San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-02-02
A LEAP YEAR STORY

Deautliul, but her face was one OF
those sweet and expressive faces,
which are so rarely encountered in
society. Her heart seemed to
peep out from her soft and sincere
eyes, and every linesment Of her
face betokened that insincerity
and deception were foreign to her
nature. Her manners were artless,
but full of "sweet attractive grace"
Maude always attracted more at.
tention than girls who were adj
mitted to be beautiful, and this
had sorely puzzled the beauties,
who imagined every one ought to
be fascinated by the sheen of their
loneliness. Maude was blessed
with low voice, which Shake
spere says is an excellent thing in
woman. Her voice was both
low and musical, with an unmis-
takeable ring of sincerity in its
soft tones. A loud voice in a
woman is unnatural, and is on
that account, a shock and re-
W TtnuGO
Then there are women with rasp-
ing, harsh, voices, with metallic
ring in them, which warn men to
not select them for wives. There are
women who cannot utter the most
commonplace sentence without
breaking out into giggle, just as
though they had said something
that ought to provoke peals Of
r8fter-splitting laughter. From
giggling women "good Lord de-
liver us" Maud Sellers did not
giggle, but her laughter gladdened
the heart and made cynics and
misanthropes feel amiable for the
time being.
The time was the 18th day of
May, 1892, and Maud Sellers was
seated in her room reading num-
Der of Frank Leslie, received that
morning, when Blanche Elliott,
her most intimate friend, was ush-
cred into the room by servant.
MAUD, l just ran over for mo-
ment," lid Blanche, to ask you if
Tom Chalmers proposed last night.
1t is plain he is desperately in love
with you, and has eyes for no other
girl"
mo, he did not PROPOSE" re-
piled Maude, with deep blush.
"He is far too bashful to do such a
thing"
at Is too bad" said Blanche
"Why don't you fire his jealousy
Maude, and alarm his fears. That
is the game 1 would play, if 1 had
so bsshful a lover"
"Why, Blanche dear, you know
abhor flirting, and look on it as
positively wicked. And besides, /
love Tom too much to give him a
moments pain by pretending to
IN someone else. l am such a
SOM hand at any make-believe
game that Tom would see through
the trt;k and heartily despise me
for it" answered Maude.
Eureka, Eureka 1 have hit on
plan; dear Maude, for removing
Toms baslfulness and securing
your happiness. 1t is really a
brilliant strCk e Of genius and a
most capital PLAN" exclaimed
Blanche, in burst of enthusiasm,
"Maude, you know it is leap year,
and that this Civ IS you the privi-
lege Of proposing to Tom"
"You must be dreaming, Blanche
to talk in this fashion, said Maude
st would be indelicate and IN
womsnly in me to fling myself
unasked, at Tom, and he would
heartily despise me and that would
render me hopeless and miserable
"Stuff and fiddlesticks you talk
like sentimental baby, Maude
Sellers. When a woman's happi.
ness is at stake, she should battle
for it as lioness fights for her
whelp. You propose to Tom
Chambers and thank God that il
is leap year," Blanche said excited
ly.
Toms bashfulness is very pro-
voking and tantalizing," replied
Msude, "but L rather like it, be-
cause it demonstrates the sincerity
and depth of his love for me. Your
self-possessed and conquering hero
loves himself and not the woman
whom he addresses"
''That has nothing to do with
the case" answered Blanche. 81
will map out a plan Of campaign
for you, Maude. You must ask
Mr.. Sellers if he thinks it at al
unwomanly for girl who loves
man to propose to him during leoE
year. Tell him you confide II
him to advise you as he would his
sister. Also tell him, you love
man and are certain he loves you
and that he is the only man tina,
can render you happy in life. This
will fetch him"
Maude concluded to put in exc
cution the plan outlined by
Blanche, so at the next visit Mr.
Sellers paid her, she asked him, il
he regarded it as uuwomanly in