Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-04-25
HOW MISS PH1pPs BECAME MRS. PHILLIPS
ALEAP-YEAR STORY.

LEAP-YEAR STORY.
Authors and artists have imposed some
most ridiculously untruthful types of charac-
ter upon us. For example, what is the con-
ventonal notion Of the old maid Thanks to
those unchivalrous caricaturists, the phrase
suggests q picture of lady with figule like
ramrod, and face like winter apple-a
apple-reserviDg her small remnant of
sour milk of human kindness for her cat as
afraid Of the men as Horace's Chloe and
feasting like ghoul upon the mangled repu-
tations OF her youthful sisters.
Well, now, my reader, look around your
circle of acquaintances, and tell me honestly
how many of such vestals you can find. /
never met with one, and with your permission,
will introduce you to little body who is the
very opposite of that abominable portrait
my friend, Miss Rhoda Phipps.
AS plump as a partridge, as blithe as ma
Wis, bright-eyed as robin-such is Miss
Phipps, as, on the last night of 185- she sits
in her doll's house of cottage, in Pogis Par
va, with her elder sister, Harriet, rtaining
tiny party of village friends.
The topic of conversation is a Mr.. Phillips,
shy autumnal bachelor, who has recently ia
ken up his residence in Pogis. So very shy
is he that he has had his pew in church screen
ed, not only in front, but also at the sides,
with lofty curtains, above which, when he
stands, up, the top of his head can just be
seen by his worshippers, and behind
which, at the close of the service, he remains
perdu until the church is empty, having taken
care to be the first to enter it. All the week
long, he never stIrs from his own premises,
which he would seem to have selected for the
sake of brick-wall and a high hollyhedge,
which shut them in on all sides.
The rector is the only person who has visited
him, and he reports that Mr.. Phillips is an in
telligent and well-in-formed, but most ridicu-
lousy nervous man, with perfect horror of
woman-kind. His servants, to whom he rare
ly speaks, can give no further qualification to
their village gossps curiosity about him, but
that be spends the day in reading in his study,
or moplng in his garden and that they often
overhear him walking up and down his bed
room at night, talking to himself.
Here is mine of mystery for speculation
Our ladies, for the most part, are very unchar-
liable in their coDjectures. The rector'S wife
believes him to be concealed atheist. Why
cannot he show his face at church, she asks,
like decent Christian Mrs. Squills, the
surgeons spouse, suggests that night-walking
and talking point to remorse for some great
crime-perhaps murder. Swindling finds
more favor in the eyes of Mrs. Brown, the re-
tired tradesman's wife. She would like to
know whether Phillips is his name, and how
he got his money. s.Perhaps he's a coiner,''
whispers, in an awe-struck voice, her daugh-
ter Belinda, great reader of romances.
Miss Harriet Pnipps, who is suspected of
having had love-affair long ago, is the only
one who is not censorious; she hints that
blighted affections may have caused his mel
ancholy. But this compassionate hypothesis,
in common with all its unkind predecessors,
Aunt Rhoda scornfully scouts. In her opin-
ion, the man is merely absurd hypochon-
driac old bachelor, who has grown half silly
through living by himself, and having one
else to care for; and, as usual, sharp sighted
little Aunt Rhoda, is right. She declares,
morcoyer,t that she will rout him out aud make
him take wife, and do some good IN the viii
lage, instead of haunting his house like sell
fish old ghost.
ssWhy not ask him yourself, Aunt Rhoda ?''
says Miss Brown. "Next year is leap year,
you know.s'
"Well," laughs Aunt Rhoda, 'if can't
manage it any other way, miU.'
''Oh, Rhoda !" exclaims shocked sister Har-
riet.
Thus they sit chatting until the BELLS burst
out with their joy-peal at the birth of the new
year, when with many expressions of surprise
atthe quickness with which the time has flown,
they give each other the customary greeting
OF the iour and when the visitors clog and
cloak, and scatter to their homes, the rector's
wiie tossing her head contemptuousy when
she meets the Methodists coming out of their
''"atch nght' service IN their little meeting
house, IN manifestation of scorn. / cannot
sympathizc with Mrs. Rector, there seeming
10 me 10 be deal of solemn poetry in that
rite. The few minutes before midnight. pass
ed kneeiing and in silence, whilst the clock
ticks audibly in the hushed chapel, as if it
were the heart of the dying year fast fastening
TO its final throb, struck me, when once wit.
messed the service, as being about the most
thrilling time 1 ever spent.
Leap-year is not three days old, when in
company with Mrs. Squills, Aunt Rhoda pre-
sents herself at the gate of Holly Lodge, and
requests to be ushered into the presence of its
owner In vain does wondering John, the
Jahitor, inform her that "Master don't see no.
oody, MISS" He must see her, as she has
come on business. But when they are seated
IN the drawing-rooua, comes request for the