Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-08-29
TALES AND SKETCHES
a SHORT STORY 0F LEAP
YEAR.

It's all nonsense, said Royal Vane, loft.
ly.
He was sitting in the pleasant old fashion
ed drawing room, of pleasant old fashion
cd house with only the dancing glow of the
open wood fire to light up the cornice and
ceiling and group of merry girls gathered
around him.
Royal Nane was just twenty.six years old
one of those young men who believed
most implicitly in themselves, and are, con.
sequently, believed in by the world in gene.
| ral
But Mr. Vane's bevy of pretty consins evil
! IDENTIFY differed from him this once.
! Nonsense, is ~ said Barbara Dewitt.
Just wait and see, Master. Royal. Leap
! Year is a solid fact, you'll find, and no fic.
ton y
TO be sure added Anna Tighe, holding
! up screen between her plump face and the
fire. know ever so many old maids and
widows who have only been waiting for the
dawn Of the year 1868, to assert their new
rights and privileges
Royal looked from one to the other, a
little obviously.
Yes, and do you know added Mary De-
WITT in a mysterious whisper, there has
been regular list of bachelors and widow
ers printed for private circulation, and Roy
| al name is on IL j.
Have you got copy p demanded Vane
'Of course l have
Let me see it--theres a jewel
Indeed, no. said Mary, shaking her head
until the yellow curls danced like fairy feet
about her temples. Honor ramong-wOman-
hood All have to say is, look out for
yourself If you are not married before the
year is up, for one, am nightly mistaken !
Il can't very well be married against my
will, suppose2'
Can't you, though. There's no saying
what may happen, when two or three hun
dred energetic women make up their minds.
Royal Vane moved uneasily in his chair
and laughed forced laugh.
You really want to make me believe there
are women actually bold and unleminine
enough -
To demand their rights yes that is ex-
actly the idea wish to conveyp
Rights, indeed What do, you call their
rightY
Mary Dewitt glanced up at the clock.
Its altogether too late to begin to. night
on the vexeG and disturbed question of
woman's rights. Why, it would take us
hours to define our platform, wouldn't it,
girls 2 Take your hat, Royal Vane, and go
home and pray to your guardian saint, who
ever he may be, to protect you from all
maids and designing widowsr
Mr., Vane departed rather discomitted
by this novel view of the perils and dangers
of gay young bachelors life.
[ They can't be in earnest-it's only their
nonsense he muttered to himself, as he
strobe moodily along the streets but if
there should be any shadow of foundation
Me involuntsrilly wiped the cold dew
| from his forehead
Meanwhile the merry group of girls he
| had left behind him. were comparing notes,
very much to his disadvantage.
Hes conceited popinjay, if he is my
cousin said Barbara Dewitt and the way
he has treated Constance Martin is perecty
sgraceful-flirting with her until the poor
little thing was ready to believe him des-
perately in love, and then coolly turning
round to sun himself in the light of some
newer attraction =
Its shame said Annie Tighs. They
say Constance is just going into decline
More fool she, to let any man alive exert
such an influence as that over her, said Mary.
But you know, Mary, we're not all con
stituted alike chimed in soft-hearted Alice
Bruce.
We'll, at all events, he ought to be
punished for tri1ng so cruelty with her af.
fections, said Barbara.
And he shall be = pronounced Mary De.
witt, with an emphatic nod of the yellow
curls. Come, girls, here's an opportunity
to avenge the wrongs of our sex. Just all
of you keep still-stop whispering, Alice
Brucs-and I'll tell you the incest idea that
ever popped into an eighteen year old headl
And to rapt and listening audience
Miss Dewitt sketched an outline of action
that would not have discredited Bismarck,
self
Royal Vane was sitting in his Office. the
next afternoon, smoking a very excellent
cigar and leasurely looking over pile O
legal documents, when there came desc