choking you,
put them correctly and neatly on a sheet of the finest white note
paper, inclosed in a fine but plain white envelope (see "How to
Write"), seal it handsomely with _wax_, address and direct it
carefully, and find some way to convey it to her hand. The lady's
answer should be frank and unequivocal, revealing briefly and modestly
her real feelings and consequent decision.

5. _Asking "Pa."_

Asking the consent of parents or guardians is, in this country, where
women claim a right to choose for themselves, a mere form, and may
often be dispensed with. The lady's wishes, however, should be
complied with in this as in all other matters. And if consent is
refused? This will rarely happen. If it does, there is a remedy, and
we should have a poor opinion of the love or the spirit of the woman
who would hesitate to apply it. If she is of age, she has a legal as
well as a moral right to bestow her love and her hand upon whom she
pleases. If she does not love you well enough to do this, _at any
sacrifice_, you should consider the refusal of her friends a very
fortunate occurrence. If she is not of age, the legal aspect of the
affair may be different, but, at worst, she can wait until her
majority puts her in possession of all her rights.

6. _Refusals._

If a lady finds it necessary to say "no" to a proposal, she should do
it in the kindest and most considerate manner, so as not to inflict
unnecessary pain; but her answer should be definite and decisive, and
the gentleman should at once withdraw his suit. If ladies will my "no"
when they mean "yes," to a sincere and earnest suitor, they must
suffer the consequences.

7. _Engagement._

The "engaged" need not take particular pains to proclaim the nature of
the relation in which they stand to each other, neither should they
attempt or desire to conceal it. Their intercourse with each other