Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-02
LEAP YEAR POINTS.
A SHORT DISSERTATION ON THE
SEVERAL CALENDARS.
wasted opportunities-The First
strong-sfinded Woman on Record
yirbfs Love Affafr-No Joke
Personal Mention.
gcorrespopdence Of the Dispatch.)

lord Of the calendar, and every man III
Chrlstendom will obey him on the last
day Of the month just coming In. JULIUS
Caesar commanded us to add an extra
day to every year the number OF which
can be evenly divided by four. But for
this We should consider February end
ed at midnight on the 18th. NO
said the royal edict, February shall
have another day this year."
Caesars word was law to all but a
Roman pontlff. In 1852 Gregory straight
ened out Caesars calendar, and COM
manded US, among other things. to make
an occasional exception to his ruling. The
Julian calendar made the year a little
longer than the sun MADE II. and the ex-
cess amounts in 100 years to three days.
This gave double birthdays 10 some
men who were not saints. To rectify
this error-and the consequent waste IN
dlnner-parties and too many happy re-
turns" etc.-the Pope decreed that the
centennial years shall be leap-years only
when they can be evenly divided by 40.
Despite Brother Jasper the earth gets
round the sun twenty-six seconds sooner
than the Pope's calendar allows. and
In 5000 years the excess would amount
10 a whole day. Professor Somebody
suggests that the years Invisible by 4,OO
shall be common years, and with that
change claims that the total error would
be reduced to only one day In H0D
years. Who shall Issue a command that
cannot be obeyed until the year OF our
Lord 4c0. and not again till the year
of 5000? Pass 1t on. while we come back
to this critical period; 1900 will not be
Il ina tya
calling attention TO the fact
THINK OF 1T.
Eight years before the wasted oppor-
tunities Of these fieetlng twelve months
can be recovered Think Of it, dear girls.
and make your calculations with the ma
thematical nicely Of great Caesar and
the Popel
There Is another calamity not provided
for In all this division and subdivision:
What is to become Of the staple and time
honored leap-year Joke? Where this
fable originated Is not known, and the
name Of the first happy humorst to
whom 1t became a source Of revenue Is.
likewise. lost in the mists OF antiquity.
Among the Romans February-which
gives the leap OF another day to the
years-was sacred to the feasts OF Juno.
From this month the pagan deity derived
her additional names OF Februata, Fe-
brualis, and Februalla. Juno was the
first "strong-minded" female on record.
She was the goddess OF marriage, and
was supposed to protect married women.
Mythology says Jupiter was "enough TO
try the patience Of an ANCHOR
words TO that efect-and that he gave
poor Juno great deal Of trouble In his
sky-larking amours She doubtless saw
the wisdom of "A wider latitude in the
oh af Of hrrcf araV. lie eli n
year In four as a legacy for the benefit
OF earthly maidens. l do not know II
this is the true origin of "eap-year
proposals" but the subject is open for
discussion. AT any rate, In the annual
heather festivities. with a great many
other ceremonies small tablets bearing
the names Of young men were placed
In an urn and drawn out by the young
women after the manner of a lottery
which cynics say marriage really is
and each person was In honor bound
70 be the faithful attendant OF her who
had drawn hts name from that time
until twelve months brought back an
other feast. and. perhaps another cava-
Her. il not unfrequently happened.
however, that the sham engagement
terminated In a real one.
TO THE CRUSADEs.
1t was long jump from pagan Rome
70 the Crusades. In the age OF chivalry
1t was the privilege Of each "ladye faire"
to choose her fayorite knight, and send
him forth to do battle IN her name In
that stirring time 10 be singled out as
this favored one was anything but a
'eap-year Joke. The fortunate 90 candi-
date for knighthood-and subsequent
matrimony-says Hallam. twas required
TO prepare himself by ablutions. by rigid
70 Itf
ana by making a so emn confession of his
sins; and as a type OF the purity OF man.
ners which would henceforth be required
OF him. he was clothed In white" Upon
his knees he received from his noble
"ladye" the insignia OF chivalry. his spurs.
cuirass. coat OF mail. and lastly. his sword
There was no shil.y-shally. breach-of-pro-
mise kind OF devotion In those good old
days. Having stood the ordeal thus far.
our new knight was expected to chal-
lenge to single combat any one who did
not aclSnow edge his lady to be the most
beautiful In the world. Other knights
pledged. OF course. to hold different views
on female ovellness-retalated untn.
with 1t all a state OF warfare existed
beside which a bachelors life must have
seemed the seventh beattude. Talk about
the progressive strides OF woman! BY
this reckoning she is going backward.
and In 1900 years-like the Popes calen-
dar-will be divided without a remainder,
PERSONAL.
Cards have been received here for the
marriage Of Miss Mary Spottswood Good
loe to Mr.. Alonzo Jackson Parrish, Feb
ruary 18th at 10 o'clock A. NJ, at Cor
ristone," near Gordonsville. Va.
Mr.. George Humphreys and Miss Mag
gle T.. Pannill were married at the mar
sonage by Rev. Mr.. Sherrard Thursday
morning.
post-ofiice inspector passed through
Alton this week looking up the robbery
OF the Office at Nelly's Ford awhile
back. The thief entered the post-ofice
through the window. Loss, SIS TO $40 In
money and stamps.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Ewing. Of Nelson.
returned from their bridal trip to Ireland
last week.
Mr.. Dongald Macgregor Is shipping a
carload Of prime pippin apples to Liver
pool and Glasgow this week.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. p SPOTS, accompanied
by Miss Constance SPOTS. returned 10
Richmond Wednesday.
DR.. John Williams. Of North Garden.
visited his father ct Avon Thursday.
Dr. w. l.. Williams, who has been IN.
Is able TO be out.
Brick for the new residence Of DR.. F.. A.
Williams is being hauled.
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