The Baltimore County union., 1883-11-17
A SISTERS kiss.

drink"
Nothing more than have, Roland"
and the speaker raised glass Of water
to his lips as he looked toward the COM
panion with whom he was dining at a
first class hotel.
"Nonsene, Tom; surely you will not
refuse to take friendly glass with
me?"
'Of anything stronger than this,
yes"
'But Tom, you do not mean me to
understand you never touch il that
you have not sufficient self.respect to
touch it as only gentleman should1"
Roland, have known stronger men
than ], with jus, as much self.respect,
who have yielded to the tempter and
gone beyond the limits Of the social
glass, but even the knowledge Of that
might not have kept me from indulg-
ing"
"What was il, then9"
"a sisters kiss"
"Bnhi sentimental nonsensei Did she
bribe you with kiss1'
No; but listen. have a sister lust
coming into womanhood-one Of the
purest, lovelies, women | think God
ever made. have always had, wheth-
er ] deserve il or not, large share Of
her warm young heart, and every even.
ing when | enter the house she puts her
arms about my neck and kisses me,
with glad look Of welcome in her eyes.
Roland, there are many things / prize
in this life, but ! would give them all
up rather than that evening kiss. |
thought. as you did once, that could
take friendly glass and let it go So far
and no farther, and even had the glass
in my hands to carry to my lips for the
first time, when the thought OF the kiss
! would have that evening came into
my mind Gould take it il | drank
the wineS Would not the odor Of il
still cling to my breath and poison the
kiss? ! knew then that | must give UP
one or the other, and the glass was put
back, for ] could not give up the other.
and then ! registered a solemn vow
that If could help it, no stain OF that
kind should ever stain my sisters lips.
A few evenings after that We were out
together where the social glass was
handed around. Now, there was no
one there who did not consider himself
gentleman, and who would not under
any circumstances, have kept within
bounds before ladies, and yet saw my
sister shrink from any one she had seen
touch the wine, and when she went
home she spoke of it, and, laying her
head on my shoulder, said sadly:
"lt makes me feel so sorry for their
sisters, Tom"
"Then / made another vow-that /
would never take to the house one who
took even a social glass. Perhaps was
wrong to 60 so far. bu, did not think
OF its being so hard. You see you are
Of my Oldest friends, one Of the truest
fellows know, and one am proud Of
knowing, and when | heard you were
coming here to live made up my mind
that our house should be like home to
you"
"Tom," said his companion, soberly,
''you have not gone too far-no, not
even in excluding me from your home.
think will like you all the better for
it. ! am glad you have told me what
you have. II had sister,"
"Would you have done the samer
Then do il now. Stop for the sake Of
some other fellows sister. Surely, the
time will come when you will want an
others sister for your own"
al don't know, Tom," was the hesi-
ta,ing reply. "If did stop for the
sake Of some other fellows sister, you
would be that other fellow. What you
have said makes me little envious.-
Suppose were TO stop and then grow
so very envious-'
"Roland," said his companion, look
ing up, 81 must give her up to some
one know, and there is no one to
whom would so willingly give her as
to you"
"Then, Tom, you have my word for
il that | will not touch wine again so
long as live. Your sisters kiss has
saved me as well as you-from whatS
God knows"
Young men, there are other sisters
in this world like the one have told
you OF, and such sisters made wives
such as man may be proud Of having
won. For the sake of the one you may
meet who would make your home so
bright and cheerful you would be glad
to 60 to it, sure of welcome-for her
sake, say, stop ere it is too late;
bring no shadow OF that kind into her
life, but be strong TO resist, that the
time may come when she will put her
hand into yours and tell YOU you have
made her life happy one.