Show seven tear years without it a A Sc scotch scottish clergyman who died nearly thirty years ago mr leishman ot of kinross used to tell thai that he ile had bull once been seven years without a birthday the statement puzzled inot most who heard it they could see that if he had been bom born on the of february lie would have no birthday except in a leap year but leap year comes once in four years and this accounts for a gap of three years only their first thought would therefore naturally bo be that the old man who la in fact was fond of a harmless jest was somehow jesting about the seven there was however no joke or trick in his assertion at the present time there can be very few if it there are any who have this tale to tell of themselves tor for one who can tell it must have been born boru on the ali of february at least ninety six years ago bat but a similar line of missing dates is now soon to re return turn and indeed there are no doubt some readers who will have only ono one birthday to for nearly twelve years to come the solution of the puzzle Is to be found in the fact which does not appear to be very widely known that the year 1800 was not a leap year and 1000 1900 will not bo be the february of 1893 had twenty nine days day but in all the seven years intervening between 1890 and 1004 as well as in the three between 1893 1802 and that month will have only twenty eight rev george me ife arthur in st SL nicholas |