The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-20
KISS THAT FAILED
NOT EXACTLY FAILED BUT WAS
HELD LONG IN SUSPENSION.

sweetheart Whom She Never Failed to
Dream About and Never Failed to Love
There is.a Strange Meeting in Cincin-
NATHAN Incomplete Climax to it ALL
She Tells Her Own Story.
Dayton, Ohio, Jan. II.
Dear Eagle[I have found another
Did maid and strange to say she was, as
I, society girl in Wichita. l want TO
tell her strange story to my old friends
In Wichita, and 1 have written it over
two or three times only to consign the
manuscript to the flames. L guess /
was not cut out for story-teiler. In
the first place her story seems to me to
be so incomplete. 1 have read suf-
hcently to know that a story-teller
should have a climax and that climax
should be satisfactory, but this story
of this old maid friend of mine will
satisfy nobody / am sure Still all
must agree that it has climax. But
how unsatisfactory.
So / have given up trying to twist
the tale around SO that it would end
satisfactorily and / VIII tell it plainly
in narration.
Thursday last / was in Cincinnati. I
was coming home on the Big Four and
l reached the gloomy old depot at en-
cinati too soon for comfort When nv
train had backed in L went into the
chair-car and sat down. In half an
hour or so the train moved out and as
the wheels began to rumble I saw in
the aisle before me Dot Temple (oe
course that isn't her real name) / had
known her IN Wichita. She had taken
on drawn, hard look that told me at
once that she had never married and
belng an old maid myself, felt a lit
lie sorry for her. She had been pretty
she was pretty yet, but she was thirty
and her forehead was wrinkIed and her
nose had a cold blue cast about il that
oetracted Some-yes, a great deal, for I
remember she used TO be considered
beautiful
/ intended to ask her to sit down. but
when she drew nearer [ was Mortified
10 find her actually sobbing, and L
changed my mind. OF all things. / do
detest woman weeping in public But
my curiosity crowded down this aver
sion and L spoke her name. She was
shocked to see me and her handkerchief
f1eW u nor wet eyes.
We talked about Wichita and our old
actcaiEtances for a while b.t [ saw
she Was distracted most of the. nine
an finally l Sa d.
Child, you are worried. Tell me
what has happened"
Poor thing. She wanted to tell some
one and she told me. There was sonne-
thing tragic in her manner too-sOme-
thlng STACEY and dramatic. This is
what she said:
1T is the story of my first kiss.
Listen You remember the old house
our old home-on Lawrence avenue? 7
was almost raised there. L spent
most OF younger days in school. [
read only my school books When
was fifteen / had never read a novel |
such thing was ia booed in our family. |
1 had been told that l could love nv 1
mother and my father and my broth |
erS. L did not know that [ could love |
any one else-that ever would or that |
love outside the family was possible.
Il was fairly good looking" she con- |
nnued- "One night"
You were beautiful" said.
'One night" she went on, not MOTTO |
Ing my remark. THE moment arrived. |
in all its solemnity, when L was to re-
ce1ve my first caller. He was a young /
Snan who had asked to call. When 1 |
fpid at home that had granted his re-
quest there was same objection, but |
the thing had been done and that set
tied 1T. Well, Ed Chat was his namc)
came. For long time we talked COM
monpiaces, / hink. But later the hum
drum of the call seemed to wear off. L
OeCdHie with MS converse ton.
1 do not know whether imagined it, or
1t was so, but his voice softened and
softaned and softened until il became
musical, and, simple girl that / was, I !
sat there with my eyes full on his face,
my finSer-tips tingling, my breath
coming fast and my eyes moist with
some strange emotion.
II did not hear what he said 7 ONLY
knew he was talking, soft and low. He
had come to my side. / did hear |
then. 1t was a sort of a presumption
which 1 resented. And 1 drew away
from him. The sweetness of his per
suasive voice did not vary at his back
set. He touched my cheek and taking
his finger away watched the red of
my flesh over-blush the white spot
which the impress OF his hand had
made. / know this because he told me.
He whispered now that he loved me- 1
must have repeated the word slowly
ENORMOUSLY for he paused and laughed
He whispered again and said that I
loved him-that he could see the love
light in my eyes. Then he asked me
TO kiss him.
Il knew then that I must love him.
1 wanted to kiss him and 1 offered to?''
Are you Shocked" this old maid
asked of me.
Not at ALL said /, myself anothre
old maid.
when he knew that I would kiss
him." she went on, his manner
changed. There was a hoastful ring
no, not boastful-but something like |
it, in his voice.
:" 1t is the first time my lady-love,' he
said, has been kiSSed?'
Il nodded
He took both my cheeks in either
hand and lifting up my face said gen
thy:
"'Now for your first kiss
There was n ring at the front door |
/ FASTENED out. 1t was the telegraph :
boy with message for Ed. He tore it !
open under the hall lght-his father
was very sick in New Jersey. He .
took his hat and coat hurriedly and /;
was gone
My old maid friend paused as with |.
relief.
well" said I. flippantly. you wasn't
kissed after all?'
Don't" she protested painfully. ,
Don't say that. l loved that boy. For
years l thought of no other / never
heard from him and 1 never forgot him.
| have had other chances but 1 was !
true TO him-true to him throushout. ;
might seek me out-dreaming always 1
of him and OF no other" |
And you were thinking of him when
you got on this train crying?" / asked
Listen" she said. Il was alone in
1t was late. I could not
stay. I had to take this train. l am a
You are excited / said. Tell me I
why you talk that way
Listen TO me-" she went on almost
Historically. Il came down TO the de-
pot The train was almost ready 10
move out. / turned from the ticket
and stood face to face with |