Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-05-06
IN LEAP YEAR.

eyes full of hazel lire, and Two DIM
pied fists clenched tightly.
"My dear.p said Penelope Paxton,
ono OF those ioyial old maids, who are
privileged to say anything, '.you re-
mind me OF famous historical char
acter."
"I?" SAID Avice, momentarily of
her guard.
eyes" said Penelope: ''Miss Betty
Baxter, who refused captain Jones be-
fore he axed her"
cob, it isn't that, protested Avice,
roster than ever. "Of course Mr..
Marryatt has no idea of asking me
Why's should he havel And if so, ]
shoule. not accept him."
"'Mias Bette Baxter" mohoton:
ously chanted Penelope .''who re,
fused"
penny, do be quiet sad Avice,
stamping her foot. "You know what
I mean"
"No, + do not" replied Penny,
"and dol't believe You know your
self"
"He said it was leap year." pleaded
Avice.
so it's" said Penny. sect the
almanac and look for yourself. -Four
into eighteen hundred and ninety-six
gees
penelope, can't you talk common
sense ?"
- - To be sure can, If yon get mo
The lezsmple, " gravely responded Miat
Paxtoi.
s.Aad he told Dr.. Darien he wasn't
coming rDvtfs past because he did
not want to get married against ms
will.
"Well, after all, there is something
ir1that," said Penelope rehectively.
81 never was man myself, but I can
imagins that, under the circumstances
a ,cold shiver would go all through
me-"
"Per,ny," said Avice solemnly, edo
you really, seriously think that one of
us girls ever thought Of taking John
Marryat?"
s'That is que, on which I am not
prepared to answer" said Miss Pax
ton.
Avico ran out of the room, and was
surprised to find herself crying over
the clove.scented blooms of her fa-
yorite carnations, in the bathroom
window. =
tI'm sure I don't know why, !"
sobbed she, 'I hate John Marrystt /;
and I think it was horrid of Doctor
Darien to go and repeat what was
said to him in confidence! And if
John Marryatt really believed that
that There I won't think about it
any more. Leap year, indeed! Why
do people talk such string OF nom
sense because the month of February
happens to have twenty-nine days in
it, instead of twenty-eight."
In the meantime, MIR. Marryatt had
packed his valise and gone up to
Cherry mountain, to visit an old
uncle who was at the point of death.
"It won't be very cheerful visit, !"
said he to himself, "but it will be
better than state of siege, for have
been told, on good authority, that
every one of those girls means TO get
engaged at the leap year party. 1t
will be the old story of the Sabines
over again, with the sexes reversed.
And when marry-if I marry I in
tend to have at least TIE privilege OF
choice. So I'll just go up to Uncle
Origen's.
Uncle 0rigen's farmhouse was on
tho top of bleak hill, where few
dwarfed cherry trees shook and shud-
dered in she wintry blasts, and the
COWS huddled in the shelter of the
hayricks to keep from being blown
away.
ST think we're going to have 9
Storm" said Mr.. Marryatt. "I'm
quite certain I smell snow in the Dir.
And there are more cheerful places
during northeast blizzard than Uncle
Origen's house"
He was almost disposed to be sorry
that he had come when he stood there,
knocking and humping with the
handle Of his umbrella at the shrnaker
panels OF tho front door,
Pretty soon crooked old man, will
his garments fastened With tow.stringi
Instead OF buttons, camo shutting tc
the door and peeped suspiciously
around it.
nHeh?" said he, with one hant
back OF his poor old purple ear
"Pears to me I heard somebody
knocking. didn't II"