Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-03-16
HIS cELlAHE0us.
NELLIE's LEAP-YEAR PROPOSAL,

":i5. EALLY, Catharinc, don't wonder at
&s Mary surprise at your behavior. You
forget that you Franks widow. You are
too forward"
hesituted a moment, really anxiou. TO
keep my temper, for | was Franks widow.
and the speaker was his mother
Forward !" cried Mary. '.Indeed, YOU
would have been shocked last night, mother.
There was MIR. Vance urging her to sing. and
acting as if Herbert Halstead was her oulv
friend, when it was only as married
Yes" interrupted Julia. "I think
mother, if you cant mako Kate realize that
she is married. with a daughter nearly six
years of ngc. you had bc,ter--"
'Seud me away" 1 broke in, unable
longer to control myself, Its not tho first
time that hint has been thrown out, and if it
were not for li;tIe Nellie, poor child, would
90 away to earn my living ct once You
drive me desperate, l declare l will marry
agnin and get rid of all this" and then
burst into tears
Marry again How will you do it? Oh.
yes! good joke :" cried Julia, with shrug
at my tears. Don't you see, Mary, it's leap
year J" and she laughed dersively.
who'll you ask % sneered Mary
'FIerbelt Haistead? Julia, you'd better
look out -
"Yon may speer," cried, checking my
tears, was now thoroughly angry. "But
tell you, if no one would ask me 10 marry
him, believe I shouId ask Mr.. HaIstead.
aud-he'd have nc!
1~had fairly taken np their own weapon.
of personalities which scorned. The mo,
meUt after. ashamed of myself ran to my
room to Put on Ey bonnet and get out of the
house. looked in the glass, as I put the
Grape bonnet, with its widows cap and heavy
veil on my head. I saw a face TO which
black was very becoming, though it was not
remarkably pretty face. It looked not
more than twenty-five, some say not more
than twenty; but was really over twenty>
four Married at eighteen to Frank Stevens.
l had been Pettcd wife for four years. now
widow Of two. The thought of the happi>
ness of the four and the loneliness of the
two, Es looked at the face surrounded by
Grape, made the tears come again but I
brushed them away resolutely and went out.
knowing that brisk walk would do me more
good than anything else. l went out with
out ny darling, my inseparahlo companion,
my lit:Ie baby girl, Nellie. This alone
showed how troubled | was. Truth to tell.
was too angry to trust myself with the little
one, who might have asked to have our COM
versatiou explained for she had been in the
room at the time. l could only hope that at
FIVE years old child did not understand mo.
Soon after left, my r,otherin-law AID
her daughters vent cut for ride. Thev in
vited Nellie to go, but she feeling, perhsps,
that they had not treated mamma we'll, 70.
fused. Soon the front door-bell rang. and
like all children, Nellie must run to see who
is there. SDe managed to open the door her
self, and there stood her prime favorite among
hot uIsT I'D ~
Halstead, or as she had called him since her
baby-hood, Uncle Herbert. He had been
her fathers ehum aud dearest friend. and
loved the child for Franks sake.
Ladies homo, Nell p
I'm home" she said, 'and de.s mamaIl
be in soon"
VERY we'll. Let's 60 in the parlor and
have chat"
Nellie sat in his lap, discussing the morris
Of cocoanut cakes apd sugar almonds a little
while; bat suddenly dropping her candies in
her lap, she ssked, "Wat's leap-Ieap-ls.p,
fordet. Do you know what's it ?"
Leap? leap frog? leap year1 l. that
"Yes. What i. 2"
"Why, it's year when you ladies' can ask
the gentlemen to marry you. Bat you see,
Nellie, you're too Jcuug-or wouIdn't you
ask me p
"Oh, mol woulJn't ask you. Mammals
going to ask you"
The young man nearly dropped the child,
and then folded her close 10 him.. lest per-
haps he should forget her again. 'sWbat do
you Dsa1, darling ?" he asked. "Nsw think,
Nellie, but don't tell UncIs- Herbert any
thing of yoTr own make up"
On, NO! really, truly, bless me, she's