Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1895-10-20

Women must make the best use OF
their time possible in h enjoyment OF
the especial privileges accorded to them
during the leap year of 1896, inasmuch
as they will lack another opportunity
until 1904, eight years later. The
maiden of II can hardly hest
tate by reason Of her youthfulness; she
will be IS before she n ngaiu
usurp mans privileges and do the WOO
ing. The expectant spinster must mass
every effort for next years struggle
eight years more would render her
hopelessly passc, says the New York
Herald. Indeed, the prospect is sad
from the feminine point of view, unless
the coming century ushers in the active
reality of women's alleged rights; in
such a case it will be sad, even sadder,
for man. Centuries are SO long tina,
men and women forget that the regula'
ton of our calendar requires every
hundredth year-although divisible by
four-not to be n leap year. 1t was
also settled years ago, when the final
changes in the calendar were made.
The primeval system of reckoning
time was based Oh the moons changes
as is shown in II word month" BY
the ruling of the moor months were
reclSoncd with either 30 or so days
Soon the rotation Of the season was
made to serve rs 4 standard. 1t soon
appeared, however; that the two sys.
tens did not fully agree. 1t was then
that it was found necessary TO invent
Comm u,antG If nl .,,et, n,. & Al,
earliest devised wa that in use
among the Egyptians. By their mr..
rangement the year was made up of the
seasons, and included 365 days each. In
order to fill out the lack arising from
this system of months five supplement-
airy days were add.l at the end Of the
year.
The Jews reckoned their wear as COM
posed of IL lunar months OF 20 and 30
days alternately, and the discrepancy
which resulted was relieved by the oc-
c%asional introduction of n 18th month.
The Syrians, Maccdonians and
kindred peoples generally followed
the Jewish method. In pursuing this
reckoning : years in n cycle of
nineteen have this ~intcrcalary month,
$3.50 N'N AaAi'N VI AhND ia auN NtiT
varies from 353 to 3S5.
The ancient Greeks made their year
to consist of II really lunar months,
but Scion in 1875 made Il law for the
Athenians that the months should
comprise 30 and 80 days, with the adj
dition of an intcrcalary period oc-
casionally. Aftcrward 8 times in &
years n month of sc days was added, by
which means the average length Of
each year was made to he 36itl DAYS.
Ancient Rome had but 10 months in
h year, but in the time of its kings
II lunar yonr was introduced. number
ing 355 days in the IL months, an oc-
c%asional intcrcalnrv month hciup
employed 10 make the necessary addi.
tons. The Roman system of comput-
ing time, however, was bcset with
many difficulties, and the gross 10.
norancc of the priests caused them Ia
commit innumcrablc blundcrs in their
reckoning. until chronology was hope.
IcsSly confused. Julius Caesar, in the
year 80 IL. c.. devised the calendar
which bears his name. In his system
the year had 3G5 days. save every
4th, which had 3G6, making the aver
age about 1854. Exactly rcclsoncd,
II year was made up Of 3G5 days. 5
hours, IS minutes and 30 seconds, or
IL minutes and 10 seconds less than
3G54. Cesar gave also the current
number OF days to the months, and his
calendar as II whole wa so excellent
ana ITS errors were so slight that il
wa generally adopted. Until the year
l5s2 a. d.. no change was made in il.
but by that time the IL minutes and 10
seconds of error in each year had grow
to 10 complete days.
As II result, the time of Easter wa
shifted from its true place, and nll the
movable 'fcasts of the church, which
are rcckonCd from il. were thrown ont
OF the proper order. To cincdy the
resultant ~annOyanccs Pope Grcpory
MIL. ordered that October o, 1889.
should be rcckoncd as October 70. I5sa
To guard against II recurrence OF the
trouble Pope Gregory also dccrccd that
every hundrcdth year should not he n
leap year, save every four hundrcdtlI,
but That exception beginning only at
1000 a. ID. The excellence of Grcrory's
computation shows that the total dis.
crcpancy by his calendar would amount
to no more than one day in 5000
years.
Italy, Spain and Portugal unhcsi.
tatingly followed the popc's direction.
France made the change in the same
year, I'm December instead of October
rs did also the low countries. The
Protcstnnts, In the fury OF the Rcfor.
nation, refused To- make any such
change, and persisted in refusing until
100, when the Luthcrans of Germany
and Switzerland adopted the new
system. by that time the continuance
OF the old error mado IL necessary Ia
make n change OF eleven dG rs. instead
OF ten. Scotland adopted the system
in 1000. England refused to Yield
until l75l. When the bill was first In.
troduccd II failed, but prejudice was
not able 10 totally destroy common
sense, wherefore George H., in i7bl,
made the calendar Of Great Britain
md Ireland to agree with the Greg.
orian. Russia, Greece, Roumania. and
the like races yet retain the old method,
as n result OF which, when one sends a
letter from u OF these countries Ia
some region where the calendar has
been corrected IL must he doubly
dated, ms for example, i'm this fashion,
there h'ing twelve days difference
how-Janunry lis, or June 2O.July Q.
Not one Of the least remarkable fcn.
lures OF the century year is tlnt Il
leaves those unhappy mortals to whom
something happened on February 90
without their anniversary for eight
years.