The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-19
BY PHILIP KEAN.

Sdid hlltS W ItI AUNT tNathNiAHN"
Aunt katherine, who was very
tall and beautiful, and who was al
ways dressed in sweeping black gowns.
looked at Kitty severely through her
gold lorgnette.
And you are twenty" she asked.
Men aren't worth bothering over
said Kitty. with her fair curls bobbing,
and with shrug or white shoulders
under pink chiffon. Now there's Rod
ney Hodge. He's the only man who
Will at the dance tonight who Is
really worth while yet | wouldn't be
AFRAID to say that he'll never propose
Aunt katherine lighted the candles
over the fireplace. II was one of her
fads to spend the evening by candle
light. Electricity was for the mob,
she said.
Why should YOU care" she asked,
what Rodney Hodge does? You are
not in love with him. are you %
Kitty composed herself. We'll. you
see. | could be in love with him. she
said. sagely, III he We're not such
clam. He's 500 fine, Aunt kath-
crime"
Yes. he is fine" said the older
woman.
But he just lives IN that old house
with his uncle, and everybody says
that they are women haters. But !
remember Rodney when he was a boy
and, oh. Aunt Katherine. tit
seems to me that there never was such
a boy"
Kittys little face was very grave
now, and her little hand was laid in
earnestness on Miss Severance S
knee.
And so." Aunt katherine finished
for her. as she took the little hand In
bar fr,,, rla Nd
", If YOU were a man and Rodney
Hodge were girl. YOU would ask
Rodney to marry you?"
Yes. Kitty whispered.
''Then--why not ask him--any-
how 90 said Aunt Katherine.
Kitty gave her a startled glance.
"Why-Aunt Katherine" she STAN
mered. you don't mean--''
Its leap year.
oh. | knew you were Joking" Kit
tvs voice had note of relief in it.
Il was perfectly sure you We're; no
woman would ever propose TO man.
Aunt Katherine.
NO, no woman could ever propose
to - man
Then for q long time there was
silence. At last Kitty said, timidly.
DO you know why Rodney's uncle
has brought him up to hate women"
How should know" haughtily.
Well, someone saftI-~i Kitty was
half afraid to go on-"that II was
you who broke his heart. Aunt Kate"
out OF another long silence Miss
Severance confessed, We'll, perhaps
did"
Was he----" Kitty hesItated. was
he as nice as Rodney"
Nicer
''Then-why
For a moment the fine composure
of Miss Severances face was broken
up.
Il was--a fool" she said. bitterly
She changed the subject after that.
and Kitty went off to her leap year
dance happily.
Miss Severance sat long by the fire.
then she picked up the receiver of the
telephone and gave a number. When
the answer came. she said. is that
you Bronson? This is Katherine
Severance. / want to ask to come and
see me. Yes. tonight. Yes-it's i'm
portant. You will? Its very good OF
YOU. At 3. them
She paced the room rest essiy, as
she waited, and when her caller came,
"a gray-haired, stately man. she well
coined him with a laugh that was
slightly nervous.
It's about Kitty" she said. She
was seated in a high backed chair
which gave her queenly dignity. II
i want to make a sort OF leap year
proposal by proxy. Bronson
He looked at her keenly. ''Yo-
mean Rodney" he asked
Yes. Kitty likes him. and l think
he loves her. He did years ago But
but he hasn't asked her to marry
him"
And he will not sternly.
why not ?"
He shall not suffer as have suf-
fered," was the quiet answer. You
know how l staked all my happiness,
Katherine, on your answer years ago.
and you know. too. that l lost I will
not have my boy hurt in like
fashion"
"kitty-ss sweeter than t. said
Miss Severance, and l think she
cares
No one could he sweeter than YOU
were" the old man turned on her
fiercely. until you learned to break
mems hearts.
And to break my own" said
Katherine Severance,
out of deep silence he asked.
Then you, too, have suffered"
Yes Do you remember a leap
year dance and a girl all in white.
with silver slippers and rose in her
hair :
You" he breathed.
And she made up her mind that
she would tell the man whom once
she had spurned that she had chang
ed-and-and that he was the onlyl
man in the world-for her. But she
was proud-and--she could not. for
he gave her no opening--and, after
all. she was woman--and a woman
cannot Woo. -
KATHERINE he said. and his voice |
broke: dear girl, If you had spoken.
how, nssahs 5ha ppissess life would have
held for us
And tonight when Kitty went to |
her leap year dance. all the past
rolled back on me and l wanted her |
to be happy with a man like you. .
1t is too late now-for us-but surely |
they !
He laughed like boy TOO late 3? /
Why. how old are you. Katherine ?" /
Forty"
And I'm forty two. And we're
Young, dearest. And the world is be- |
fore us. DO YOU think Kitty and +
Rodney are the only ones in the world |
who can live and iove?,-
He took her hands masterfully in !
his. Look at me. Kate he said, !
and tell me If you want to leave ali /
the happiness to Kitty"
That night when Kitty came home
she was radiant.
Aunt Kate" she cried. as her