("An interesting incident occurred during the official reception held by M. CARNOT at the Mairie.  A child dressed in the Russian national costume presented the President with a bouquet, at the same time reciting a brief complimentary speech.  M. CARNOT smilingly embraced the child, saying, ’I embrace Russia.’”—­Quoted from Daily Papers.)]

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WHY YOUNG MEN DON’T MARRY.

DEAR MR. PUNCH,—­The reason is obvious.  It is entirely owing to your advice to those about to marry—­Don’t!  I myself have been on the brink of proposing to several thousand delightful girls, a large per centage of which, I am convinced, would have gladly accepted me.  I have in every case been restrained by the recollection of your advice.—­Your obedient and obliged Servant,

HUGH ADOLPHUS LATCH-KEY.

Sept. 5, 1892.

DEAR MR. PUNCH,—­The reason (which I confide to your ear, and yours alone) is obvious—­the girls don’t, and apparently won’t propose.  Of course they ought—­what else do we have Leap Year for?  Take my own case.  I am genuinely in love with ETHEL TRINKERTON, who has just been staying with us in the country for three weeks.  She has paid me every kind of attention.  In our neighbourhood, if A. carries B.’s umbrella, where A. and B. are of opposite sexes, it is regarded as an informal, though perfectly definite way of announcing an approaching engagement.  She knew the custom, and carried mine on no less than three occasions. (It is entirely beside the point that it rained heavily each time.) Yet she left us yesterday without an approach to a proposal.  She’s fair enough herself, but is her conduct?  It isn’t as if I hadn’t given her enough chances.  It cost me a small fortune to bribe my small brother to keep away; and, time after time, I’ve consented to sit alone with her in the summer-house.  It isn’t as if she couldn’t afford it.  They tell me she has at least a thousand a-year in her own right (whatever that may be), which would do capitally.  I happen to be penniless myself; but, as I heard her say, her idea of marriage was the union of “soul to soul,” my want of a few paltry pence could hardly matter.  It’s particularly humiliating for me, as, after the repeated umbrella-carrying, everybody here thinks it’s all settled.  That, Mr. Punch, is the reason why, at any rate, one young man doesn’t marry.

Yours, thoroughly aggrieved, BERTIE COOL-CHEEK,

Pickleton-in-the-Marsh, Kent.

P.S.—­If ETHEL really didn’t understand her position, and would like to reopen the matter, I would not be haughty about it.—­B.  C-C.