Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-19
RANDOM NOTES.
Leap Year and the Privileges 1t COnfss UPOr
WOmankind.
The LEHTEH SEASON UPON Us
What Wheeling Society Has Done the Past
Six Days
And PROMISES FOR The FUTURE.

AND PkUml0E0 FUN lnE foiohn'
Leap year has got a COED start, now M
those ladies who contemplate matrimony
and want to pop" the question, should
do SO because the ladies have that privilege
according to custom AMI cid laws: The
Troy Times has collected some data on this
subiect which will be found interesting.
In three years out of every four man has
the privilege Of popping the question"
and the annoyance of sometimes having a
plain spoken mo" for the reply. On the
fourth year woman may propose, II 1t 80
please her.
A lady has the privilege in leap year OF
suggesting marriage between herself and q
bachelor acq aaintance. 10 the event Of
his refusing, the penalny is that the ut
gallant gentleman shall present the tender
damsel with a new silk dress.
There is a reservation, however, that
the right to claim this penalty depends on
the circumstance that when she proposed
the damsel was the wearer Of q scarlet
uetticoat, which Tor q little of the lower
portion Of which, she must exhibit TO the
gentleman, the understood idea being that
the silken dress shall cover the petticoat,
aud thus assuage dire feminine indigna-
ton at the rejection of her offered hand.
If any of our readers catch a
glimpse in ASSAY in a high wind, or
when a carriage or car is entered or a muddy
street crossed-of the slightest bit of scar
let on q lady's most comfortable and usu-
ally unexhibited garment, they may i'm
agine that she has quilted the ho1se with
the dire intent OF asking somebody to
marry her or Of getting the silk dress NEIL
toned.
Ii is said that in a work entitled Court
ship, Love and Matrimony," Published IN
1906, ten years before the death OF Shakes
peare, is this explanation regarding ladies'
privileges in leap year:
"Albeit it is MOVIE become a part CT the
common law, in regarde to social relations
of life, that as often as every bissextlle
year doth return, the ladyes have the soc
privilege, during the time it continuetb,
of making love unto the men, which they
do, either by wordes or lookes, as to them
it seemeth proper; and, moreover, no man
will be entitled to benefit of clergy who
dothe in any wise treate her proposal with
slight or contumely."
! This quotation is given by a correspond.
ent Of "Notes and Queries" but there are
some words in it which were scarcely IN
common use in Shakspeare's time.
Social relations Of life" is q compare
lively modern phrase; and though the
word relations is used by Shakespeare,
social" never was. Oddly enough, the
word ''contumely," though not given in
"Ayscough's Concordance, " occnrs in the
proud mans contumely," which is put
into one Of Hamlet's most thoughtful
soliloquies.
The following is the statute in the old
Saxon code referring to leap year:
Albeit, as often as leape yearre dothe
occure, the woman holdeth prerogative
over the meme in matters of courtship,
love and matrimonie; so, that, when the
lady proposeth, it shall not be lawful for
the man to say to her nae, but shall en-
tertaine her ~proposall in all good curte-
sie."
A Scotch statute Of 1923 read as follows:
at is statut and ordaint that during
the refine of her maist blessit majestic, ilk
forth year, known as leap year, ilk maiden,
lsdye of bath high and low estait, shall have
liberty to bespeak ye man she likes; albyit
if he refuses to take her 10 bewif, he shall
be mulcted in the sum of one pound (Gl)
or less, as his estait mai be, except and
avis if he can make it appear that he Is
betrothed to one woman, and then he shall
be free.
Leap year naturally makes rs think OF
marriage; and we hope all the young La
dies and widows will he bold enoughto pop
the question: and do it without blushing
or stammering. Now is your opportunity.
Last Y, ednesday the Lenten season was
ushered in upon us, and, while there mas
been q decrease in the social gaiety to q
certain cxtent, it is not noticeable to any
marked degree. Wheeling has not yet at
tanned hat size when the round Of gaiety
from ore weeks end TO another is almost
CONTINUAL and keeps her sons and daugh-
tiers in Il constant whirl. When it does
reach tsat point, then the Lenten season
will 10 appreciated as q season of rest and
recupt raSion. The season this year in
Wheeling will be probably less closely OBJ
served nan in previous years, and while
dancirSS partie, may he tabooed, there will
be q M Of card parties, luDcheons and
other q let entertainments to pass the time
away
CardS were sent out the past week for
the marriage of Mr.. PEBBLES Tstum and
Miss Sophia Logan, to take place atthe
Fourth Street NJ. f. Church, Thursday
evenings, February %, at 8 o'clock.
IL is probable that another wedding will
be announced in the near future: maybe
two.
Mr.. and Mrs. WIN. A. Isett entertained
number of friends on Tuesday evening, at
their charming home on North Main street,
complimentary to Mrs. Harrow, Of Iowa,
who was the guest Of Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. K.
Wheat. Progressive enchre was the main
feature of the entertainment until mid
night, when o most appetizing luncheon
was served that was heartily appreciated.
Handsome prizes were awarded the v:ctors
in the euchre contest and an hour Of 80
was spent very pleasantly in conversation,
after which all retired with many kind &C
knowledgements to their host and his gra-
cious wife.
Miss Sidney Hsiskell gave q very charm
ing luncheon to dozen Of her lady friends,
Thursday evening, at her home on Chap
line street. 1t vas exceedingly enjoy
able.