Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-07-20
A STOLEN KISS.

until nlgntla.l.
1t was the last day of Engene Mar
shall's two weeks vacation from the
city, and he had spent i, until now, two
o'clock. out of doors, feeling the aroma
of the fresh green world rising around
him like grateful incense, and heaving
more than one sigh as he thought of
what tomorrow would bring.
He paused suddenly in his headlong
progress down the declevity. A little to
the right, seated on the moss-covered
roots of towering oak, sat girl, her
head reclining against the trunk of the
tree, asleep it seemed by her motion
less attitude.
He held his breath and drew q little
nearer, charmed by the oval face that
looked so fair and delicate in repose,
with dark, straight brows and soft brown
hair clinging in damp rings about her
brow. Evidently she had wandered
about until thoroughly tired. One en-
Drowned but shapely hand lay lightly
upon the brim of her daisy -wreathed
gypsy hat, which was looking rather the
worse for country wear. The other
rested in her lap.
''She is one of the guests at the
'Squire's," he thought, noting the city
fashion Of her dress, and the high-heeled
hid boots, likewise defaced by hard U.S.
age. He had not cared to come in con-
tact with them. Foolish, frivolous
butterflies" he had told himself when
he had seen them riding past the quiet
farm house where he had taken board.
But this unconscious face drew him
irresistibly towards it, a wistful, hungry
look in his thoughtful gray eyes, and
an unconfessGd yearning in the region
of the heart. Just such sweet woman
ly face he had pictured in wakeful
midnight hours as nesting to his breast,
just such rounded arms as these clos
ing lovingly about his neck.
The recollection of what might MT
be for him, vino had chosen duty rather
than pleasure, caused little wave of
sadness to sweep over his spirit as he
looked. "How / wish could kiss her
check" he thought, feeling at the same
time sort of boyish shame, for
though he was..a man of thirty-fve he
his mother and sister, both of them
. dead years ago.
He drew nearer to her, the yielding
moss deadening his footsteps. The
forbidden fruit seemed more and more
tempting. Gust one kiss" he thought
"to carry away with me-
81 should remember the NOISY dell,
and sleeping beauty, and the stolen kiss
for weeks and weeks after have gone
back to my hot, dingy office, my hard,
stern post of duty. She sleeps so
soundly it will not awaken her.
The Brook babbled loudly "Do, and
dare, for one sweet kiss" A mellowed
sunbeam played around her head like
an aureola as he bent forward and
touched her che. Z lightly with his
lips.
A robin, who had watched the auda.
cious proceeding, alighted upon bush
close by and sounded musical note Of
warming. Quick as thought Marshall
had with drawn behind cluster Of
bushes, whence he could see her eyes
open in startled surprise, her timid
glances all around, her hand passed
over her cheek doubtfully. Then she
put on her hat, and moved quietly
down the dell towards on opening in
the meadow. And Marshall stole away
in the opposite direction under the COO
woodland shadows to dream of the
face, to remember the stolen kiss, with
strange, unreasoning, gladness.
The next day he went to his home
IN the suburbs of the city, where he had
left his crippled, half imbecile brother
who was the victim of a terrible accident
seven years ago, in the care of their
middle-aged, plain laced but faithful
housekeeper. Aud he took up the
"burden of life again, bravely sitting the
thoughts of what his life might be il
lived in the sunlight of woman's love
and cherishing in his heart of hearts
that one sweet episode in the dell al
Lake-lane.
Three months later the poor manned
life to which Eugene had devoted the
strength of his manhood, and would
have given all his days if need be, was
laid to rest. Left alone, Eugene felt sad
and lonely, although he knew that
death was better than life on such
terms rs bis brother had held it these
long, dreary years.
BY degrees he, so long isolated, came
back to social life again, and the dawn
ing spring found him like one waking
out of tronbled sleep, with some of the
q hope of natures new year permeating
ID his soul.
q One evening in May he opened with
Ks his latch key the the ball door
sof his pleasant boarding house
feeling unsccountably light-hearted
A large long box lay neal
the hat rack, with "Promando't
French Cleaning and Dye House star
ing at him in large black letters.
a "My vest has come home" he thought
as, looking closer, he saw Marshall
on the cover. He carried it up stairs tC
his room, lighted the gas, cut the Irvine
and tossed off the cover.
But, instead of the white vest render
ed immaculate ny the French cleans
ing process, some dainty articles O
feminine apparel caught his eye, il
delicate pink and creamy white, with
glimpses of rich white lace here anc
there.
d He lifted sleeve of the pink dress