The Wilmington Morning Star from Wilmington, North Carolina • Page 3

THE MORNING" STAR i.ii' iii iiM nii i I il an -bbbbbb. hhb nni r- 'mil hit i i t-y run it i. m- 1 33- Is JMC-Wr4 y-ZPWK, --rJL- II AT JT AT JUT AT AT AT- AT A9 0 How Leap Year Came Into the Calendar and How; the Queer Custom of Women 'Topping" the Question During That Period Sprung From a Myth. Copyright, 1916, by Tne International Syndicate. "LL time is reckoned by years.

Til months and days, all of the Protestant and Catholic nations now accepting what is practiced for a time but was stopped because some of the men were taxed with giving a score or more of gowns. It seems that every maid and widow was seized with the wild desire to "pop the question" and in this way replenish her wardrobe in pay for her mortification in having been refused. All these customs have died out although one occasionally hears of a Leap Year party being given where the girls ask the boys to dance with them and act as the escorts of the men to supper. All these are merry jests and there are no serious proposals of marriage although one of our noted writers declares that "women are everlasting leading us on." But one Leap Year superstition Is found in the United States, and this comes from New England where, dur- ing the last century, many people still clung to the old uncanny idea "that in, leap year beans grew on the wrong of the King. Each maid was presented with a silken gown as her reward.

All sorts of Leap Year tricks were played by this famous jester whose spontaneous wit was the talk of the English Court of the sixteenth century. Even as late as the nineteenth century Leap Year entertainments were held and women proposed to men in public. Skating parties where the women called for the men and took them to the frozen ponds were the fashion. The men gave exhibitions of skating after which proposals of marriage were in order. Sometimes the best skater had the question popped to him half a dozen times.

Leap Year balls and parties were in vogue as well, and altogether Leap Year in Merrie England in the old days seems to have been, a gay twelve months. According to a quaint book published in London in 1606 under the title of "Love, Courtship and Mar this law. They must have been accepted as the records show no fines imposed upon the men who were wooed. The same law was in vogue, during the days of Columbus in Genoa and Florence and one of his biographers hints at the time when during leap yean several ladies proposed marriage to him but as he was already betrothed he "escaped their wiles." Curious Antics. In England during the early eighteenth century the men made merry on the twenty-ninth of February, lapse of centuries and be quite a disturbing element in the division of the seasons.

He decreed that the extra day should come in February, the sixth, beforp the calends of March (sixtiles) and occur every four years, and each fourth year was called bissextile. After a while it was called Leap Year. Just why it was given that name is not made clear in the records except there is a legend that Father Time takes a leap after February twenty-ninth of the bissextile year. After that date he leaps over the day of the week on which it would fall in ordinary years. Thus Christmas came on Saturday in 1915, but owing to this year being the bissextile year Christmas skips over to Monday instead of coming on Sunday as would be the order of occurrence in other than a leap year.

Children born on February twenty-ninth have few birthdays. Origin of Lear Year Wooing. -The origin of the custom for women to woo, not to be wooed during Leap Year, is traced back to a legend of St. Patrick. As the story runs, the good man was strolling along the shores of Lough Neagh after, having driven "all the frogs from all the bogs and banished all the varmits" when he was accosted by St.

Bridget who, with tears and lamentations, told him that dissention had arisen riage," the English seem to have taken the Leap Year custom as an unwritten law, for the author says, "Albeit, it nowe become a part of the known as the Gregorian method of measuring the lapse of time. The Greek Church, however, still adheres to the Julian system, while the Jews, Mohammedans and Chinese each have a different mode of computation. The Gregorian Calendar. The Gregorian calendar is perhaps the most accurate ever devised. The length of the year is strictly expressed by the space of time required for the revolution of the earth around the sun namely 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 49 seconds and 7-10s of a second, but for the convenience of reckoning it has been found necessary to make the year terminate with a day instead of during some part of the last day.

and by lumping, the fractions together add an extra day at certain intervals which is known as Leap Year. Away back in the days of Julius Caesar, about forty-five years before Christ, Sosigenes, a philosopher from Alexandria, after taking council with several astronomers, decided that every four years, should consist of three hundred' and sixty-six days and in this way -thetextra hours could be consumed, and thus avoid any overlapping which would become among the women of her nunnery over the fact that they were debarred the privilege of popping the question. In Saint days celibacy was not enforced as an absolute rule for the clergy of the Church, although it was regarded as the proper state for a man of the; sanctuary. Saint Pat'rick was stern, but he offered to concede to the ladies the privilege of proposing every seven years. Then Saint Bridget threw her arms about his neck and exclaimed, "Arrah! Patrick jewel, I daurn't go back to the gurls wid such a proposal mek it one year in four." To which Saint Patrick is said to have replied, "Biddy, acushly, squeeze me that way again and I'll give you leap year, the longest one In the lot-" Then Saint Bridget, thus encouraged, bethought herself of her own husbandless condition and popped the question to Saint Patrick.

But he had already taken the vow of celibacy so he had to patch up her wounded feelings with a kiss and a silken gown. And ever since that time, according to- the legend, "if a man refuses a leap year proposal he must pay the penalty of a kiss and a silken gown." While this legend sounds like a myth pure and simple and cannot be found in any of the lives of SaintPatrick as written by his followers, it is recorded in several old books and must have been taken seriously in several countries. Actually a Law in 1288. In the year 1288 a law on leap year was passed in Scotland and was actually enforced for a long time. The translation in English of this curious edict is as follows: "It is a statute and ordained that during the reign of her blessed Majesty for every year known as leap year every maiden lady of both high and low estate shall have the liberty to bespeak the man she likes, and should he refuse to take her to be his lawful wife he shall be fined in a sum of pounds more or less as his estate may be large or smay unless he can prove that he is already betrothed to another woman, in which case he may go free." A few years later a similar law was passed in France and received the King's approval.

It is that numbers of maidens took advantage of often climbing on the top of barrels of liquor and drinking the health of side of the, pod." And so in many unaccountable ways a custom springs up, and whether it grows to be trie source of innocent amusement or to be a stern law it fastens itself upon the habits of the people and becomes a part of their life, long after it has lost its original meaning or value it lingers in the memory of succeeding generations as a link to the distant past" retaining enough of its old force to lay the foundation for much amusement and entertainment. In this instance, as in many others, we recognize the force of custom and the reluctance to shake it off. "To follow foolish precedents, and wink With both our eyes, is easier than to think." common lawe in regard to social relations of life, that as often as every leap yeare doth return, the ladyes have the sole privilege during the time It continueth of making love, cither by wordes or lookes, as to them it seemeth proper: and moreover, no man will be entitled to the benefit of the clergy who doth in anywise treat her proposal with slight or contumely." Another authority declares that it Is both just and proper in case of a refusal of the lady's proposal that she should be presented with a silk dress. This, too, seems to have been the women they expected would propose to them. In the rural districts homely men paraded the streets, sighing as they passed the girls "Woe is me, no lady will propose to me!" In the days of King Henry the Eighth, Will Sommers, his famous jester, caused great merriment at Court by having the maids on duty at the' palace propose to him in the presence of the King.

Each one made her own little speech, bowing low before the Court fool. He refused each one with great dignity, much to the amusement an appreciable quantity after the Term 11 11 11 ii- i i s7 t- -v-tx-. -s -w v-i -mm jj 1 Frvym TDynnfm? How the Son of An Irish Immigrant Served the People As MilitaryMan snd Statesman Why Jackson's Day Is Celebrated. 1916, Jby The International Syndicate. 77W tSrtfl CPSC In "life, but although he had taKen part In an Indian expedition in the battery or for defamation.

The law. affords no remedy for such outrages that can satisfy the feelings of a true man. Never wound the feelings of others. Never brook wanton outrage upon your own feelings. If ever you have to vindicate your feelings or defend your honor, do it calmly.

If angry at first wait 'till your wrath cools before you proceed." Thirty-five years after his mother's death Jackson repeated these precepts to his friends at dinner given in his honor. Stern man that he was his tenderness toward his mother and his wife stand out in his tempestuous life like bright stars in the midnight skies. He married Mrs. Rachel Donelson Robards, the divorced wife of Louis Robards a man of an insanely jealous nature who had made his wife extremely unhappy, and finally he applied for a divorce. Owing to some technicality of the law which it seems was not understood, Jackson and Mrs.

Robards were married before the lady was legally free. Finally the divorce was granted and Jackson and Mrs. Robards went through the marriage ceremony again. It has never been quite clear as to why Jackson, who was a lawyer, came to make such a mistake one which caused his wife so much sc-pw. His enemies seized upon this as a weapon in the Jackson presidential campaign and although he won out his wife died of grief caused by these slanders before he was inaugurated.

Duels. American history is filled with accounts of Jackson's duels mc3t of them fought in defense of his wife's character a just cause, for no purer woman ever lived than the little dark-eyed, dark-haired woman who shared the joys and sorrows of this remarkable man. The blame- for her false position rested upon Jackson's shoulders. He took the blame, and woe to the man who maligned her if he knew it. His fierce and bloody affray with Senator Benton, who afterwards became his warmest ally in political affars, is well known.

This fight, however, was not in reference to Mrs. Jackson like the ones he had with Dickson and Sevier. The Jacksons lived at the Hermitage, a large country place about eleven miles Nashville a place preserved for ill time through contributions made 'by admirers of the man.who saved New Orleans. Here little town of that name. At the battle of New Orleans this scene, indelibly impressed upon his memory in childhood, came before him.

"By the Eternal, they will get a taste of Wax-haw!" he cried as the British fell before his The battlefleld is visited by thousands of persons every year. Many of the old 'guns are set up and piles of cannon balls are all about. A part of the famous redoubt has been restored and is always, an object of-interest. The ruins of Packenham's headquarters are not far. away.

This moss' covered building -has been fenced off with barbed wire to prevent the souvenir hunting tourist from carrying away what remains of the stones and wood. Mother's Advice. At one of these held in a Western city a few years ago one of the diners instead of making, the usual tiresome regulation banquet speech simply arose from his seat and read the words spoken by Jackson's mother to her son before she set out upon her errand of mercy to the prisoners at Charleston, words which Jackson treasured up in his memory until his death. Those who listened declared them a classic of motherly advice, and when the man sat down' there was absolute silence for a moment, after which every man rose to his feet and applauded. These words of advice so well worth following run thus: "Andrew, if I should not see you again, I wish you to, remember and treasure up some things Ii have already said to you.

In this world you will have to make your own way. To do that you must have friends. You can make friends by being honest, and you can keep them "by being steadfast You must keep in mind that friends worth having, will in the long run expect; as from you as they give to you. To forget an obligation or to be ungrateful tor a kindness Is a base crime not merely a fault or a sin, but an actual crime. Men guilty of it sooner or later must suffer the penalty.

In personal conduct be always -polite, but never obsequious. No one will respect you more than you esteem, yourself Avoid quar-rels as long as you can without yielding to imposition, but sustain your manhood always Never bring a suit at law for assault or they ied the simple life, entertaining their friends. Their devotion to each other was the talk of that part of the country, and while Mrs. Jackson was by no means the equal of her husband in education, he treated her as if she were his pride and glory, and when she died, his biographers tell us that "he sat by her bier for sixteen hours, refusing to feat or speak." At the funeral, standing by her coffin, he raised his cane as if appealing to Heaven, and declared that she waa murdered by slanders that pierced her heart and said that the vile wretches must look to God for mercy. Her death softened Jackson to a certain extent, and he was never quite the same afterwards.

Tempestuous Life. His life at the White House was a stormy one, for although somewhat broken in spirit he still preserved an astounding determination to have his own way. His break with Vice-President Calhoun, his enmity toward Henry Clay, and his extraordinary way of doing things caused no end of turmoil. He was assaulted by a former lieutenant of the navy in 1833, and narrowly escaped assassination in 1835. He maintained a vigorous foreign policy and at one time threatened France on the spoliation claims but finally accepted the mediation of Great Britain after, he had sent a message to Congress urging them to prepare for After serving his country as Chief Executive for eight years he delivered his farewell address to the nation on March 3rd, 1837, being the only President with the exception of Washington to' tender such a message.

He then returned to the Hermitage, where he died in 1845. His body rests in the garden of the estate beside that of his beloved wife. A simple, elegant monument marks the spot where "Old Hickory," as he was called by -his soldiers, sleeps beside the woman he loved so well. "Heaven will be no Heaven for me if I do not meet my wife there," were among the last, words uttered by this great man who occupies a place in American history second only to Washington, the father; and Lincoln, the preserver, of our country. Jackson might well be called the people's President the Common People's President, for he was their idol during his whole political career and today they do homage to his memory as the greatest champion of their rights in -celebrating the eighth of January as Jackson's Day.

spring of 1792 and shown his ngnt- 2 "Sf VDREW JACKSON was one the unique figures, in our political life. He was, however. not unlike many of our Presi- da made his way through sheer wee of character and determination. hQ was pre-eminent among them a one having friends whose devo -ion was proved in storm and In sun ing qualities his actual experience along these lines did not begin until 1801 when he was elected major general of- the militia of the State of Tennessee. Twenty years of life were spent as a military man and Into these years he crowded perhaps more real fighting than any other man in the history of our country, for he was the commander in five distinct campaigns.

A major general in the militia for thirteen years, and eight years a major general in the regular army of the United States, he fought seven pitched battles and In all of these evinced a courage which amounted almost to ferocity. In four others while was not In actual command he was the animating spirit and the whether he was riarht or wrong: havine cnim1 iri no nr orood anything he did and whose relent-''esa hatred spent itself against, him spent Itself against Whether thA ranaa Via AsmnuaM WU for the good of the country or whether movement as ensaged in some in some uinmental to the public to storm, these redoubts and failed, their men falling like flies before the rifles of the sheltered American army. Hatred of the British. Jackson had an Intense hatred for the British and not without cause, for through them he had lost both his brothers, and. his mother, whose death from fever while ministering to the comfort of the American prisoners at Charleston, he neyer ceased to mournl His oldest brother, Hugh, when only seventeen years of age, received a wound at the battle of Stono in 177? from, which he died, while his brother Robert went to his death from smallpox contracted while being held in a British prison -camp.

Thus English oppression hal swept away those nearest and dearest to him and he nursed a savage hatred for that land a hatred which increased with the years, When a.boy of thirteen he' had assisted his mother In caring for the wounded of what is knowft in history as the Massacre of the Waxhaws--a savage attack by the British on the motley crowd of men of almost every nationality and class, for, according to one historian there were "United States regulars, Creole militia from New Orleans, French, Spanish, Germans, and Irish, pirates from Barata-via. free negroes, dragoons from Mississippi, Choctaws from Alabama, sailors from everywhere, but pie bone and sinew of his force were riflemen from Tennessee and Kentucky." Many languages were spoken in camp but Jackson knew only one. He, Jiow-ever. made this so expressive by intonation of his voice and gesture that to a man they understood his orders. Arrayed against 1 this curious army were the pick of Wellington's 'army and the British imagined that they would have little difficulty in capturing the city, But the odds against Jackson won the battle, losing only eight men killed and thirteen while the British lost more than three thousand, killed and wounded.

Jackson's men fought behind redoubts a forerunner of trench warfare. 'Many times the British tried Born In a Cabin. J-iie posthumous son of Irish 1 11 111 Od hid'l on among the' hills of South Caro- 'la. Janlrann T-i 1 greatest- factor in the victories. Battle of 'New Orleans, -It was at the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, that Jackson showed his mastery of military strategy and won perhaps the only battle fought In any land after peace had been declared.

In those' days news travelled slowly and neither-side knew -u iwugui 111a ouooi -orre to the highest office' in the lft the people. His military career ''f made him the most prominent 're in American history, between ashlngton and Lincoln; yet of 1 a 'otsiiy different type from either of these Blatesmen. Military Career. rhat irnorland and the United States were no longer at war when they met on the battleground outside of New rvrias. 'Jackson's soldiers were "a JIts career as a soldier began earljr.