The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-07-25
Leap Year La MS.


In reply to query by correspondent the New
York Tribune says
The right claimed by woman of proposing in
leap years is traced back to the early middle ages.
An old Irish legend refers the origin of the Gus
tom to no less a parsonage than St Patrick The
legend which is needless to say IS not 1 ote
work of Psychological authority runs like this: AS St
Patrick perambulatng the shores OF Lough
Neagh, after having driven the frogs out OF the
Dogs and the snakes out of the grass he accosted
by St. Bridget, who with many tears and lamenta-
tons informed him that dissension had arisen among
the ladies in her nunnery over the tact that they
debarred the privilege of popping the ques-
ton" St. Patricia sternly single man himself
was yet so far moved that he offered to concede
to the ladies the privilege of proposing one year in
every seven. But at this ST. Bridget demurred and,
throwing her arms about his neck exclaimed:
"Arrah Patrick, jewel, I daurn't go back to the
gurs wild such proposal Mex it wan in four"
To which St. Patrick replied: "Biddy, acusha,
squeeze me that way again. and I'll give you leap
year, the longest one Of the lot.
ST. Bridget thus encouraged, bethought herself
of her husbandess condition. and accordingly
popped the question to St. Patrick himself But he
had taken the of celbacy so he had to patch up
the difficulty best he could with kiss and silk
gown.
"And ever since them" concludes the legend, eff
a refuses leap year proposal he must pay
the penalty of silk gown and kiss"
History traces the origin of the custom to the
year 1885, when the following law is said to have
been passed in Scotland
ct is statut and ordiant that during the rein of
hir maist blisst Mageste, for ilk yeare knowne
as lepe yeare k hayden ladys of both hghe and
lowe estait shall bae berte to bespoke We man she
likes; albiet he refuses to taft her to be his lawful
wyfe, he shall be mulcted in we sum of ane pundis
less, his estait may be- except and avis gift he
make it appeare that he is betrothit and ther
woman he then shall be free"
A few years later similar law was passed in
France, and received the approval of the king. 1t
is also said that before Columbus sailed his fa-
nous voyage similar privilege granted to
the maidens of Genoa and Florence According
to a curious little book, entitled Love, Courtshp
and Matr1mony, published in London in 1906, the
English did not need to have the leap year privilege
forced upon them by statute, but allowed it to be-
come part of the lex scripta: "Abiet it MOVIE
become part of the common lave in regard to
social relations of life, that often every leap
yeare doth return the adyes have the sole privilege
during the time it continueth of making love- either
by wordes or lookes, as to them it seemeth proper
and, moreover, will be entitled to benefit of
clergy who doth in any wise treat her proposal with
slight contumely"
However this be, today, especially in America,
where woman claims perfect equality with man. the
custom of woman proposing to the man of her
choice has become almost universal, and thousands
of female hearts looked forward with trembling and
Joy to the blessed year of 1908 that was to bring
them the realization of their charming desires That
women avail themselves of the custom of popping
the question is proved by the greater number of
marriages contracted in leap years In 1896 the in
crease in New York alone was 49, and in 1904
more considerable
Opinions differ, of course, to the proprety
OF woman doing the proposing While according
to some this active Intervention of women in SO
delicate matter is highly unwoman1y and tends to
degrade them in the eyes of mere" man. according
to others the marriages contracted through the
initiative OF woman come much nearer the ideal
than the majority of those contracted in the hither
to usual manner. At any rate, man can only feel
tlatered by the consciousness of being the object
of woman's love, and there are few chances of
a proposal being refused.