Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-03-31
A Clergyman's Joke.

| was spending the night in hotel at
| Freeport, Ill. After breakfast | went into
the sitting-room, where | met pleasant,
chatty, good-humored traveller, who, like my
self, was waiting for the morning train from
ialena. We conversed freely and pleasant
| ly on different topics, until, seeing two young
ladies meet and kiss each other in the street,
the conversation turned on kissing, just the
time the train was approaching
Z" Come said he, taking up his carpet
bag, since we are on so sweet a subject, let
US have a practical application I'll make n
proposition to you. I'll agree to kiss the
most beautiful lady in tho cars from Gaena,
you being the judge, if you will kiss the
next pretticst, | being the judge
This proposition staggered me little, and
| could hardly tell whether he was in earnest
or in fun but as he would be as deeply in
it as | could be, | agreed, provided he would
do the first kissing. though my heart failed
me somewhat, as | saw his black eyes fairly
dance with daring.
Yes said he, " I'll try it first. You
take the back ear, and 90 in from the front
end, where you can see the faces of the ladies,
and you stand by the one you think the hand
somest and I'll come in from behind, and
kiss her."
had hardly stepped inside the cars, when
| saw at the first glance, one of the ovelest
looking women my eyes ever fell on, a
beautiful hoade, with auburn hair, and
bright sunny face, full of love and sweetness,
aud radiant and glowing as the morning. Any
further search was totally Unnecessary. l
Immediately took my stand in the aisle by
her side She was looking out Of the window
earnestly, as if expecting some one. The
back door of the car opened, and in stepped
my hotel friend. pointed my finger to her
slyly, never dreaming that he would dare to
carry out his pledge, and you may imagine
my horror and amazement, when he stepped
up quickly behind her, and STOPPING over,
kissed her with relish that made my ''mouth
water" | expected, of course, a shrek of
terror, and then a row generally, and knock
down but astonishment succeeded astonish-
ment, when saw her return the kiss with
compound interest.
Quick as fash he turned to me and said:
" Now, sir it is your turn" pointing to
hideous, ugly, wrnkled old woman, who sat
in the seat behind.
Oh, you must excuse me you must !" |
exclaimed. Z" I'm sold this time. give
up. DO tell me whom 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 in a
hearty peal of laughter, as he said, This
is my wife. have been waiting for her
knew that it was a safe proposition"
He told the story to his wife, who looked
tenfold sweeter as she heard it,
Before we reached Chicago, we exchanged
cards, aud discovered that my genial com.
panion was popular Episcopalian preacher
of Chicago, whose name | had frequently
heard. Whenever go to Chicago, | al
ways 90 TO hear him, and heartier, more
natural and eloquent preacher, is hard TO
find lie was then young man. he is now
well known as one of the ablest divines of
the Episcopal denomination in the West
Harper's Weekly