The morning call., 1890-11-29
TWO KISSES.

Ill W Ill UJ lCahllJ uhNSi'NSNN Ni4NS 49,
:: many wears have passed since was slip
of girl" Yet was only slip of girl,
a sma!t-sized, inexperienced miss of Is.
when l. undertook the rather arduouS task
of teaching district school in an outlying
sectF n. of Vermont, near the New York
:: Statelllie.
Ny schaol was not so very far distant
p from nv OWN home which was in a small
Vermont. city, but it was far enough to
render it necessary for me to board
around ,t.ih the usual country scho0l-Inarm
style. The school term extended over four
months: and each succeeding month l be-
= came the guest of a different family. With
the.1irst.three was fairly well content and
tuleiably comfortable, but when | took up
-niy residence for my last month Twas de-
cfdedly uneasy and dissatisfied withmy sur
romndings.
- The household consisted of a tolerably
wealthy old widow and. her son, the latter
being the Objectionable party. He was in
3. sizea giant, and was perhaps 80 years old.
He dressed much better than most Vermont
farmers, and took much pride in his per-
sunai.appearance; but he could not conceal
: the fact that he was coarse, illiterate and
- brutal. hated him very cordially from the
FIRST moment that my eyes rested upon him,
and vet from that same first moment George
Randall was unceasing in his efforts (WHICH,
i am thankful to say, were mostly unSuc-
ceSsfuD 10 pay ME marked attention. .
Although the Randals' home was long
=. half mile from the school-house.l steadily
refused to be driven by my host IN his car
riage, and all through the muddy April
-;wgatlfcT persistently walked the tlreS0me
distance daily. IalSO declined Sundry offers
OF George RandalPs escort to church, to So
eial gatherings and to village dances. 1t
was strange ueTYersty on GIy part for all
j; the Snakeville girls tolerated Randall and
willingly accepted his company; but in my
eyes he was peculiarly offensive, and felt,
b bv intuition, that the time would. some day
%. arrive W hen-I should prove my dislike to. be
well founded.
IpOssessed another very ardent admirerat
. SnakeNlle. OF course my pupils included
); the usual strange variety to be found IN
country, school, but there was one scholar
who interested me particularly. He was
lad-a.y Young man-wbo must have been TWO
years older than myself whose education.
Lad been'some what neglected in his earlier
days. He was only country boy, farm
PT's sen, unaSSumlng and rather shy. Char
lie Champneys was not unduly quick or
SHARP and Vel, i'll some ways, he was pc
culiaIly bright and apt to learn. He was
very mulch deformed and cripple, generally
known in the neighborhood as Hunchback'
Charlie"
/ WAS sEeDQlUe1y Interested III THIS my Dig
gest and oldest pupil, and gave hun, as his
teacher, more attention than was his legit-
mate share. Indeed, | was so much inter-
esttd in him that encouraged him to come
mp and see me evenings, SO that we could go
over his stil5ies more carefully than school
hours Permitted. He did come often, much
to George Randalfs chagrin, though the
latter. might easily have. perceived that L
cared nothing for Charlie, being merely in
terested III him as diligent, painstakIng
pupil
Quite often. after we finished our studies,
;Iwould read from books to Charlie, or, by
his request, sing one of my songs, accom-
panying myself on Mrs. RandalPs choice
pianO-the only one in the neighborEood.
g And all the time while / never once dreamed
BE- about caring deeply for Charlie Champneys,
il never crossed my mind that perchance lie
might possibly, learn TO think more of me
than would be good for his peace AMI con-
fort.
But.at last the truth was forced upon me.
For one Sunday evening in May, about two
DAYS beiUie / was to leave Snakeyille, very
siyly, and with much ditfidence and staAl-
mering, Charlie told lie that he loved me,
sDdsL-laughed at him.
He was serious enough and very much IL
earnest. i knew that fun well. But |
treated the whole affair as huge joke and
made fun Of the poor fellow until he could
stand it 10 longer, but, blushing like girl,
left me hastily. And for that scofniul,
a manly lover tendering me a good, genuine,
honest love l have been sorry ever since.
Firm SD&keYiile to the railroad which
would convey me to my own home was i've
miles, and ! was compelled 10 ride that dis
tance 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 SCI len and morOSe, and he
uttered never word. We rode in perfect
SIlenre for fully hall the distance to the
b. datH yRlf in. reached the foot Of a hill
which would have 10 be assembled by US.
Here Randall stopped the horse, and
quietly threw the reins over the animals
back He"shiited bis own position some
what, SO as to look me full in the face, while
/ gazed al him in blank establishment
There was a curious glitter in RandalPs
eye. and .Eknew well that it was a cold pas
sion, not. burn of drink. 1t looked like an
expressionsof deadly hatred more than aught
else !; certainly, ii was the glare of a demon
which he fixed upon me.
You. will marry meP he said. slowly
and deliberately, more IN q commanding
than in Questioning tone.
Il made mo answer, for l was greatly
frightened and agitated.
~ say you. will marry me-" he repeated,
while with his left hand he grasped my
rigntafm so tightly as to cause me consid-
erable. physical pain.
] saw that must say something.
-Mr: Randall, surely You would not in
suit and assault helpless grip"
Insult You? No, curse you'll" he said.
1T Is you who insult, for you have snuhbed
me on every possible occasion since you
came to Snakeyille. Insult you? Pshaw
return good for evil. say, you will
marry me!'
you are mistaken" replied. 'Tf you
intend by your strange language to co me
the honor Of requesting me 10 marry you,
regret that must decline. Please drive on"
All he almost missed. mo, [ cannot
force you TO marry me, but l CAM can
make YOU yield me those sneering lips of
yours for while! Yes. you SHALL
One Of his strong arms was thrown
around me, drawing me unwillingly TO his
side. His other hand held me as in wise.
He bent bis face TO me, and l could almost
feel his lips upon mine.
But lie did no. kiss me. Some one sprang
:: upon the wagon and struck Randall a vio-
lent blow upon the head. and before the
brutal. fellow could collect his scattered
: senses he was tossed out of the wagon on.
to the roadside. The oppOrtune arrival was
the cripple, Chahie Champneys.
My dehyerer spoke word to Randall,who
was not seriously hurt, and then drove me
on to the depot, He cid not say very much,
nor did !, though l felt like telling him a
great deal; when the train drew up we said
geod-ly, and | never returned to Snakeyille
Two years later spent my summer yaca-
ton; with some friends who resided in
small town on the shores OF Lake George,
within driving distance of the scene of my
firstefforts at.teaching. l was exceedingly
fond of:rowing, and frequently spent whole
:. days alone on. the lake.
:, Late IN the afternoon of what had been
. an intensely hot day. l started out in my
little ski and pulled lazily along the shore
Itwas so pleasant tn at the time slipped by
unnOtlced. and fol long while l was un-.
aware Of the darkness which was slowly
creeping over the water. When | did psr-
ceive the evening shadows they served to
cover more serious blackness which was
already filling the western skies. Had |
: been weatber-wise i might have known
that one of those terrible summer storms.
SO common in lake regions, was about to
break. The first intimation which l re-
ceiyed, however, was slight flash of light
ming, followed by the low rumbling of
thunder. was, perhaps, three miles from
the village and half mile from the shore
which at that point and at that time was
covered by dense woods. | had always been
afraid of lightning, and the sudden fash,
added to my knowledge of the fact that
was alone on deep water, made me very
nervous