The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-12-19

that the roulette table fosters and SO
there was a kissing game going on at
the church, led by the minister's daugh-
ter herself. Here was q fine chance to
get even. Mike lad had to close up his
place for several weeks because Of a
scathing sermon preached by this same
clergyman, and the remembrance Of it
still ranked.
Here, boy" he said to a tall, fresh
looking youth OF seventeen, handing
him roll OF bills, you go over to the
church fair, and il the sky pilots
daughter is going to be paid for
sweet kiss, push up in front and bid
up. Don't let anyone else get It, to the
limit of your Northumberland? I'll be
there in time"
The boy, fresh and fair and innocent
looking-as the run Of boys in "gilded
hells" are apt to be-was off in a trice,
and in ten minutes more had added his
individual unit to the circle around the
main centre Of osculatory interest.
1t Is highly probable that If such
really scandalous proceeding as this
auction had been premeditated and adj
vertised beforehand it would have been
promptly squashed by the pillars Of
the church. But the suddenness of it
took the critics off their feet, and it
was well in hand and going on" be-
fore anyone had time to take breath
The minister's daughter was the auc-
tioneer. A bamboo cane, with strip
Of red bunting on it, was her wand of
service. Tall and stately and beauti-
full, her eyes flashing with the fun. she
stood by the chair and waved her flag.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen" she
cried "here is Miss Kitty Jones. How
much am l offered for a sweet kiss?
What! Only So? For shame! Do you
appreciate what you are getting? Five,
did you say? Now make it six. Six
it is Seven from the gentleman Oh the
right. Seven, seven, seven - eight,
eight-will some one make it nine?
That's right. You'll never regret it.
Nine, nine. Now ten. That's better.
Ten it is. Come, gentlemen, bid up"
The excitement ran high. Deacon
Bradbury Simpkins, forgetting what
fate awaited him at home, bid $40 on
Susie Perkins, whom his good wife had
once designated as sassy" Rudd Cas-
Teton, the best golf player in town,
was q great help in bidding up and
SO also were Jack Clubberly ana Billy
Sparks.
The ninth and lest girl was none
other than the minister's daughter her.
self. On the table by her side lay q
collection box, holding over 5000, tho
proceeds of this unusual traffic. Per
j., haps the consciousness that she had
succeeded, that those poor little cots
would get their outing, was enough t
, make her obliyious Of herself.
AT any rate, she was calm and beau
a., tifully collected as she stepped on til,
: chair, disdaining the helping hand tina
a spectator held out to her.
Ladies and gentlemen" she said
with your kind permission l will b.
my own auctionear, and I will spar
: you the usual compliments. am her
= to raise all the money 1 can for til
= poor children, and I am selling a kls
: to the highest bidder. How much al
: I offered?'
Twenty-Five dollars"
"The first bid ladies and gentlemen
is $50. Who will make it thirty? Thil
ty, it is, thirty, thirty-thirty-hve, thil
ty-1ve. Is thirty-fve the highest bid?
The tall. innocent youth now steppe
to the front 1t is but justice to til
o boys from the club to say they die NJ
is recognize him.
n I'm make it forty he said.
=. The auctioneer was unmoved.
Il am offered SO" she said "Gol
" tlemen, bid up Forty, forty, forty
N going at forty going, going. gon
10 Young man, the kiss is yours at $40"
10 There was a slight pause, a flutter
q. Interest This nice-looking, gentlema,
pe ly appearing boy, with $40 to bid for
10 single kiss-who was he? At any rat
70 it didn't matter much, he was only
,s boy.
1t, "What a relief, whispered one
to the committee, "to think her reputad,
ee has been saved by q young thing III
N, ! that YVbv if doesn't moan anvtbfr