The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-02
HOW THE WOMEN GOT THE RIGHT.
Tradition Gives Credit Of Leap Year
Customs to st. Patrick.
Washington Star.

The words of Thomas a Kempis, imam
proposes" suffer impeachment each fourth
year, when. according. to a mythical custom.
the right to the matrimonial propositions is
extended, though not surrendered. to the
gentler sex. The leap year 1896 should be &C
tepded by the h1pefu haw Wba ho tS See a
Shines" for there will not be another such
opportunity for eight years. Once each CEN
fury, with certain exceptions, the leap year
is omitted. This extra long year was the
device of Julius Caesar. who undertook to
remedy an evil which rad grown up through
the practice of the Roman priests of length
ening or curtailing the calendar year at
pleasure. But his proclamation that day
be added to February each fourth year was
misunderstood, and each third year the in
crease was made, so that gradually there
came to be a discrepancy between the calen-
dar and the astronomical year, which was
partially corrected by Augustus in B. c.
Pope Gregory, in 1871 undertook to straight
en- out the calendar and brought things out
right by annulling ten days. He ordained
that the four-year rule be strictly observed
throughout the Christian world, and prac-
tically provided for fractional discrepancy
by eliminating the leap year in all but one
in four of the century years. In other
words, by virtue of the leap year system the
gain would be too great in century, and
thus ITO had but 365 days, also 1880, and 1900
will be of the same length The year 1000
will be a leap year, also 24O0 In short, the
same rule Of division by four that applies to
the ordinary twenty years to place the extra
day is also urged with the century years.
linus the lWeutleln CENTURY WOIudu starts
on her career with a handicap. She must
forego the privilege conferred upon her by
the custom that is believed to have had its
origin during the fifth century, when St.
Patrick was Outstanding Ireland and in
cidentally driving out the vermin. The leg
gend runs that. having accomplished this
most praiseworthy feat. the holy man was
walking along the shores Of Tough Neagh,
when he was addressed by st. Bridget, weep
ing because there was mutiny in the in
stitution over which she presided. Her
charges had claimed the right to pop the
question: st. Patrick acknowledged the
general justice of their demands, and said
he would grant the right to propose every
seventh year. st. Bridget protested that
her girls would never be content with such
a proposal, whereupon st. Patrick agreed to
reduce the time to four years, and offered
in the bargain, to select the longest year
Of all, leap year, as that in which the
women might propose. That Identical year
being provided with an extra day, ST.
Bridget Immediately inaugurated the Gus
tom by proposing to st. Patrick, who. of
course, declined in Difference to his priestly
occupation. st. Bridget protested that this
was violation of the bargain, and COM
promise was finally reached by which ST.
Patrick escaped from matrimony by giving
a kiss and silk gown-which for centuries
formed the penalty paid by a man who de-
clined q woman's proposal.