The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-17
KIssINGIN TBETwiLIGHT.

$50 you think Mr.. Claiborne fine
looking, Minnie?'' sand one of a groul
of girls in a Summer boarding house t.
a friend who had arrived but the da,
before. ~ thought he would he likel,
to suit your tastes"
"Fine lookingI That does not hal
express it. l think him just splendidP
exclaimed MINNIE Moore with genuine
enthusiasm. "But only to think o
his having a daugter as old as | am
Upon my word, 1 can't believe it,"
you'll believe it, perhaps, whei
you see her." laughed another one
sallie Ross. ''She is spending the sea
son at Long Branch, but runs dow
here every Saturday night and spends
Sunday with her father. They ART
wonderfully fond of each other, ane
kiss and go on like two lovers"
"Good graciousl" said Minnie, draw
ing a long breath. "How | SHOULD
like to-Imean-girls, don't you some
times envy his daughter"
"You meant,n corrected sharp-wit
ted Kittie Hurst, show you should like
to kiss him yourself. Do it, Minf'
eyes, do it. Minnie, do it, | dare
YOU'D, cried half-a dozen merry girls il
a breath.
"You know | never take a dare,
girls cried Minnie, her roguish, hand
some face turning crimson: but IL
this case / fear | shall have to show
the white feather"
"Hearl hear!" erred all the girls in
chorus. 'Minnie Moore doesn't dare
to play a practical jokel"
YES, l would dare" cried the little
witch, defantly, but how could
manage it?"
"Nothing easier" said Katie Hurst.
you have only to sit in the dusky
parlor a few minutes before the arrival
of Miss Claiborne, which will be about
twilight. Then, when the gentleman
enters, he viii go straight to YOU
corner, of course, supposing you to be
his darling daughter. Then. at the
same instant, you will rush toward
him, pretending to think he is your ia,
Their, whom you are expecting. And
then-you get the kiss"
ssOh," cried Minnie, putting hel
hands up to hide her blushing face at
the last suggestion, my conscience
won't allow me. / I'm not expecting
any father"
The girls all laughed derisively.
sI've known your conscience to
stretch further than that on more than
one occasion, Min," said Rachel War
den. Come, will you dare do it, OF
will you notp"
81 will dare anything, and you know
it; but you must solemnly vow never &c
betray me-"
They all solemly vowed and the
plans we're laid forthwith.
1t was just dusk on a lovely Summer
evening. The country clearinghouse
where our scene is laid was o%verhung
by the dropping branches of some fine
old elms, whose thick foliage deepened
the gathering shadows in the unlighted
parlor. A tall, handsome man of mid
die age, whom Minnie had well de-
scribed as splendid looking" walked
quickly up the path leading from the
gate, a happy light in his dark eyes
and a smile of glad expectancy curving
the rare, beautiful lips, shaded, but not
hidden, by a heavy, dark mustache.
81 think the train must be in" he
was saying to himself. ''or else my I'm
patience makes me think it late. !
hope she won't disappoint me this
evening-my little darlingl"
Another moment and ne was within
the flower scented, dusky parlor,
where curled up in the depths of a
large arm chair in the furtLe. est corn
er. and half hidden by the window
drapery, sat a girlish form whose heart
was beating like a trip hammer. He
advanced at once, with outstretched
arms, close to the darkened recess.
"My dearest childl'
ooh, papal"
And the next instant the little figure
was clasped close to his heart, and not
only one kiss, but a perfect shower of
them, fell eagerly upon her brow and
cheek and dewy, blushing lips.
But suddenly there was a little
shrek, a startled we'll feigned look of
horror in the girls uplifted face, and
breaking away from his restraining
arms, she hid her crimson cheeks in
both white hands and ialtered out:
ooh, let me go, sir, this i~nstantI Oh,
what shall / dor Ill thought it
was papai"
So he did, the little fraud, but she
unexpectedly well that it was another
girls papa whom she meant.
1T is l who should beg pardon, my
dear young lady" sand the gentleman,
who had stepped back, and was sur
veying the lovely, shrinking little
creature with a queer admixture of
amusement, embarrassment and pity
ing admiration in his beautiful eyes.
But ere the words had fairly left his
lips Minnie was gone, and throwing
herself down upon the bed in her own
little room she buried her hot cheeks