The Leap Year Proposal That Shook Snohomish
When a local woman grew tired of waiting, she took her fate—and her romantic future—into her own hands.
A rather romantic ending of a leap-year adventure occurred in one of our neighboring towns a few days ago. One of the belles of the place, remarkable for her good sense, as well as her education and good looks, joined with her sisters in inviting some of the young men to accompany them to the Literary Club one evening last spring. Soon afterwards, her friend returned the call, and then came again and again, apparently much pleased with the company he found in the girl who had escorted him to the club. Things went about as usual in such cases until a few weeks ago, when she interrupted the usual course of events by saying, 'See here, Henry, I’d like to know if you mean business by these repeated calls? I mean business, and if you love me as well as I love you, I’d like to make you my husband, and the sooner the better.' Henry said, 'Yes, business, and any time you may fix will suit me.' The two were joined in one soon after, everybody admiring the matter-of-fact manner of terminating what was begun in a bit of juvenile fun.
“She had as much right to make her sentiments known in plain English as he had, and she showed her good sense in doing it.”
In an era where women were often expected to wait passively for marriage proposals, this story highlights a refreshing, early example of women claiming agency in their personal lives. While the 'leap year' tradition gave women a socially acceptable 'loophole' to propose, this woman’s directness remains a bold, modern-feeling moment of self-advocacy.
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