The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-22
HOBSON'S KISSING BEE
Four Hundred and Seventeen His Re-
cord for one Day in Kansas City.

Four Hundred and Seventeen His hc-
cord for one Day in Kansas city.
TOPEKA KAN. Dec 20.-Lieutenant
Richmond Pearson Hobson is to-day the
most thoroughly kissed man in America
After kissing n7 women IN Kansas city
last evening. he resumed this morning
hi journey to san francisco. His trip
aeros5 Kansas was one continuous kiss
ing bee. Reports received al Topeka Zoe
night Indicate he kissed more than seven
hundred Kansas girls and women TO-
day. and the number may reach thou-
sand.
mis- train made less than o dozen stops
during the day. AT each stopping place
there was "a large crowd. women predomi-
nating. I'm each instance loDson de-
seconded from the car platform and en-
;ioy "a ail the time until the train start
cd in violent osculatory exercise.
AZ Topeka where the train waited
twenty minutes for dinner. az least five
huadred women We're in the crowd. 10
was a wcll-g0wHed catherine Some oI
the society leaders were there High
school girls We're ON hand ia numbers.
and they were AN on the qut yive To-
see the famous young lieutenant.
As the train came 90 stop The women
pressed eagerly forward and the men m
the crowd leil back 90 watch The per-
Torrance. llobsOn lost no time. lie ape
SCARED almost Immediately on the car
platform.
"Ah, there me is." arose a chorus of
feminine voices. Isn't ne sweet? Tie is
just too lovely for anything, ana similar
expressions were heard
Lieutenant H0bs0n smiled bcuignly on
the crowd. IIc seemed 90 know what was
expected of him, for he descended ta
steps Immediately. There was am aWk-
ward pause for several seconds. The WOO
men who surrounded H0bs0n expected 20
be kissed and HobsOn expected to kiss
them. but each woman seemed reluctant
10 bee the first. and HobsOn was emDar-
raised before the breaking of the ice.
one woman came 10 his rescue. giving
him am opening. which DEE accepted.
"Lleutenmt" she said. swoctly. hand
ing him a card. won't you please give
me your autograph
"Of course ( viii he replied. laugh
ing.y 81 will be delighted to give you
my autograph. but you know ] have Csc
tablished am invrlabie rule that she VINO
receives my autograph must pay tAs
penalty
The woman bushcd and demonstrated
mildly HobsOn saw hc was losing Naiu-
able time. he quickly graspel her n his
arms and kissed her full upon the lips.
This incident served 90 break the ice
for him. Emboldencd by his success, he
passed rapidly down the line. kissing
women ami girls right and left. IL - DE-
mated that he kissed fully two human
women on tine platform at Topeka.
'f see I am destined To lose my dine
ffrtfr
''but that doesn't matter l ana galnin5
moro than | am losing.
There is nothing haif-hcartei about
Hobson's methods. He puts his left arm
about the neck of the woman 90 Doe kiss-
ed. places her head upon his left shout
der bonds a smiling face down to hsIs'
and then-wel. there are several mum
dred Kansas women who know what hap
pens then.
Several of the girls came back seconi
time and quite a few third timc OF
course. there were some vino would not
be- kissed bv HODsOn under any circum-
stances. but these were married women
When Dee put his arm about a woman il
was usually toregouc CONCLUSION NHNl
that particular woman was going to pe
kissed. But once or twice tnefc was
failure. and one of them was pir'cu-
larlv emphatic. \ woman ma" eN"c1ru
an autograph from Ho1son. and. as
matter of course bee started to kiss her.
I{Yt She would have none of b. and sirus-
eled so hard that the Lieutenant lnaliy
gave 60 mp and asked;
Don't YOU want itf
In r.plv 90 this came am emphatic
''Norr that fairly startled hlhL
ONE woman handed her card for am
autoeranh H0bson wrote his name ana
tblu iatlmated that he would not denver
the card without kiss.
..AVeu. YOU Will have 10 keep the card
said the woman. and sine finally sol "
Without kiss Another woman san down
and wcpt cnpiously because she haa pee"
kissed Against her Will.
During the trip 10 Junction City Ques-
Toned I lieutenant H0bson about his kiss
ing experiences.
u have often noticed ne said, 'tnat
mon brought prominently into pnhnc
notice have been the recipients of marked
.otteutfor from women. ] never tnou-ht
tvas destined 90 have such an eNpt-
rlopco but here / am in the midst OF d.
Now what would YOU dc? Would you
run away from 10? 40. ! am not e"ins
90. either. I ann man. ana propose lo
enjoy IL while IL lasts.
"Do you not get Tired kissing so many
women ! asked him
NO. / haven't yet. l have Thoroughly
enjoy cd il 50 FAR. | suppose II ] h"u
kissed enc woman as often as ! nave
lfissad different women to-day / should
he Thoroughly exhausted. But the con-
slant change Is delightfully."- eNhihra'in-
don't Won sec2 When the kissing is i1st
and furious. It sometimes gets just a ht-
ne tiresouie. and IL sometime fapneus
that faces are presented that WouiH
fain pass by. But when I start 10 / nave
20 take II as It comes There Is no see