Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-09-17
kissing the Bride.

A Chicago mining engineer grew
confidential as he was talking with
party of friends in his club one day
last week, says the Chicago Times
Herdtd. He estimates the expense
or chattering at several hundred dol
lars, and the account is growing.
"l was down in Ration, N. NJ,
about ten years ago." he said, land
the first thing 1 did after / had Sc
cured my room in the excellent ho-
tel at tho station was to go down and
see an old acquaintance of mine who
had come up from the mines and
opened a combination liquor saloon,
gambling house and dance hail.
We talked over old times until it
was almost time for dinner, and 1
started back to the hotel.
/ had gotten within plain view of
the crowd sitting out on the broad
veranda waiting for the dinner-bell
to ring, when | became conscious of
the approach of little, blonde, wea-
zen-faced cowboy escorting a stout,
bleary-looking woman. AS we were
about to meet l said, in my best
manner:
Pleasant day, partner
Betcher life it's a pleasant day,,
he answered, with some effusion
'smy weddin' day. Then, with an
air Of evident pride at the new found
partner OF his joys and Sorrows
Smy wife. Pretty, amt she?'
saw no reason why / should in
suit bridegroom by telling him the
truth, so | answered that she was
very pretty. Without any more
conversation he changed the subject
with startling abruptness.
kiss 'er,' he said. kiss BRIDE
Now, l didn't want to kiss any,
body at that time, and least of all
this silent woman, who stood rock
ing dreamily on the arm of my new
acquaintance. l bethought me of
my old friend as refuge of affiic-
ton, and said;
Let's go down to Bill's place and
drink her health
Kiss Ter first he replied, uncom-
promisingly.
WELL 1 said, supposing you
take dollar and go down there and
drink to her health
Gimme dollar he said.
produced the dollar cheerfully,
thinking it mighty cheap under the
circumstances, when he interrupted
my thoughts of self-congratulation
with:
Now, kiss 'er.'
You all know Pm q bachelor, and
an honest, truth-telling man. l am
QGhpTpnH
tion lied shamefully.
My wife is right up there on the
hotel porch 1 begged, 'and what
what will she say when she sees me
kiss stranger?
That's all right he responded,
cheerfully. You kissa girl, an
go up and kisshure wife,
1 had played my last card, and
could distinctly see, in spite of my
modification, that he was lingering
his weapons, a perfect arsenal of
guns and knives, that pervaded his
whole miserable front. There was
only one thing to do, and I did it
like a man. ] put my arms around
the froWsy woman and kissed her
good and loud.
hank you, SAID ne, and our ac-
quaintance ceased from that minute.
When | reached the hotel the
crowd arose as one man and followed
me into the bar. My business made
1t absolutely necessary for me to
stay in Ration several days. During
all that time men | never saw before
and hope never to meet again would
come up to me and whisper, kiss
'er.' The amount of money it cost
me was fabulous.
And here it was that the mining
engineer failed to reckon on Chicago
adaptability. Men in that club he
never saw before and never wants
to see again are coming up to him
/" at intervals, all day long" and
saying in low tone, " Kiss 'er."