Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-10-22
A KISS BEFORE
ENGAGEMENT
loriginall
Alecn and were on the beach.

woman with tenderness"
Il doubt II any woman can be char.
table to another woman"
II can. When there Is an opportuni-
~, win show YOU
Would you forgive girl fer permit
ting me TO kiss her without my being
engaged to herr
Il would not forgive you IL you did,
well turned Why would you not
forgive meT'
The man is the stronger. lie should
not take advantage Of woman's weak.
ness. Whom have Jon been SHINING
WITH
IF should give you her name.
would be doubly guilty"
"A girl who would 10 demean herself
would not care
"Dou't blame Der. You have Just said
that you can be charitable"
To this the only reply was brief
silence
Il suppose" she said presently. you
can tell me what sort Of a looking
thing she was"
sTAt y a. AfAAt A&A1AA - tAAhAs
She was human being with Titias
hair. brown eyes and skin white as
milk"
You mean she was a redheaded girl
with a ehalky complexion"
"on the contrary. she was very pref
~"
"wha, were the circumstances lead.
Ing up to-
The kiSs7 oh, that came about
very naturally. II you had seen II all.
you wouIdn, blame her"
Il do blame her"
But you said that when there came
an opportunity you would show me
that you could he charitable
Charity besins"~
at homer
A slight color came 10 her cheek and
a mid cash to her ere at the asEser-
sion
sinner il pcniteut. But tell TIE more
about this bold jade"
'-She was gentle. couadlng. Her
voice was soft and sweet. So Juno
cent was she that she did not wait for
me to kiss her: but. throwing her white
arms around my neck. she kissed me. "
The hoTrtd thing
There was long silence. Aie~n sat
down on the beach and began to punch
the sand with her parasol
You are offended at me-" | said.
seating Inysclf beside her,
Il am hurt that should have be-
slowed my friendship on such a tri.
Ger. When did this disgracefnl epi.
sode take placer
Last evening"
"whegeg''
VERY near where We are sitting"
I saw a spark Of sunlight refraeted
from her eye by a tear. There was no
fnsstaking IL.
"AIs.en,- said. forgive me."
"You have treated me shAmefuily."
"Alesn. no one In the wide world
save you
The time for words had passed. and
IL was fortunate that there was some
thing besides words eruwding In TO
take their place. / put my arm about
her waist. drew her toward me aud
kissed bcr.
A burst Of merry laughter from be-
hind. a child's arms about my neck. q
rosy mouth against my cheek
"Aleen." | said, ''thIs ia the thing.
the 'redheaaed girl with a chaIky com
plexion.' the sinner who kissed me.
She has offended again"
Alecn rose and without word
walked away and crossed the board
walk. and In few minutes her re
treating figure was lest within the Tor-
tails OF the hotel
lis she madT' asked my little friend.
Mad doesn't express IL. Can't you
find a word In your child's vocabulary
that win better describe her cofdi
tioni"
what did you dor
had drawn her on 10 bitterly con
denim q woman who would receive
kiss from a man to whom she was no,
engaged and then kissed her myself.
II have Acted very badly" | said TO
the child. ''and am heartily ashamed Of
myself. wish you would go TO her
for me and tell her So"
took her hand In mine and led her
to the hotel Since IL was her bedtime
aud ] preferred that AIeeu's anger
should have time TO Good | deferred the
message TIL the next morning. but the
next morning Aleen's mother an
n0unced that her daughter Was indis.
posed and would keep TO her room.
Toward evening cold wind came
up. and the guests OF the hotel occu-
pied the drawing room. Aieen sat
reading at the other end from where
was. She did not deign to look up al
me. though was quite sure she knew
I was In the room. sly little friend
came Ia and babe me good night.
go tell Miss Aleen," said 10 Der.
''that you have taken back the kiss you
gave me yesterday and wish 10 give II
to her"
She danced on TO Aleen. who looked
from her book when she came uD and