The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-27

whis.ie ehrlcNSo, anu the train plunged
into tunnel Now or never" I thought
enemy, surrounded lis, and not only the
idea, but with 1t courage. cnlnc 10 mo
SAW Fraulcin AIartha's hand CLEAN in the
darkness. lsoized it, and before its owner
had time to Know what WAS doing
what was that" cried Herr Fcnchcl.
"A kiss, replied his wife
The train left the tunnel and plunged
into the open daylight The passengers
looked around rs if they had heard n shot
fathor than kiss and expected to see a.
suicide wcltcring in his blood 1 initiated
them and looked about mo with equal as.
tonishmcnt and curiosity. From several
l heard giggling. On the whole the 81.
lcnce was really embarrassing. Froulcin
Martha was rummaging in her handbag
and her head WAS bent over 1t so that I
could not see whether she was angry or
not. 1t may be that l murmurctl, Il bog
your PARDON 1t may he that 1 did not
for 1t will readily bc understood that my
lips were fully employed i'll what I have
just described. At any rate, was glad
that had found such pleasure in such
o short tunnel. Added to that, had won
my bot Martha's hand had really dis.
appeared in mine, and 1 had had to opcn
my hand again in order to imprint IL kiss
cNe"NSAA WV pitttN ullnDlCS. frluItln
Roschcn and her admrer sat us if stupc.
fed and stared solcmnly at the floor. 4
kiss which sounds like a real ono fills
lovers with mixed scnsations-cnvya and
appreciation. Opposite them sat Herr Fen
ohcl, who stared ut them In astonishmcnt
and shook his head warningly. His fore.
sight had deceived him, for he had NOT
known that RoSchcn would bc kissed
1t was, moreover, such kiss--so na-
grant, SO resonant! Had he dared
to spcak-which he did not out of
consideration for his daughtcr-hc would
have administered the strongest rcbukc
that mortal ever received So he con.
tented himself with looking rcproachfnllv
and warningly ut the two culprits and oc.
casonally turning his eyes on his wife.
who was intent on u newspaper which she
was holding upside down
The rest OF the passengers gradually re.
covered from the shock. At the next STA.
ton there was "a longer stop, ana wc got
ont of The train In doing 50 heard ono
passenger say to another, Good Eraoiou,!r
He WAS speaking of tho kiss "Bcauti-
full!' said Il lady to gentleman who was
accompanying her She, too was speak
ing Of it.
II know exactly what's to be done.
said Herr Ecnchcl to his wife us they got
understand, too, Martha, that that kiss
in the tunnel'-
II know all about it, " replied Martha
" y lnan If your understanding cannot
fail To perceive the meaning of that kiss,
and if you ignore it heavy responsibility
rests on your shoulders" continued She
cncrgcticnlly. "lt was a perfect kiss ,hc
meaning of which cannot be cxplnincd
away. There are kisses which are serious
deeds, and that in the tunnel was one of
thcnA How could young and incxpc.
ricnced lips produce such Il l>issf Its
ringing in my ears yet
SO you noticed it., did YOU, Martha,
said Herr Fcnohcl, "althouph YOU were so
far away? My wife didn't notice it. Of
course. How often have I warned her
that young Taubr WAS II Don Junnl l3ut
it's no use repeating that NOW. What is,
Is, and what must be, must be 4" Whore
upon Herr Nenchcl took his wifcs arm
and signed 80 his daughter and young
Tauhc to follow. The quartet went into
the first class waiting room which was
empty
But, Nraulcin," I said To Martin,
who having looked on smilingiy while
the four disappeared, came to my side
Il made tho best usc of the kiss" said
Fraulcin Martha a hand kiss means
i'o'ii'iiS-, b'tt INK ~ 1lilkt some
thing good out of it. l am encouraging
Herr Fcnchcl in his conccitcd idea that he
forcscos and understands everything, and
l am getting Roschcn husband whom
she loves. il that bad stroke Of bust
ness"
But that kiss was my property,
said
Don't be nonscnsicnl," she answered
1t was simple act of policncss uc-
ccp;cd it rs such, and you meant it as
nothing more. Do you Know, my father
used 10 call me 'situpid.-Littlr Stupid |
was often very wild, and So he called me
Little stupid for II pet name ann no
longcra Child. but often have Ills of
wildncss when 1 can carry an intrigue
through which hurts nobody and does
some good. one day MY father ceased to
call me Little Stupid, and he never used
the namc again He was terribly strict
and us he saw one of my boy friends kiss
my hand he called him To account for it
SO roughly that the boy avoided the house
ever after. AS he was no hero of ro-
NANCE was left alone and remain alone
Now I've had my revenge on fate, for
through II hand kiss two young folks have
been made happy. Wasn't that noble
revenge
You arc an angel, Fraulcin Martial"
cried as loudly us ii is fitting ON II rail
way platform
when II girl is hung onto an angel,
She is pretty harmless, 4" said she laughing
ly. My father meant angel when no
called mo stupid, but he didn't make
love to me-"
AT this point the quartet rcappearcd
Herr Fcnchcl canc with his daughter
and Frau Fcnchcl was conducted by
Taubc.
Martha" said Herr Fcnchcl. didn't
1 always tell you that they would make
fine coupler They've been engaged for
five minutes