The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-05-15

be remained speeclIesS, Dut his cou0te
nance wa, probably more full of expression
) than it had ever been in his life, 30 no
am not mad" laughed she in reply to it
|. although | have taken fancy to such ;
wonderful old creature. Now, come, if ]
. Kiss you again, what will you give me 2
II shall give you in charge to the police
madam the instant that I arrive at Read
ing"
Give me in chargeI What for you
curious piece of antiquity 7"
"For an assault, madam yes, for az
assault Don't you know that you have
no right to kiss people without their con.
sent IN this manner ?"
Here the young lady laughed so VIC
lently tha; the tears came into her eyes.
"D0 you suppose, you poor old doiiDg
creature, that any body will ever believe
such story as that? Do you ever use
such a thing as a looking glass, you poor
dear? Are you aware how very unpre-
possessing your appearance is even when
you don't frown, as you are doing now in
z manner that Is enough to frighten one ?
You have, of course, perfect right to
your own opinion, but if you suppose the
police will agree with you. you will find
yourself much mistaken. The idea of
anybody wanting to kiss you will reason,
ably enough appear to them preposterous ="
"Wbal is it you require of ne, yon
wicked creature z" cried the old bachelor
10 an agony of shame and rage.
Il want payment for my kiss To gen
tleman at your time of life, who could
scarcely expect to be so favored, surely il
is worth, what shall | sayy-fge pounds.
What not so much ?-Well, then. here's
another for your other cheek" Like a
fash Of lightntDg,she suited the action to
her words. There, then, FIVE paunds for
the two, and l won't take shilling less.
You will have to give it to the poors box
at the police station, if not to me- For
| iutend,in case you are obstinate, to CON.
plain Of your disgraceful conduct to the
guard, at the first opportunity. l shall
give you into custody, sir, as sure as you
are alive. You will be put upon your
oath, you know, and all you will dare to
say will be that l kissed you and not you
ne. What 'roars Of laughter there will
be in court, and how funny it will all look
in the papers - Here the young lady
began to laugh ugajn, as though she had
already read it there. Mr.. Beardmore' s
grim sense ofhumor was, as usual accom-.
panied by keen dislike of appearing
ridiculous. True, be hated to be imposed
upon still, of the two evils, was it not
better to pay FIVE pounds, than to be made
the laughiOg-stock of his bachelor friends
who are not the sort of people to commis-
crate one in misfortune of this kind ?
Ia short, Mr.. IBgot Beardmore paid
the money, Mr.. Thomas Whafflles found
his guest that evening anything but talk
alive. There was a select party of the
. male sex invited to meet him, bv whom
the itch old drysalter was accustomed to
be regarded as an oracle; but upon this
occasion he had nothing to say the con.
seriousness of having been "done" op-
pressed him. His lips were tightly sealed
his cheeks were still glowing from the
audacious insult that had been put upon
them his fingers clulched the pocket.
book in which there was five pound
note less than there ought to be. But
when his host and himself were left alone
that night, seeing the old year out, and
the new year in, bis heart began to thaw
under the genial influences of friendship
aud gin. punch, aud he told his late ad-
venture to Tom Whafiles, not without
some enjoyment of his own mischance.
Il could really almost forgive the
jade" said be, for having taken me iD
so cleverly. l dare say, however, she
makes quite a profession of it; and that
half a score Of old gentlemen have been
cocrced before now into ransomiDg their
good name as | did. And yet she was
as modest aud lady-lIke girl as ever you
saw"
WAS she anything like his.P" in
quired Mr.. Wbaf1es, producing a pho
tograph.
. Why, that's the very girlY' exclaimed
the guest. "Ha, ha Tom; so you, too,
have been one of her victims, have you
Well, now, this is most extraordinary"
"Not at all, my dear fellow. l know
her very we'll and her sister, aud her
mother, and her brother too. I can in
troduce you to her, if YOU like. There's
not the least harm in her; bless you, she
only kissed you for bit of fun"
a bit of iun :" cried Mr.. Beardmore.
"Whg. she got fve pound note out Of
me !"
But she does not mean to keep it,
am sure. Would you like to see her
again? Come, Yes or 'No'?"
IF she will give me BACK my money,
+ Yes"
VERY well, returned the host; mind
you asked for her yourself; = and he rang