Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-27
A Joke.

l wal spending the the night in a hOte
in Freeport, Illinois. After breakfast
came into the Sitting room, where l met
pleasant chatty, good-humOred traveller
who, like myself, was waiting for the morn
ing train from Galena. We %conversed
freely and pleasantly on several topics, IN
til seeing two young ladies meet and ks;
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
50 sweet a subject, let US have q practical
application. I'll make proposition to you.
I'll agree to kiss the most beautiful lady in
tie cars from Galena, you being the Judge,
ifyou will kiss the next prettiest, l being the
judge" The proposition staggered me a
little, and I could hardly tell whether he
was in earnest or in fun; but as be would
be as deep in it as 1 could possibly be, l
agreed, provided hewould do the first kiss
ing, though my heart failed somewhat as l
saw his black eyes fairly sparkle with dar-
ing. YES" said he, IN try it first. =
You take the back car, and 60 in from the
front end, where you can see the faces of
the ladies, and you stand by the one you
think the handsomest, and I'll come in
from behind and kiss her"
1 had hardly stepped inside the car when
/ saw at the first glance. one of the lowell
est looking women my eye ever iell on. A
beautiful blonde, with auburn hair, and a
bright sunny face, full of love and sweet
ness, and as radiant aud glowing as the
morning. Any further search was totally
unnecessary. l 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 ne The back door
Of the car opened and in stepped my hotel
friend. pointed my finger slyly to her,
never dreaming that he would dare to car
~ ont his pledge; and you may imagine
ny horror and amazement when he step
ped up quickly behind her, and, STOPPING
over, kissed her with a relish that made
my mouth water" from end to end l
expected of course a shrek of terror, and
then q row generally, and a Touchdown /;
but establishment succeeded astonishnent,
when l saw her return the kisses with
compound interest
Quidk as q fash he turned TO ME, and
said, "Now sir, it is your turn" pointing
to a hideously ugly wrinkled old woman
who sat in the seat behind. "Oh, you
must excuse me! you must excuse mel"
l exclaimed. Pm sold this time. Igive
up. Do tell me who you have been kiss
ing" We'll" said he, "since you are a
man of so much taste, and such quick per-
ceptiOn, I'll let you off" And We all
burst in a general peal of laughter as he
said, This is my wife! 1 have been wait
ing here for her. 1 knew that was q safe
proposition" he told the story to his
wife, who looked ten-fold sweeter as she
heard it,
Before We reached Chicago We exchanged
cards, and 1 discovered that my genial
companion was a popular EpiscOpalian
preacher Of Chicago, whose name [ had
frequently heard. Whenever 1 60 to Chi
cago I always 60 to hear him, and a
heartier, more natural, and more eloquent
preacher it is hard to find. He was then
a young man; he is now well known as
one of the ablest divines of the EpiSeo-
pal denomination in the West.