St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-13
4 LEAP-YEAR STORY.
E'Minimum" in Inter Ocean

the lawn of the farmhouse. Mr. Coleman
was reading a stock paper with absorbing in
terest, but he put it down on his knee when
his wife spoke. "Well, ma, what's to pay"
She looked at the stout, handsome man sit
ting in the great outdoor chair, then glanced
off as if to take in view of the substantial
evidences of wealth about her before she
spoke.
Arthur wants to go up to Chicago this fall
to the Douglas university"
"To the Douglas university" repeated Mr..
Clinton slowly, wiping his forehead thought
fully, then folding his paper up into tight
roll and abstractedly giving it to rat ter
rier rolling on the grass beside him. Presently,
"Art's good boy"
"And a smart one," said the mother.
$50 he thinks he hasn't got schooling
enough YETI"
"No. Grandview academy does not give
him all he wants. Said the mother proudly.
At this moment the young man came
around the corner of the house, swinging his
big straw hat and whistling.
Father, we've finished tine lower eighty"
he said, coming up; "shall we begin on the
upper meadow this afternoon"
"When does the fall term begins" asked the
father, with a shrewd twinkle.
Arthur's face colored. "Now, mother" he
protested, "you've been telling"
"Why shouldn't she!" asked the father,
with touch of sternness.
mo reason, sir, except that 1 hate to have
you do any more for me before am of age"
"And when you are q you would go to the
university anyway, you boy? Sit down and
let's talk it over. 1t seems to me you bet
ter get done what you want with the book
ing, now that you are in for it. You finished
the academy in June, and now you want to
go up to Chicagop
dyes, sir"
"And learn to be q third-class lawyer or
fourth-class doctor, or fifth-class ribbon
aeller-something of that sorta"
"No, sir"
"What, them"
"I want to take the four years. course,
paying particular attention to natural science
in all its branches, to surveying, too,
and"
eyes, yes, but what have you an idea Of
being?"
Arthur hesitated a moment.
"Speak out, my son."
"a farmer who sees the beauties as well as
the uses of things" he said.
Mr.. Clinton wiped his spectacles and gazed
at his son in mock astonishment.
"You want to go up to Douglas place and
learn astrology and deuteronomy and what
not and then be a. farmer here on the old
place."
THAT'S what I want.p
"And you amt afraid your much learning
will make you mad and spoil you for running
the mower or looking after your ditching and
your young calves9"
"Now, pa" put in Mrs. Clinton, "hasn't
the boy tended to everything always, and
when you had that poorly time last spring
didn't he work early and late to see that the
men did everything right, just when he was
getting ready to graduate at the academy,
too"
The great dinner bell rang and Mr.. Clinton
looked around for his paper. Arthur turned
and walked toward the house. His mother
looked up interrogatively.
dts all right" nodded Mr.. Clinton, though
he did not say.
There was one incident of Arthur's first col
lege year which later in his life stood out very
vividly before him. It was leap-year party
to which his prettiest classmate Miss Stella
Flower, invited him at her own house. She
really liked the shy, clever student, but was
amazed at the ease and savoire faire he ex-
hibited in her mothers parlor, fancying
as well how to manage his hands as his
brains.
So, invited in half-patronizihg kindness,
Arthur found himself in the midst of vague
impressions of delight and sense of up-looB-
ing on Miss Stella's part entirely unanalyzed
by both, but sweetly interesting and full of
charm.
II didn't want to have leap-year party"
she confded to him just before he went
away, "but somehow or other the idea seemed
to haunt me- and mother said better give it
and get the silly thing off my mind" She
added half doubtfully, at has gone very
well, but never mean to have anything to
do with leap-year again"
81 wish you would" said Arthur, calamity.
"Well," she said, gayly, maybe I will
next leap-year. 1 shall be out of school
then"
$50 shall l." said Arthur.
"Now we are flirting" Stella grew serious.
II think that is sillier than my Ieap-year
party in school term"
"But it's Saturday evening"" said Arthur,
eXcusing her to herself, as he bowed good
night and took himself to his lodging to get
in an hour of neglected study before mid
night. For he was an eagerly industrious
student, as are nine-tenths of the farmer lads
who turn their heads to books. His splendid
physical development made him champion
in athletic sports. In his second year, his
father, proud of his boys advancement, al
lowed his anxious mother to give him
yacht, $50 that he would be sure not to
fail of enough exercise" The possession of
the white-winged Daisy made Arthur hero
with the seniors while yet sophomore; and
particular object of attention from the
young ladies pursuing their higher edu-
cation in various college classes, except
Stella Flower. This young lady pur-
sued the even tenor of her studious way with
no apparent notice of the sturdy young coun-
trylnan. She had seemed kind to him at
times during their mutual freshman year.
She had even seemed pleased in their early,
sophomore days to let Arthur carry her
books up to Vernon avenue; nor had she
seemed dsagreeably surprised when on di-
vers autumn mornings she found him walk
ing in her street at school time when she
started for her walk to Douglas place. She
took his explanation Of being "out for exer-
else" in simple good faith, nor ever seemed
to reflect that he had probably come up on
the street-cars from the neighborhood of his
boarding place in Twenty third street.
But "the light that never was on sea or
land" seemed gradually to fade off the lake
and the college campus when Arthur got his
yacht:
Miss Flower seemed disposed to give up all
claim upon her friend since her right of dis
covery of his merits was encroached upon. If
other college young ladies found him a
charming companion on the Daisy, they were
welcome to him with the yacht. She would
not go out on the lake, and if Arthur ex-
hibited indications of desire to walk home
with her she ANTICIPATED him with notice Of
IN urgent errand i'll Cottage Grove avenueor