The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-12
LEAP YEAR MADE HER BOLD.

II there WAS ono thing In al her OK
perince that Susanna Morton wa
HEARTILY tired of it was the evider
md continuous purpose OF mankind t
permit her to remain splnster.
rrnc she had been one go long
womb; seem that she should have be
come accustomed to it; but by SOM
strunro fatality women, that Is th
majority of women, never accept tnel
lot in this form with that calm resigna
tion and beautiful Christian sptri
which has won for them tho endearin&
title of the gcntlcr soX.
And Susanna Morton had put NJ
with it just as long as she was going
Four leap years had passed her by
and she had submitted gracefully, bu
each year less gracefully than she h az
done the year previously, and there
were moments in the last OF the foul
when she became almost desperate
Now that Il fifth had come, her mind
was made up. She would take the
rrins of Cupid in her own hands and
drive that harum. scarum little rascal
in a manner to suit herself. She had
what men seldom diSrcgard-a com
Portable fortune.
Il was this fortune that had been the
real Stumbling block in the matri-
mnnial path of Susanna, and not any
lack Of attractive qualities in her pos
session. for sho was not hOmCly, nor
was she anything but charming. The
fortune, however, which WAS hers
from her sixteenth birthday, had
developed in her u fear that men
sought her for her money and not for
herself, and. never having fallen in
love with any Of her cOurtlcr3, she did
not find it difficult to resist advances,
believing, rs sho did, that somc day
the one man in all tho world for her
would appear and claim her as his
own.
However, he did not appear, aud he
continued not to appear, until Susanna
had reached an age and u irmness OF
character, to put IL mildly, when her
fortune would have to be at least
doubled to make her as attractive as
she was at twenty.
This knowledge had come TO her
gradually, but was none the less force
ful on that account and she was de-
termiucd not to let this leap year pass
without results Of u lasting character.
OF the men in her train there were
perhaps half dozen who were eligible,
and any one OF whom would have
made q husband any woman could be
proud Of. But they were merely
friends: not q man jack of them had
ever suggested such Il thing us matri-
mony to her and possibly, this was
why she liked them. SO pcrvcrSr Is
the nature Of woman.
Among this half dozen was QUO who
found the greatest favor in Susannus
eyes, the others taking their positions
after him in regular graduation, and
this one Susanna selected as her victim
for leap year, resolved To try all the
others ia case of failure in tho first
Instance.
Truly, Susanna VAS desperate
spinstcr.
And no los epry, for in tho course Of
his first call n the now year she began
her operations. But it WAS a dreadful
task. and the evening passed without
single step taken forward. The
effort had been made, however, and
courage always comes with effort.
When ho came again she was sc
wrought up over the work before hcl
that h"r eyes spnrl1led and her cheeks
glowcd in rosy color.
'"hy, bless my soul, M 50 Susanna,
he said, how pretty you look this
evening""
lie was ten years older than sho
and always assumed that blcss-my
soul style affected by elderly men.
twitiercd. "I'm sure you only thinl
go. look just as always look.'
"Ot course, Miss Susanna, onl,
alightly more So" he SMILED. but ther,
was that in the tono which had tn,
ring OF insincerity, or at least super
hclai and society sincerity, which |:
very nearly tho same thing, and which
maGc Susanna dcapiso the nattery .
men that SO far had meant TO hcr nt
dissolution OF the continuity Of he
epinslcrhooa.
She was good nature1 about it, how
ever, and let MIR. Culver 20 on wit
whatever he had to say, for if thcr
was any man who could make natter
any more palatablc to her than an
OthOr man, that man WAS MIR. CulvSl
But ~ w"S soon over, and whom he ha
lxed himself comfortably in an cas-
chair with which he was familiar,
seemed to have forgotten whcth,
Susanna looked like fright or
fairy, and began talking about all sOr'
OF things, as people do who talk fO
the mere sake OF talking.
AT all events, that's tho way it pre-
sented itself to Susanna, and she fc
VIC hpifiU Ol desperation slowly Greer
ing over her. Sho took long breat
for encouragement, and tcntativel
turned tho subject Of conversation upo
tho most recent wedding which ha
occurred in their circle.
What pair Of fools they were an,
are said MIR. Culver, scntentiously
TO marry ON nothing but his salary
and that not big enough for two"
But they are happy" argue.
Susanna.
Il suppose So" Mr.. Culver un
willingly adm tied ; lit takes fool
to be happy; wise people know to,
much.'
"Aro you wise p questioned Sa
anna, hervously, for she felt that sh
WAS launching herself at this poin
upon an unknown sea.
Pm old enough to be-" Mr.. Culvc,
frankly responded.
Isn't there something somewhcr,
about the old fools being tho biggest p
laughed Susanna.
" But Pin not SO old as that vet"
An :" and her eyes twinkled. 81
yours case Of
Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the silly seasons meet? ?"
Mr.. Culver assumed q more seriOu