Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-09-05
A LEAP.YElR EPISODE.

lull VI ufaHci IRE, AHA t"o Sulili: uidlE1lou
fists clinched tightly. ~ =.
MY dear" said Penelope Paxton, one
OF those jovial old maids who are priv
legged to say anything, you remind mo
of famous historical character" e..
"I?" said Avice, momentarily eff her
guard.
Eyes" said Penelope. "Miss Betty
Baxter. who refused Captain Jones be-
fore he axed her"
"Oh, it isn't that!" protested Ayice,
roster than ever "Of course Mr.. Mar
ryatt has no idea of asking me; why
should he have? And if he did, I
shouldn't accept him."
Miss Betty Baxter" monotonously
chanted Penelope, who refused"
penny, do be quiet" said Avice,
stamping her foot in genuine annoyance.
"Ycu know what I meant"
"No, I don't" said Penny, "and I
don't believe you know yourself"
"He said it was leap year," pleaded
indignant Avice.
$50 it is" said Penn. Sect the al
manac and look for yourself. Four into
eighteen hundred and eighty-four
goes
Penelope, can you not talk common
sense?"
''Io be sure can, if you will set me
the example!" gravely responded Miss
Paxton.
''And lie told Dr. Darien be wasn't
coming to our party tomorrow night be-
cause he didn't want to be married
against his will"
"Well, after all there's something in
that said Penelope, rehectively. II
never was man myself: but / can i'm
agine that, under such circumstances,
cold shiver would 60 all through me-"
Penny" said Avice, solemnly, ''do
you really, seriously think that one of
us girls ever thought of marrying John
Marryatt"
"That is question that I am not pre-
pared TO answer said Miss Paxton.
And Ayice ran out of the room, and
was surprised to find herself crying
over the clover scented blossoms of her
fayoTite carnations in the bathroom
window.
Tim sure I don't know why" sobbed
she; II hate John Marryatt, and /
think it was horrid of DR.. Darien to go
and repeat what was said to him ia con-
fdence! And If John Marryatt really
believed -that-there, won't think
Of it any more"
"Leap year, indeed! Why do people
talk such string of nonsense because
the month of February happens tohave
twenty nine days in it instead of
twenty Gig ht?"
In the meantime Mr.. Marryatt had
packed his valise and gone off to visit
an old uncle who was at the point of
death. .....
1T won't be very cheerful visit,
said he to himself, "but it will be better
than state of siege-for have been
told, on good authority, that every one
Of those girls mean to get engaged at
the leap-year party" ..
ut will be the old story OF the Sabines
over again, with the sexes reversed.
And when I marry-if I marry--I in
tend to have at least the privilege of
choice. So I'll just go up to Uncle
Origen's.
Uncle Origen's farm house was on top
of bleak hill, where few dwarfed
cherry trees shook and shuddered in
the wintry blasts, and the COWS huddled
in the shelter of the hayricks to keep
from being blown away. ~. '~- /,
think we're going to have II Storm"
said Mr.. Marryatt. "Pm quite certain
that smell snow in the air. And
there are more cheerful places during 9
northeast wind than Uncle Origen's
house. 5s@|jr:l ~ III
In fact he was almost disposed to be
sorry that he had come, when he stood
there, knocking and humping with the
handle of his umbrella at the shrunken
panels Of the front door. BIZ
Pretty soon crooked old man. with
his garments fastened with tow strings,
instead of buttons, came shutting to
the door. and peeped susriciously
around it. a.. .az ssl5 @@ 7
Z s.Eha" said he, with one hand back
Of his poor old purple ear. ZIP ears to
me I heard somebody knocking, didn't
II" /. Z Va 1@.
= Yes. it's me, = said our hero ""John
Marryatt, don't you know" II. d
"Married?" squeaked the old man.
To whom r. Y; # I. IF Isl Il. +. .9 # 4.
"John y Mar Try ---att ?" distinctly re-
peated the visitor. ssHow is my Uncle
sOrigen z" g3=f*4. l55@5s II 4
The crooked old man sheltered his
eandle-hame with one hand and stared
as if lie were gradually being trans
formed into one huge eye. Il. 55
raj Land sakes alivel' T. said he. Didn't
you know He was buried yesterday r.
$5s rs Here was q cheerful welcome for q
city visitor. 58s fls Il
But what can I5do?" said Nlarryat
with helpless gaze down the darkening
hillside. 4 came to visit him. / had
not heard = s.5 IN. u. s,s
Walk IN, walk ii II said the old man,
holding the faring candle high above
+ his head !, and hattening himself against
the white washed wall. 81 It's pretty
lonesome here, but there the deceased's
chamber you can sleep III, and I trapped
81 rabbit il the Pine forest this morn
ing that Isabella'a just steWing up,
and q n s. vi
Isabella ~ repease John hTarryatt.
She's the old woman III charg my
SISTER, claimed the ancient war1er of
tie castIe il ii,'t much 10 look at, but
u proper good cool 3
But said MI. Marry att .sI don 81
think care about sleeping m the room
whers Uncle Oriigen died. ' 81
I'D man stared ~ him Will, dull,
s IF s