The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-21
TWO KISSES.

TWO KISSES.
When | say that for rather more than a
quarter of a century have been a verita-
bic old madam old maid, beyond the
ghadow of a peradventure-it viii be read
lily understood that very many years have
passed since l was slip of d girl" Yet |
was only slip of a girl, small sized, in
experienced miss of 10, when l undertook
the rather ardu0us task Of teaching dis
trlct school IL an outlying section of Yer
mont, near the New York state line.
Ny school was not so very far distant
from my own home, which was in a small
Vermont city, but it was far enough to
render it necessary for me to board
around" in the usual country school marin
style. The school term extended over four
months, and each succeeding month be-
came the guest of , different family. With
the first three was fairly well content and
tolerably comfortable, but when / took up
my residence for my last month | was de-
cidedly uneasy and dissatisfied with my
surroundings.
The household consisted Of a tolerably
wealthy old widow lady and her son, the
latter being the Objectionable party. He
was, IN SIZE giant, and ives, perhaps, 30
years old. He dressed much better than
most Vermont formers, and took much
pride in his personal appearance; but he
could not conceal the fact that he was
coarse, iliiterate and brutal hated him
very cordially from the first moment that
my eyes rested upon him, and yet from that
same first moment George Randall was I'M
ceasing in his efforts (Which, l am thank
full TO say, were mostly Un5uccessfuD to
pay me marked attention.
Although the Randalls' home was long
half mile from the school house, 1 steadily
refused to be driven by my host in his car
rage, and all through the muddy April
weather persistentiy walked the tiresome
distance daily. also declined sundry offers
of George Randalls escort to church, to
social gatherings and TO village dances. 1t
was strange perversity on M part, for all
the Snal1evilIe girls tolerated Randall and
willingly accepted bis company; but, in
my eyes, he was peculiarly offensive and |
felt, by intuition, that the time would some
day arrive when | should prove my dislike
TO be well founded.
l possessed another very ardent admirer
at Snakeville. Oh course, my pupils in
cluded the usual strange variety TO be
found in a country school, but there was
one scholar VINO interested me particularly.
de was a lai-a young man-whO must
have been two years older than myself,
whose education had been somewhat neg
lected in mis- earlier days. lie was only a
country boy, farmers son, unassuming
and rather shy. Charlie Chanpneys was
not unduly quick or sharp, and yet, in some
ways, be was peculiarly bright and apt to
learn He was very much Qeformed and a
cripple, generally known in the neighbor-
hood as "Hunchback Charlie"
l was genuinely interested in this my big
gest and oldest pupil. and l gave him, as
has teacher, more attention than was his
legitimate share Indeed I was so much
interested in him that l encouraged him to
come up and see me evenings, 80 that we
could go over his studies more carefully
than school hours permitted. He did come
often, much to George Randalls chagrin,
though the latter might easily have per
ceived that | cred nothing for Charlie, be
ing merely interested in hin as a diI.geut,
painstaking pupil
Quite often, after we finished our studies,
would read from books to Charlie, or, By
bis request, sing one Of ray sJars. accom-
piano-the only one in the neighDorhooa
And all the time, while l never once dream
ed about caring deeply for Charlie Champ
neys, it never crossed my mind that per
chance he might, possibly, learn 50 think
more of me than would Do good Tor his
peace and comfort,
But at last the truth was forced upon me.
For one Sunday evening IA May, about two
days before | was TO leave Suahevi,le, very
shyly and with much diLidence and STAN
mering, Charlie told me thai he loved me,
and Laughed 1t him.
He was serious enough and very much in
earnest. l knew that full well. But
treated the whole AFFAIR as a huge joke and
made fun Of the poor fellow un5il he could
stand it no longer, buo, hiGsling Ike a
girl, left me hastily. Aad ier luat scorn-
full, laughing, hooking, thougalless dis
missal Of a manly lover rendering me a
good, genuine, honest love l have been
sorry ever since.
From Snakeyilie 10 the railroad which
would convey me 10 my own home was five
miles, ana was compelled 10 ride that dis
lance with George Randall IN his much ad-
mired spring wagon. Apparently he was
not in a good humOr when we started out.
His bearing was sullen ana Ilorose, ana he
uttered never word. Ne rode IL perfect
silence for fully half the distance to the de
pot, when we reached the foot Of d hill
which would have 20 be assembled by Us.
Here Randall stopped the horse, and
quietly throa the rains over the animals
back Re shifted ms own position some
what. SO Is 70 look ne fan IN the face
while l Csz3l 1t him in blank astonish
ment. There was a curious glitter in Ran
dulus eye, a1d / knew well that it was
,l4ss passion, .25S S-5T, Of ,ss.1.1 II looked
like an expression Of s4eSGl HATRED more
than aught else. certainly, il was the glare
of q demon which he fixed upon me.
"Ioa VIII marry Gaes' he said. slowly