The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-09-13
i ai.Sin@ kd;cature.

was spending 4 night in q hotel liz
IIee!olt, Illinois. Alter breakfast came
INTO the slttlug-VOO.,, where | met a plea
SAINT, ehatty. good humored traveller who
like myself was waiting for the morning
train from Galena We conversed plea.
sanity on several topics, until seeing two
young ladies meet and kiss each other in
the street, the conversation turned on
kissing just about the time the train was
approaching. Come said he, taking up
his carpet bag, since we are On so sweet
subject let Us have practical application.
| II make proposition TO you. Ill agree
to kiss the most beautiful lady IN the cars
from GalenA, you being the Judge. if you
will kiss the next prettiest, j being the
judge. The proposition staggered me 4
little, and could hardly tell whether he
was III earnest or i'll tun, bat as he would
be as deep in il as 1 could possible be,
agreed, provided he would do the first
kissing, though my heart failed somewhat
as saw his black eye fairly sparkle with
daring. es, sand he, III try it first.
on take the back car aud 90 in from the
front end, whore you see the faces of the
ladies, and you stand by the one you
think the handsomest and III come in
from behind and kiss her
| had hardly stepped inside the car
when ! saw at the first glance one of the
loyeliest locking women my eye ever fell
on. a beautiful blonde, with auburn hair,
and bright sunny face, full of love and
sweetness, and as radiant and glowing as
the morning. Any further search was
totally unnecessary 1 Immediately took
my stand in the aisle of the car by her
side. She was looking out of the window
earnestly as if expecting some one. Iha
back door of the car opened and in step
ped my hotel friend. pointed my finger
slyly 10 her, never dreaming that he would
dare TO carry ont his pledge; ard you may
imagine my horror and arnazement when
he stepped up quickly behind her, and,
STOPPING over, kissed her with a relish
that made my mouth water from end to
end | expected of course n shrek Of
terror, and then a row generally, and
knock down; but astonishment succeeded
establishment when | saw her return the
kisses with compound interest.
Quick as flash he turned to me, and
said, Now, sir, it is your turn ; pointing
10 a hideously ugly, wrInkled old woman,
who sat in the seat behind. oh, you
must excuse me. you must excuse me!
exclaimed. I'm sold this time. l give
Up. Do tell me who you have been kiss
ing Well said he, since you are
man of SO much taste, and such quick
perception, I'll let you off, And we all
burst QUIZ nto general peal of laughter
as he said, This is my WIFE l have been
waiting here for her | knew that it was
a safe proposition He told the story to
his wife, who locked tenfold sweeter ne
she heard il.
Before we reached Chicago we exchang-
ed cards, and discovered that my genial
companion was popular Episcolalian
preacher of Chicago, whose name l had
frequently heard Whenever so TO
Chicago, | always go to hear him, and
heartier, more natural and more eloquent
preacher it is hard to find He was then
but young man he is now well known
as one of the ablest divnes of the Episco-
palian denomination in the West-Har-
pers Monthly.