The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-12-18

this assault, that he remained speech
less, but his countenance was prob
ably more full Of expression than il
had ever been in his life. so no,
am not mad, laughed she in reply tc
! it; although have taken a fancy tc
such a wonderful old creature
Now, come, if I kiss you again, what
win you give me?"
81 shall give you in charge Of the
police, madam, the instant that
arrive at Reading"
"Give me In charge! What for
you curious piece of antiquity"
'cFor an assault, madam; yes, for
an assault. Don't you know thai
you have noright to kiss people with.
out their consent in this manner?"
Here the young lady laughed SC
violently that the tears came into
her eyes.
"Do you suppose, you poor old
doting creature, that anybody will
ever believe such a story as that7
Do you ever use such athing a as
lookng-glass, you poor dear7 Are you
aware how very unprepossessing your
appearance is, even when you don't
frown, as you are doing now, in a
manner that is enough to frighten
one? You have, of course, a perfect
right to your own opinion, but if
you suppose thepoice will agree with
you, you will find yourself much mis-
taken. The idea of anybody wanting
to kiss you will reasonably enough
appear to them preposterous."
'What is it you require of me, you
wicked creature7" cried the old
bachelor, in an agony of shame and
rage.
81 want payment for my kiss. To
gentleman at your time of life, who
scarcely could expect to be so favored,
surely it is worth-what shall I say?
five pounds. What not so much?
Well, then, here's another for your
other cheek. Like flash of light
ming, she suited the action to her
words. "There, then, five pounds
for the two, and I won't take shill-
ing less. You will have to give it to
the poors box at the police station,
if not to me- For Intend, in case
you are obstinate, to complain of
yowr disgraceful conduct to the
guard, at the first opportunity. 1
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 I
kissed you, and not you me. What
.roars of laughter there viii be in
court, and how funny it will all look
in the papers, Here the young
lady began to laugh again, as though
she had already read it there. Mr..
Beardmore's grim sense of humor
was, as usual, accompanied by a
keen dislike of appearing ridiculous.
True, he hated to be imposed upon;
still, of the two evils, was it not
better to pay five pounds, than to be
made thelaughing- stock of his bache-
lor friends, who are not the sort of peo-
pie to commiserate one in a misfortune
of this kind.
In short, Mr.. Ingot Beardmore
paid the money. Mr.. Thomas What
fes found his guest that evening any
thing but talkativo. There was
select party of the male sex invited to
meet him, by whom the rich old dry
salter was accustomed to be regard
ed as an oracle; but upon this occa-
sion he had nothing to say; the con
sciousness of having been ''done"
oppressed him His lips were tight
ly sealed; his cheeks were still glow
ing from the audacious insult that had
been put upon them; his fingers
clutched the pocket book in which
there was a 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, his heart began to
thaw under the genial influences of
friendship and gin-punch, and he
told his late adventure to Tom What
aes, not without some enjoyment of
his own mischance.
'I could really almost forgive the
jade" said he, 'for having taken me
in so cleverly. I dare say, however,
she makes quite a profession of it;
and that half a score of old gentlemen
have been coerced before now into
ransoming their good name as did.
And yet she was a modest and lady |
like looking girl as ever you saw"
"Was she anything like this'" in
quired Mr.. Whafies, producing a
photograph.
''Why, that's the very girl" ex-
claimed the guest. ':Ha, ha! Tom;
so yoas, too, have been one of her vic
Tins, have you? Well, now, this is
most extraordinary"
''Not at all, my dear fellow. 1
know her very well; and her sister,
and her mother, and her brother too.
1 can introduce yoa to kcr if you like.
There's not the least harm in her;
bless you, she only kissed you for a
bit of fun
ga bit of fun!" cried Mr. Beardmore
''Why, she got a fve-pound note out
Of mel"
"But she does not mean to keep it,
am very sure. Would you like to
see her again? Come, Yes or MOI"