Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-12-30
LEAP YEAR AND ITS oeseRvANcgs.

Leap year we all know to be that one
which has 1856 rather than 365 days in the
year; his was arranged so that the perfect
system of time might work itself out, and
the 29th day of February is said to be the
one upon which the sun frowns because
somebody has to do an extra days work
II according to some scientists de sun-do
move,n it is probably old Sol himself who
has an extra hard time of it. This year is
the one in four during which lovely wom-
an has the privilege of asking her sweet
heart 10 be her very own. When this
custom first came into use nobody knows,
but if the legends are to be trusted it was
leap year when Eve made her appearance
in the Garden of Eden and suggested matri-
mony to Adam, but about this no man is
certain.
Among the Roman maids leap year was
ushered in with great festivity, and gay
parties assembled mt the various houses.
where q special kind of spiced cake was
cut, in which was ring, and the young
woman fortunate enough TO get the ring
WIS the one who would take her choice
from the group of handsome Roman men
and ask MIN TO be hers. in Scotland less
dignified procedure obtatued-the maidens
who wers anxious for husbands were re
quired to jump a broomstick, and the one
who leaped the highest had the credit of
being the most desirable bride. AS we
have fancy nowadays for tracing every
thing back to antiquity, may ii not be pos.
sible that the skirt dancing is only an out
come OF he broomstick leaping? In any
case, the maiden who proposes in leap year
does not suffer, for the man brave enough
to say no to her has to give her the sweet.
est of kisses aud q silk gown.
1t would seem as if prefacing kiss with
refusal would not add to its sweetness,
and there are stories of high tempered
women who nearly bit the lips off of young
men who dared to deny them their wish.
If, however, the swain is agreeable, then
the duties of the bride elect began at once
She must give him "a faire gold ring and
n linen shirt made by her own fingers to
show that not only is she capable of loving
him truly and well, but that she also knows
how 10 care for his comfort. The maiden
of today would have no trouble to get the
ring, but now many of them could put the
many nea- stitches required TO make a fine
shirts
And yet, after all, there are more ways OF
asking a man to marry you than putting
the straight question 10 him. Women can
look love in their eyes, can speak it with
their lips and yet be silent. and can tell it
in touch of the hand without ever using
pen. She is indeed an ignorant woman
who cannot make a bashful wooer under
stand that She is ready and willing "a
listen to the story of his love and to tell
him how much she loves him in return.
| This is a lesson that one seldom needs 10
teach. Folly may lie in women's eyes, but
| after all lea! of wisdom is also found
| there.
The patron saint of the Goth day of Feb
| ruary is It. Oswald, an old Saxon one
| who was great believer in the desirable
| ity of marriage, who tied true lovers
| knots into the holy bonds of matrimony
and was joyful thereof So il You want
to suggest % a shy admirer what he ought
| To do ask him to read about ST. Oswald
! and TO discover how good and holy are his
| ideas and practices. Ii this doesn't sug-
! gest matrinony to him he is predestined
to be bachelor forever. And sorry lot
| he'll have. ISABEL ~ MALLoN.