Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1856-01-31
LEAF .YrAR Avn rHE Ladies.

Leap year has come again, when, by long
esiablishe custom, ladies art privileged to
"pop the question:" Cmsiy Old bachelors go |
about in terror, giving a wide berth 10 every
pretty girl they meet, and blessing Heaven for
the invention Of hoops, which prevents the fsir
creatures seizing them pi ct armis. Sweet
little creatures, for whom coy swa ins have
long sighed in vAn, pluck up courage, and,
by few gentle hints, which are no longer
unlady-like, bring the modest youths to the
point. Maneuvering msmmas thanking their
stars that lesp'year comes once every four
years, but secretly wishing also that II came
every year look,for a fine harvest out OF bash
full lovers and hurry their daughters "into so.
cieiy'' that they may take advantage OF The
blessed time. Even papas, rubbing Their hands
in gee, rejoice over the privileges Of leap
year, as they calculate the annual cost of their
daug ghters and the cent per cent, they could
make out Of that money il saved. Lucky
leap -yeari Prcpitious lesp-year! The in
ventor of the happy custom ought 10 have
statute raised 10 him by the ladies'. Or, if the
inventor was woman-for we doubt our sex
having ssgscity enough for such o splendid
coup de main-tbey should honor her by
leap. year festival, ss the ancients honored
Ceres.
We have always thought il cruel 10 our sex
that they had 10 take the initiative in that
terrible process, "popping the question" 1t
is said that Henry the Fourth, when he car
ried Csbors, by assault, was ia such iremor
of sffright, il being bis first conflict, that he
fairly dropped his battle axe at the gale.-
But with all this physical fear he had brave
soul; so, picking the weapon up, he turned it
10 his troops, and crying "Cahors p struck
manfully at the solid doors. Al every stroke
his knees trembled, but still he cried 'Cahors.'
to stimulate his men, and still rsined his blows
on the IRON ribbed oak. Many poor iellow,
in "popping the question:" has had as hard q
struggle to keep up his courage. What sha
king knees, what chatteriDg teeth, what fut-
tering hearts, what choking IN the throat, what
peculiar and descrIble call. .overishness, -
seizes on the bravest, when he attempts, in
cold blood, TO "pop the question" 10 some
angelic miss, who is perhaps, secretly as
frighted as himself. II is only by crying 10
ones self. "Row or never; 90 il, old boy
: just as the great hero clied 'Cahors, Cahors.
that one can muster pluck 10 make the as.
| sault at all. Blessed, therefore, beyond all
olher mundane blessings are pc-nics, moon
$ light ranibles, and especially, cozy sleighrides
! for, some how, on such occasions, the question
often "pons" itself. Yes, out it comes, like
a champagne cork, that cannot stand il an,
longer. He is lucky dog who gets into thi,
s high pressure condition. Ham or beef, or ever
: pudding, may be taken cold, but popping
n the question" never. We would ss lief jumI
IS into the Delaware, when ice was making, al
/ "pop the question:" in set form Snd by delib
crate purpose. The whole thing is mon
u strous. The women, who have twice The lac
s. of our sex, ought to do this business for u.s.
s. They'll DO il, We hope this leap year. If W,
( were o bache lor, it would make our yer
mouth water 10 think Of sitting up 10 stall
Z. and have lots OF pretty girls "po1png tn
question" to US. All! the "good lime is com
l. ing"
rs Don't be prudish, ladies, we beseech you
" any longer. Malrimony is The best ccndiio
" for US brules Of men as we'll as for your cha rm
ing selves; and you will really be doing sci
Id vice by seizingsll stray bachelors Of this leap
year and impounding them in Inatrimony.--
ne Some old rogue once said that ma'rimony wa
10 like those wire-rat traps, where hollo
In cone, the big end out, invites the victim
enter, by the smell and sight OF toasted cheeS
q, within; but when he Stlemps 10 leave, III
ch sharp wires Of the little end Of the cone hiI
ed polniedy al the imposslbilty. The story
n wicked libel on mairimony, ladies', which
not a rat Trap, any more than you are toasit
or cheese. The man who don't know tina, ma
ng rimony is good for him is so faI forth dement,,
IN and the sooner he is put into The husband
straight jacket the better for him. You hn'
OF o presc,p,ive right 10 civilize our rougher n
be lures. Franklin aptly said that The sexes we
~. halves OF pair of scissors, aud ne either W
IN good for much without the other. Cbildrt
en- don't know wh,i is good for them, neither
ad We men always. So, as leap year is her
nd make an onslaught, one and all, on the bsc
;ss elors, aud lei il be as fierce as farm. W
e? makes on her poultry at christmas. It's /
hn destiny ofturkeys to be eaten, and Of men
ut, marry the girls. Forward march !-Phihd'
)le phia Ledger.