The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-03-21
A Fortunate Kiss.


In the University of Upsala, in Swe-
den, lived a young student-a lone youth,
with great love for studies, but without
means for pursuing them. He was poor,
and without connections. Still he stud
led, living in great poverty, but keeping
a cheerful heart, and trying not to look
at the future, which looked so grizzly at
him. His good humor and good quail
ties made him beloved by his young
comrades. Once he was standing with
some of them in the great square of
Upsala, prating away an hour of leisure,
when the attention of the young man
became arrested by a very young and
elegant lady, who, at the side of an ell
derby one, walked slowly over the place.
1t was the daughter of the Governor of
Upsala, living in the city, and the lady
with her was her governess. She was
generally known for her beauty, and for
her goodness and gentleness of character,
and was looked upon with great admir-
alton by the students. AS the young
men now stood silently gazing at her as
she passed on like a graceful vision, one
of them exclaimed
"Well, it would be worth something to
have kiss from such a mouth"
The poor young student, the hero of
our story, who was looking intently on
that pure and angelic face, exclaimed,
as if by inspiration, well, l think l
could have it,"
"What" cried his friends in chorus,
''are you crazy '"Do you know herr" ETC.
mot at ALL" he answered; "but l
think she would kiss me Just now, if l
asked her.
What, in this place, before all our
eyesl"
''In this place before your eyes"
"FreelyW
Freely"
"Well, if she will give you a kiss in
that manner, will give you a thousand
dollars exclaimed one of the party.
"And IT, "And II" cried three or
four others; for it so happened that sew
eral rich young men were in the group,
and bets ran high on so improbable an
event, and the challenge was made and
received in less time than we take to re-
late it.
Our hero-my authority tells not
whether he was handsome or plain;
have my peculiar reasons for believing
he was rather plain, but singularly good
looking at the time-our hero i'm
mediately walked off to meet the young
lady. He bowed to her and said, MY
lady, my fortune is in your hand" She
looked at him in establishment, but ar
rested her steps. He proceeded to state
his name and condition, his aspirations.
and related simply and truly what had
just passed between him and his COM
panions.
The young lady listened attentively,
and when he ceased to speak, she said,
blushing but with grea. sweetness, If
by so little thing so much good can be
effected, it would be foolish in me to re-
fuse your request" and she kissed the
young man publicly in the open square.
Next day the young student was sent
for by the governor. He wanted to sec
the man who had dared TO ask kiss of
his daughter in that way and whom she
had consented to kiss so. He received
him with severe and scrutinzing brow,
but after an hours conversation was so
pleased with him that he asked him to
dine at his table during his studies at
Upsala.
Oui SouuS Hleuu NOW pursued MS
studies in a manner which soon made
him regarded as the most promising
scholar at the University. Three years
were not passed after the day of the first
kiss, when the young man was allowed
to give second one to the daughter of
the governor as his intended bride.
He became, later, one of the grestest
scholars in Sweden, as much respected
for learning as for his character. His
works will endure forever among the
works of science; and from this happy
union sprang a family well known in
Sweden in the present day, and whose
wealth of fortune and high position in
society are regarded as small things com
pared with its wealth of goodness and
love.-Frederika Bremen.