The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-21
A KISS IN MISTAKE.

81 cannot let you have one to your.
llelf, SIR"
"Why not ?" asked.
/ because we are over-crOwded to
Fay. The hot weather coming so un.
| Ypectedly has sent the people down
| Aswarms."
| htWell, them" 1 said, 81 suppose
must share it with some one else"
i II don't think you will regret it,
1 SIR. He seems II nice enough young
gentleman, and not unlike yourself
70 appearance. There he stands, sir"
is Hooked in the direction indicated
| 9ythe one to whom l haG been speak
Az and their sure enough was one
| iS"2 did resemble me somewhat, and
,tsA ttNshom the term mice enough" did
fhorseem applicable. He appeared to
be about my own age, had similarly
growing muStache of the same color,
light brown, as his hair, and was
about my own height--five feet nine
inches. He also wore light gray
suit not unlike my own in general
appearance, and cut to particular
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 peculiar pattern and as thought
rather loud" so when ordering my
clothes | had given instructions to
have mine of a more modest pattern
There was, however, a listIess look
about the eyes which seemed to in
dlcate that the owner had been over
enjoying the festivities of commence.
ment at one of our colleges, and that,
like myself, he had come down to the
seaside to "cOol off" from the excite
ment of a weeks continuous gayety,
winding up the equally exciting ex-
animation that had led up to it.
One thing, however, / should men.
ton with regard to his dress, and that
Is that he wore in his necktie a pecu-
liar scarfpin, conspicuous rather on
account of the pattern-a heart pierre
ed with an arrow. 1t was not of much
intrinsic value, but indicated that
the wearer was experiencing the de-
lights of first" love, a sensation
which as yet l had to experience, the
quiet CT my home life with a widow
ell mother, averse to social inter-
course since the loss of my father,
haying kept me somewhat isolated
from :iIose of my own age and de-
veloped a retiring disposition that
even at New Hayen. had kept me
alOOf from my fellow students.
And now, having passed my sex
am" with some degree of credit, and
enyied my fellOw.students whose Sis
ters and their friends had come like
butterflies, to fiutter their wings at
the winding-up ball, had run down
to Long Branch for dip before re-
turning to my home, and on asking
for bathing.ro0m found that for rea-
sons already mentioned l should have
to share it with stranger. How
ever, there was no help for it, and so
with easy grace prepared to 60 to
it, having previously returned the
nod to him who was to be my COM
panion.
l was soon prepared. and issued
from my box clad in the usual dark
blue bathing suit. which is so COM
Portable after discarding the char
ness" of clothing required by our So
called civilization.
With the first plunge was another
man. The cares and wOrrinents of
Study-fears that should he plucked
and go home in disgrace, for such
should haye felt il had l 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
| swan upon the "breakers" or dived
beneath their crests.
AT last, however, feeling that had
been in long enough, if not too long.
l reluctantly withdrew and went to
the keeper of the clearinghouse for
the key, who, looking at me some
what critically, said:
"You have been in Eretty long, sir,
and look q little blue about the eyes.
Your roommate came out nearly half
an hour ago, and he seemed little
touched about the head, l thought.
1t is hest not to overdo it at the first
bath"
"Oh |" / replied, "I shall be all
right directly" and taking the key
| went to the box, and, having thor
oughly dried myself. prepared TO
dress, when, to my utter astonish-
ment, found that the stranger had,
IN every item, put on my clothing
and leaving his own.