"Marry Me!"

It's a mometnt couples will remember for the rest of their live: the marriage proposal. It commonly happens over a quiet dinner in a restaurant, in the glow of a setting sun on a waterside pier or in the privacy of a living room.

Throughout history, however, this tradition has not always been so simple or elegant. In South America a Uacari Indian wishing to marry had to show his prowess with a bow and arrow to prove he could support a family with fish and game. And in remote Alpine villages, some men still follow the old tradition of bringing their prospective bride an edelweiss that they've risked their lives scaling heights to pick.

In the practical 1990s, one might think the enterprising marriage proposal has gone the way of other lost traditions. Not necessarily. As the following stories attest, when the biggest question of all is at stake - "Will you marry me?" - the way in which it's asked can still astound and charm.

In March 1996 Caryn Markus, 24 came home one day and heard this message on her answering machine: "This is Susan calling from United reservations. I' m sorry to inform you that your flight had been postponed due to scheduling difficulties. We have booked you on a flight leaving Chicago 45 minutes later. Sorry for any inconvenience."

Aargh, Caryn thought. She was flying to Atlanta to visit her boyfriend, Rick Segall, 25 whom she' d met in 1989 at Northwestern University in Illinois. After graduation, Caryn had found a job in Chicago, while Rick eventually became a reporter with NBC in Atlanta. Over three years of long-distance romance, they'd racked up more than 40,000 frequent-flier miles.

That night Caryn called Rick. "The weirdest thing happened today," she said. "They canceled my flight and booked me on a later flight without even asking me."

"That's okay," Rick said. "Why don't you keep the later flight?"

Still peeved, Caryn called United the next day to switch to an earlier flight. The ticket agent put her on hold for a long time, then said that no other flights were available.

The day of her flight, Caryn boarded the plane and stretched out on her seat and the two unoccupied seats beside her. Shortly after takeoff, the plane's loudspeaker announced: "Caryn Markus, this is the captain speaking."

What's going on? Caryn wondered.

"We know you are expecting your boyfriend, Rick, to pick you up at the airport," the captain continued. "However, we regret to inform you that he will not be meeting you in Atlanta. That's because Rick decided to catch this flight to ask you a very important question."

Caryn then saw Rick coming toward her with a dozen roses and an ear-to-ear grin. Kneeling clumsily in th aisle, he extended his right hand. "Caryn," he asked, "will you marry me?"

Caryn couldn't stop giggling. "I can't believe this!" she said. The two sat together, talking quietly and laughing, while nearby passsengers craned their necks to see what was going on.

"How did you manage this?" Caryn asked.

"You didn't make it easy, "Rick said. Caryn's original flight had been too full to save a seat next to her, so he changed her reservations and got a co-worker to pretend to be a ticket agent and leave the flight cancellation message. When Caryn tried to alter the new reservations, the United agent noticed special instructions on her computer screen. Putting Caryn on hold, she called Rick, who prevailed on the agent to keep the secret.

The day of the fligth, Rick flew to Chicago and was sneaked onto Caryn's plane, where he sat in a back row behind a newspaper until he heard the captain's voice.

Somewhere above Indiana or Kentucky, Caryn said, "Yes." Then the captain's voice echoed through the plane again: "Ladies and gentlemen, can someone let us know how this thing turned out so we can land this airplane?" The passengers erupted in laughter and applause.

Caryn and Rick were married in 1997.

When Kathy Knickerbocker, 30, returned to her parents' home in California one day in September 1989, her mother told her to go upstairs "right away." On her bed Kathy found a black cocktail dress and a tape recorder.

Kathy pushed the play button and heard the theme music from the TV show "Mission: Impossible." Then a voice began: "Good evening, Kathy. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to follow the clues that will lead you to the strange and interesting man known as McFly."

Kathy laughed. He's at it again, she thought. She called her boyfriend, Erik Escher, McFly after a character in the movie Back to the Future, who, like Erik, had a colorful, original wardrobe. Erik, a creative graphics designer, was also endlessly imaginative in planning dates. But three weeks earlier, Kathy had decided to date other people as well, because Erik, 33, would not commit to marriage. It had been atough time.

At 7.30 p.m. there was a knock on the door. A chauffeur in a tuxedo daid, "Good evening. My name is James and I have your first clue."

He escorted Kathy to a red stretch limo. On the back seat were a dozen long-stemmed red roses, a bottle of champagne, an egg carton and an envelope addressed: "Kathy Jo, get a clue."

Indide were instructions. Kathy and the chauffeur proceeded to the restaurant where Erik and Kathy had first met. There, a man approached, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: "Kathy Jo, get a clue." He asked, "Who do you love?"

Following instructions, Kathy responded, "McFly is my guy!"

The man handed her another envelope. Its clue led her to a fast-food restaurant that the couple had often visited. The chauffeur took her to the drive-through window, where the cashier asked: "Who do you love?"

At this and every stop to come, Kathy would answer, "McFly is my guy." Each time, she would receive an egg and another clue.

One clue was in a jar of honey at Albertson's market. Kathy chuckled. Erik hated being called Honey, so it had been a big deal when he let Kathy call him by this pet name.

The final clue sent her to a ritzy eatery. There she saw a tuxedo-clad Erik at a table, a huge wire basket containing eggs in front of him.

"Would you mind putting all your eggs in one basket?" Erik asked. When they had agreed that Kathy would see other people, she had explained that she didn't want to put all her eggs in one basket as long as Erik wasn't ready for a commitment.

Erick asked her to open an egg. It had been hollowed, and inside was the word "Kathy." The next eggs read "will." The next: "you." By the end, through her tears, she saw a message reading "Kathy, will you please marry me?"

Her voice choking, she reponded, "Yes, Erik, I would love to marry you!" I know for sure I'd never be bored, she thought to herself.

They were married in July 1990.

After four Years of college, a loving romance was in full bloom between Karen Schifferle and Peter Stachowiak. Peter began pursuing an M.B.A., and Karen got a job teaching prekindergarten at an elementary school.

In October 1992 Karen planned a class Halloween party. She decided to dress as Cinderella, and Peter offered to put on a skit for the children.

The day of the party, 23 excited kids in costumes cut out Halloween decorations and sang songs. Soon there was a knock at the door.

There stood Peter, wearing a powder-blue tunic with navy-blue velvet trim and puffy sleeves, royal-blue tights and a plumed hat.

"Hey, boys and girls," said Karen, "Prince Charming is here!"

Pirates, witches and Ninja Turtles grew quiet as Peter showed them a purple slipper, sparkling with jewels and ribbons. "Whoever can wear this," he announced, "must be the real Cinderella."

The four-year-olds gawked as Peter tried the shoe on three different girls. Each time there was a chorus of disappointed as the slipper proved too big. Then they began chanting, "Try it on Miss Schifferle!"

Peter took the shoe to Karen, who sat on a child-size chair, wearing an old pink satin dress from her highschool prom. He slipped the shoe on Karen's foot: a perfect fit.

"Oh, my gosh," Karen exclaimed theatrically, "I must be Cinderella!"

As she started to stand up, Peter stayed down on one knee. Reaching inside his vest, he pulled out a gold band with a sparkling diamond. "Will you be my princess forever?"

Karen sat motionless. Finally it hit her, and she began to cry. "Yes, yes," she said, as the children stared, mesmerized. "Of course I' ll marry you!"

Married in July 1994, Karen and Peter have lived happily ever since.