Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-06
a KISS IN MISTAKE,

We'll, then" / said, Il suppose I must share
1t with some one else"
Il don't think you will regret it. sir He
Seems rice enough young gentleman and not
unlike yourself in appearance There he stands,
Sir"
looked in tie direction indicated bv the one
TO whom | mad been speaking, and there sure
enough was one who did resemble ne some
what, and to whom the term nice enough did
not seem applicable. He appeared to be about
my own age, had similarly growing moustache
of the same color. light brown. as his hair and
was about my own height-five feet nine inches.
He also wore u light gray suit not unlike my
own IN general appearance. and cut to q partic-
uiar shape which my tailor informed me was the
latest thing out. There was one difference.
however. and that was in the buttons. which in
his case were OF a peculiar pattern and as
thought rather loud. so when ordering my
Clothes had given instructions to have mine OF
more modest pattern.
There was. however, a restless look about the
eyes which seemed to indicate that the owner
had been OYer-eDjOyiDG the festivities of COM
mencement at one of our colleges and that
ike myself he had come down to the seaside
10 ''cOOl Off, from the excitement of q weeks
continuous gayety, winding up the equally ex-
citing examinations that had led up to it,
One thing. however, / should mention with
regard TO his dress and that is that he wore in
his necktie peculiar scarf pin, conspicuous
rather on account OF the pattern, heart pierced
with an arrow 1t was not of much intrinsic
value. but indicated that the wearer was expe-
riencing the delights of q first love. a sem
sation which yet | had to experience. the
quiet OF my home life with a widowed mother
ayerse to social intercourse since the loss OF my
father, having kept me somewhat isolated from
tnOse OF my own age. and developed q retiring
disposition that. even at New Haven had kept
me aOOf from my fellow students
And now, having passed my exam" with
some degree OF credit, and enved my fellow
students whose sisters and their friends had
come like butterflies to fiutter their wings at
the winding up ball. / had run down to Long
branch tor dip before returning to nv home,
and on asking for bathIng-ToOm found that for
reasons already mentioned | should have to
share it with stranger. However, there was
10 help for it. and so with easy grace prepared
TO go to 1t, having previously returned the nod
to him who was to be my companion.
l was soon prepared, and issued from nv
box clad in the usual dark blue bathing suit
which is so comfortable after discarding the
harness of clothing required by our so called
civilization.
With the first plunge / was another man. The
cares and wCrriments of study-fears that |
should be plucked and go home i'm disgrace for
such | should have felt it had | not been sue
ceSsful-were all forgotten. Even the prudence
that prompted that my first bath should not be
too long continued was discarded. and again
and again L swan upOnt the breakers or diyed
beneath their crests
At last, however feeling that | had been in
long enough, if not too long, reluctantly with
drew and went to the keeper of the bathing
houses for the key, who, looking at NE some
what critically, said.
You have been in pretty long. sir. and look
little blue about the eyes. Your room-mate
came out nearly half an hour ago. and he
seemed a little touched about the head. |
Thought 1t is best not to oyerdO it at the first
bath"
"Oh." replied. 81 shall be all right DIRECTLY"
and taking the key went to the box and hav-
ing thoroughly dried myself prepared to dress
when. TO my utter establishment found that the
stranger had. in every item put on my clothing
and leaving me his own.
There was no mistake about It. There was
the light gray suit with fancy buttons and there
was scarf with pin of heart transtixed by ar
row. By some stupid mistake for it could not
nave been from desire TO misapDrOpriate, as
the clothing lett was quite as valuable as my
own, he had mistaken my side OF the box Tor
his own and worn away my clothing.
There was no help for it, but to dress myself
at once fortunately the clothes fitted me as
well as nv OWN and 90 to the proprietor TO
explain to him what had occurred and ask him
II he knew who the person was or where IcOud
find him.
mo. indeed. sir, I do not. think he is stay
ing at one of the hotels close by. | thought he
looked bit queer. and perhaps as soon as he
gets better he will come around so you had
better leave me your address that l may send
him to you"
This was all that could be done. and although
did not at all like the idea o. wearing another
persons clothes. determined to take q little
stroll, as the warm sun. after my long pro-
tracted BATH was very agreeable.
had not strOlled far when l saw approach
Ing. and in earnest conversation. q blonde OF
about sixteen. and of considerable beauty: ac-
companying her were two, evidently sisters
but of an entirely different style of beauty
decidedly brunettes, and OF very graceful figures
and easy carriage.
Feeling little awkward in nv change OF
dress, and thinking that every one would notice
IT, turned as if TO look at sailing vessel
whose graceful outline could be distinctly seen
rising and falling to the waves.
While standing so and waiting for them to
pass was utterly perplexed by the blonde. who
at that moment seemed to see me, and with an
exclamation Of
why. Charley. You naughty truant. where
have you been: She threw a pair uf lovely
arms around my neck. AMI before | could draw
back had imprinted delicious kiss upon my
lips.
was utterly dumbfounded, but before l
could stammer out any attempt at an exDlana-
tion she added:
You dear, stupid Overgrown boy. WHY did
you not come direct to the hotel and take Us
out TO battle? Here are my friends, Mabel and
Annie Gray. We would have gone with YOU
and adding in a whisper-'.I want you to adj
Inire Mabel: isn't she lovely?" And then fol-
Ing utterly bewildeTed.
What could do? / felt myself the creature
OF dream from which it would be a cruelty 10
myself TO wake. beside it won Id be useless then
to try to say word. for as if she were carving
out an already studied plan that l. her supposed
brother. should fall in love with Mabel she.
whom i must call the blonde lad moved on
with the younger sister Annie
For few seconds walked along by the side
OF my companion. utterly perplexed as to what
i should say or do. IL was evident that had
been mistaken for some one else-the brother
OF the one who had so singulary saIuted me.
and In all probability the clothes that was
wearing had been the cause OF the mistake
But what could do? Ii seemed to me to be
absurd TO say TO Mabel. who appeared TO be IN
conscious or my embarrassment. or if she were
conscious. attributed my silence to the inexperi-
ance OF youth Lady. am not he who YOU
think / am-the brother Of the most beautiful
being who has so lovingly embraced me. 1t is
true 1 wear his clothes OTnamented with fancy
buttons. and scarf whose pin Of hearts trans
fixed with arrows. has led 20 this mistake But
IL was by an error OF him TO whom they be-
long that am wearing them" Ii would have
been awkward. TO say the least, to have volun-
teered this explanation in crowded fashion,
able thorOughfare to one 10 whom ought to
have been an utter stranger. and further, /
could not tell how she might act-it might oc-
casion scene OF which | had the fear arising
from inexperence.
therefore determined 10 maintain a prudent
silence and wait developments The sister was
Il =