The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-02
LITTLE KISSES
BY L. L. STANTON.
For The Constitution


world to Old BILL and nothing was too good for
her and no name too sweet
Bill was q hard worker-used to cut cord
word for Brown, the station agent, and very
scant living he made at it. Didn't have much
of an education; in fact. not much of anything
only Little Kisses; but she made up for
everything else, and he was very happy as
only the poor father of that sweet little child.
We'll, for 'sociability's" sake, let's call her
"Little Kisses too.
The sunlight was never so golden as her
hair nor the skies so blue as her eyes nor the
reddest rose as red as her sweet lips, ana Tor
her smie--just think of sunshine, and you
have her picture.
Six years old when her mother died, she
seemed to realize her loss as deeply as the
father did, for she was much older than her
years; and at night, his hard days work end
ed, when old Bill would take his little girl on
his knee by the freside and mako much OF her,
she would talk about the dead mother in
real womanly way until the tears would gath
or in the old mans eyes and his voice grow
husky as he answered her.
"There, now" he would say, stroking her
head tenderly with his hard, yet gentle hand,
don't let's talk about the mother any more,
Little Kisses; like enough, she's listenin' and
she'd be sad to think we was a-grievin bout
her STILL"
Mothers a angel, now, amt she?''
~ shouldn't wonder" old Bill answers
Tho Book says SO,
Pm wondering" Little Kisses says.
thoughtfully, "what God wanted with her
when he had so many angels already"
81 guess He wonders" replies the father,
chow He ever came to let her slip away from
heaven an stay with them as didn't deserve
her so long. He's only called her back where
she belongs"
Old Bills health began to fail and Little
Kisses had to stay at home and nurse him now:
Hard work and exposure to the weather had
I.x1l. 60, ArV- at
time he could do no work at all. SO 1T WAS
decided she should leave school.
About this time, and during one of Bill's
rheumatic spells, party of surveyors came to
the town. Among them was young mans
Arthur Walton, just twenty years of age and
good looking.
One evening when Little Kisses was draw
ing some water at the we'll, this young man
Che had frequently, unseen by her, observed
her drawing water before) come suddenly be-
fore her and with polite bow asked for
drink of water.
ooh! how you frightened me- she said,
blushing, and tossing her golden curls back
ward.
wouldn't have done that for the world. But,
then, you couldn't have blushed SO prettily If
/ hadn't.
'What's your name?' says Little Kisses,
leaning gracefully on the well and looking at
him with sweet wonder, ripple in her eyes.
I'm sure it's not near SO pretty as yours
it's only Arthur Walton"
''No,,' the girl says, musingly, and twirling
the end OF the well rope in her hand. IT'S
not as nice as mine. Mines Little Kisses"
The young man laughed.
''Therel knew it," he cried, "and that
name isn't half sweet enough for you"
81 know it, says Little Lisses, with convic-
ton That's what everybody says But
must be going. Goodbye
ooh, I'm going with you, says walton;
"Let mo carry the bucket for you, won tyou?"
"No-oh, yonder comes father. l live right
here; it's only step to the door"
Here old Blu came hobbling up, his ak on
his shoulder-for he had managed to get to his
work that day. He looked at the stranger and
then at Little Kisses; then, throwing down
his ak, with honest emphasis, said
whats your business, stranger"
''T came here to get glass of water. which
this young lady was kind enough to favor mo
with" replied Walton.
"That's all you wanted|'
"Yes, happened to be passing
Bill didn't wait for him 10 finish his sem
tence Shouldering his AK and taking the
bucket from his daughter, he merely said
"Come home, Kisses, the old mans tired
out" and without even bidding the stranger
good evening, they went into the house.
can old sorehead," was Walton's remark as
he moved away.
Not word on the incident of the meeting
with the young man was said by either as they
sat down to their frugal meal that night. Bill
was strangely silent and the daughter talked
less than usual. But the next evening Little
Kisses was at the well again, and, strange to
relate, the young man was there, too. And
another pleasant chat they had and Little
Kisses went away delighted--this time unin-
terrxpted by the presence OF her father.
Little Kisses had not lacked for sweethearts
in her day. but now she had a "real" true
sweetheart" and she was just as happy as she
could be. He had said she was just like the city
girls, only heap prettier and sweeter; he had
I FL 81 Il.
in the city and all the lovely adornments of
life and she was dazzled with the panorama
he unfolded before her.
If she was only in the city what fine lady
she could bel Silk dresses and diamond rings
and carriages to ride In and servants to wait
on herl
Would she go?
Why, of course she would but she would
take father with her and buy him a nice, black
suit and beaver hat and gold-headed cane;
and he'd never think of chopping wood for
living then-he'd be above it,
But she mustn't take the father with her
now-she mustn't even tell him she was going.
He had lived the old, poor life so long he
wouldn't believe in any other No-ahe must
go first; it would only be for day or 80, and
then she could come back to him. He'd be-
lieve it then.
This was the voice of the tempter.
would fain lay my pen down here and leave
untold the rest OF this true history, for its
closing chapters can only be written in tears.
II.
Old Bill seems wearier than usual as he
nears homo this evening. But what's the mat
ter there that Little Kisses has no light in the
Window The house is strangely dark. But
perhaps she was tired and has fallen asleep.
The door is ajar and he enters and strikes
light.
No Little Kisses anywherel
But lying on tho floor there is a letter.
He picks il up and reads it.
DEAR PAPA: He didn't want me 10 tell you, but
! was afraid you would be worried about /
have gone to the city to be lady for day or two
We Will come back for you Saturday and you won't
have to chop wood any moro. Your own
LITTLE KIssRa
He had held the small glass lamp close to
the paper in order to make out the words.
1t fell to the floor with a crash.
Then he sat down in the darkness and leaned
his head on his hands, and from his lips came
only the words.
"God ha' mercy on mel"
Then, with sudden energy, he arose, and
looking in every corner Of the little house, kept
calling;
"Come out o. the dark, there, Kisses You're
hidin' somewhere now You hadn't orter fool
yolr old father that away. Come out o. the
dark, Kisses"
Then, as If talking to an imaginary audience,
and holding out his hands as if in protest said
GOOD God gentlemen; you hadn't orter
done that-you hadn't orter took her away