Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-01-20
Ladies' Law OF Leap Year.

The advent ofthe leap year season has
nad the effect Of again starting the in
quiry as to the origin of the custom
which allows women during leap year
to assume privilege which, during the
other three years, is the sole prerogative
Of men.
The privilege of ladies choosing their
is thus explained in work
"Love, Courtahip and Matri-
monie," London, 1905. "Albeit it is
move becamea part of the common lave
In regarde to social relations of life that
~ often as every bissextile year dothe
return the ladyes have the sole privilege
during the time 1t continueth Of making
love unto the men which they doe either
by words or lookes as to them it seemeth
proper and moreover, no man will be
entitled to the benefit of clergy who
doethe in any way treate her proposal
with slight or contumely." The above
seems to establish beyond cavil their
right to reverse the accepted order of
things, at least. once in four years.
From time immemorial there has exist
ed legend to the effect that in leap
year the customary regulations of court
ship be reversed, and offer of marriage
proceed from the fair sex to the male
objects of their affection. We do not
read that this privilege has ever been
taken advantage of to any great extent
by the ladies; but the tradition is as
strong in the minds of the people to day
as ever and it bids fair to be transmitted
in unimpaired freshness and force to the
latest generation. This being the case
It logically follows that there is pech-
liar idea Of the inherent fitness Of the
{pht 9TH T. H. I'D ant
ages ago, if there we're not deep down in
the human heart q conviction that the
iacies have some natural rights in regard
to the choosing and wooing of a partner
for life. Were 1t not for this feeling this
leap year tradition had long since been
forgotten.
As women have not to any great ex-
tent awaited themselves of the privilege
Of popping the question:" we are un-
able to say how they would do it, but it
is safe to say they could scarcely do
worse than many men have done, as the
following will prove: An Irish girl who
was very anxious that her scatter-brain-
cd brother should not be refused by q
young English woman with whom he
was desperately in love, implored him
to propose with the seriousness becom.
ing the occasion. He vowed he would
behave as ii he was acting as chief
mourner at his fathers funeral. And
actually took his lady love after church
to see the family vault, and there in q
sepulchral voice asked her. "If she
would like to lay her bones beside his
bones?" It is enough to say she agreed.
It may be interesting to- the young
ladies who are not already aware of the
important fact that leap year empowers
them to do something more than "pop
the question" Notes and queries for
1855 contains the following: ''lfa young
lady should 90 far forget herself as to
suggest union between herself and q
bachelor acquaintance, who should be
uncivil enough to decline her proposal,
she could thereupon demand from him
the gift of new silk DRESS But to claim
this dress with propriety, she must at
the same time be the wearei of scarlet
petticoat, which, or the lower part of
which, she must exhibit to the gentle
man, who by the law of leap year is
bound to present to the lady silk dress
to cover the scarlet petticoat, and as
suage her displeasure at the rejection of
| her proposal"
This item of feminine folk lore may
prove exceedingly useful to the male
readers in putting them on their guard
during the year. For it is not probably
without determined significance that
the wearing of red petticoats is made
one Of the chief novelties of ladies dress
during the winter season. In fact it
may reasonably be inferred that the
ladies' law of leap year isabout to be in.
fiicted upon the gentlemen in its most
expensive silk dress form.
From the above it can readily be seen
that those vacillating bachelors who
have managed for years to steer clear OF
hymen's tolls, will be made to play or
pay.