Connecticut western news., 1876-03-10
LEAP YEAR OPPORTUNITY.
The Young Women of St. John Use their Privilege.-.A Social Gathering in which Usage was Reversed.

The Young Women of St. John Use their
 Priviiege---A Social Gathering i'm which
 Usage was Reversed.
 A leap year party was held in house in St. John, N. B., one night lately. About dozen ladies, including four or five from Portland and Carleton, had charge of the affair. They invited fifteen or twenty other ladies and about thirty young men. The invitations to the latter were printed, true love knot gracing each corner of the card. The invitations set forth that "the pleasure of MT. company is earnestly requested at leap year party to be held in Mrs. .'s, - street, by number of mar riageable young ladies" etc. The young men were more than little surprised on finding at the house young ladies with whom they were well acquainted, so well, indeed, that gossiping tongues have had it that there were many "matches among them. The folding doors between the reception room and another elegant ly furnished apartment were soon opened; one of the marriageable young ladie, commenced to play Men delssohn's "Wedding March" on the piano, and each of the remainder of the ladies was soon inquiring "Are you engaged for this dance pit having been previously announced that dancing would form part of the evenings enter tainment. At it's conclusion the ladies marched their partners to seats, leaving them with polite bows. Then one of the ladies walked slowly up and down the room, and the others began singing {: "Here comes the queen of Dover; she has lately come over; and let her be offended or no; if she be not offended she will be we'll attended by all the re- spect that we owe, we owe, we owel" Then "the queen" selected young man from the company, and both walked up and down the room while the others sang: Here are the king and queen of Dover," etc. Then another lady walked the floor, the first song was re- peated, and she selected gentleman to accompany her through the room. And so the play went on until all hands were promenading the floor. When the young men were being bowed to their seats this time it was proposed that the ladies should kiss them. All were agreeable to this except one pretty damsel, who de- clared: "I won't; I never kissed any person except mamma in my life. !" Sooner than that the play should not be carried out she consented to allow the gentleman who had marched with her to kiss her. ......... ...... Immediately after this one of the young men was the victim of cruel joke. 1t was thought that another dance was to be calledon. He was approached by a lady-a sister of his .'girl"-who asked "Are you engaged ?" "No," he replied. "Will you take me for 8 partner2" further queried the lady. e Certainly" was the answer. Then she turned to the rest of the company, and, with an air of triumph, exclaimed l: ssDid you hear that2 He has agreed to marry me-" The ladies all said they had heard him make the engagement. The young man was bewildered for 8 few moments. Then he tried to explain that he had only promised to be her partner in the dance. She declared that she had not mentioned anything about 8 dance, but had popped the ques- tion" fairly and squarely. He was given till that night week to make up his mind as to whether he would carry out his engagement, and all the others voted that, if he did not marry her, she should kill him, as did an American girl a young man who refused her offer of marriage lately.
 It was next proposed to play "post- ofice." The folding doors were partly closed, and the ladies got into the back room, leaving the young men in the front. The former then in turn an- nouncea "I have letter for you" One by one the young men entered the back room and were required to pay postagein kisses for piece of paper on which was written" love you" This was followed by .'spin the plate, "kissing pigeon fashion," measuring love ribbon, " cherry picking" during which about dozen of promises of marriages were made.
 The party was brought to close with an amusing incident. One of the ladies had shown desire during the whole of the evening to have few moments con- versation with certain young man. He was put on his guard by lady friend, and managed to give the anxious one the "cold shoulder" for three or four hours. While he was resting in chair in @ corner, away from the rest of the com pany, she drew a chair alongside and seated herself upon it. He was satisfied that she intended to pop the question (so he said afterward), and he was de- termined not to give himself away cheaply.
 Have you not been in the market yet 2" she said.
 He pretended not to understand that she meant the matrimonial market, and said: "No; but I believe the common council intend having the new building ready for the butchers early in the sum- mer."
 "I don't mean that," she said. "To be plain. do you always intend living in that boarding house 2"
 ' Do you mean to say that it is not a getting three good meals daily, we are And the board is cheap"
 To her question: ''Dont you intend getting partner9" he replied: The dancing has finished for the night."'
 She began anew: twill you have me
 for"-
 "A partner in the first dance at the
 next partya" he broke in; "why, cer
 tainly."
 < You stupid thing, will you marr.
 mel ....
 eff I had the power," he said. "ant
 you came to me, it would afford m'
 great pleasure to marry you-to even m,
 own brother"
 She left him in disgust, and in fey
 moments the ladies were " seeing home
 the gentlemen. .
 A Farmers Home.