al. Failing in that, the young
woman is faced with dismissing him or marrying in opposition to her
parents. There are, of course, unreasonable and obdurate parents, but it
is needless to point out that a young woman assumes a very great risk who
takes her future into her own hands and elopes. But even so, there is no
excuse for the most unfilial act of all--deception. The honorable young
woman who has made up her mind to marry in spite of her parents'
disapproval, announces to them, if she can, that on such and such a day
her wedding will take place. If this is impossible, she at least refuses
to give her word that she will not marry. The height of dishonor is to
"give her word" and then break it.

=THE APPROVED ENGAGEMENT=

Usually, however, when the young man enters the study or office of her
father, the latter has a perfectly good idea of what he has come to say
and, having allowed his attentions, is probably willing to accept his
daughter's choice; and the former after announcing that the daughter has
accepted him, goes into details as to his financial standing and
prospects. If the finances are not sufficiently stable, the father may
tell him to wait for a certain length of time before considering himself
engaged, or if they are satisfactory to him, he makes no objection to an
immediate announcement. In either case, the man probably hurries to tell
the young woman what her father has said, and if he has been very
frequently at the house, very likely they both tell her mother and her
immediate family, or, more likely still, she has told her mother first of
all.

=HIS PARENTS CALL ON HERS=

As soon as the young woman's father accepts the engagement, etiquette
demands that the parents of the bridegroom-elect call at once (within
twenty-four hours) upon the parents of the bride-to-be. If illness or
absence prevents one of them, the other must go alone. If the young man is
an orphan, his uncle, aunt or other nearest relative should go in the
parents' place. Not even deep mourning can excuse the failure to observe
this formality.

=THE ENGAGEMENT RING=

It is doubtful if he who carries a solitaire ring enclosed in a little
square box and produces it from his pocket upon the instant that she says
"Yes," exists outside of the moving pictures! As a matter of fact, the
accepted suitor usually consults his betrothed's taste--which of course
may be gratified or greatly modified, according to the length of his
pur