The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-10-24

clergyman. and the remembrance of it.
| still ranked.
Here, boy" he said to tall.
fresh-looking> youth of II, handing
him roll of bills, '.you go over to
the church fair, and if 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 wad-under-
stand? I'll be there in time.''
The 10y, fresh and fair and inno-
cent lcOking-as the run of boys in
"gilded hells" are apt to be-was off
in trice, and in ten minutes more
had aided his individual unit to the
circle around the main center of
oscnlatory interest
1t Is highly probable that if such
a really scandalous proceeding as
this auction had been premeditated
and advertised beforehand it would
have been promptly squashed by the
pillars of the church. But the sud-
denneSs of it took the critics off their
feet, and it was well in hand and
going on" before anyone had time
to take breath.
The minister's daughter was the
auctioneer. A bamboo cane, with a
strip of red bunting on it, was her
wand of service. Tall and stately
and beautiful. her eyes flashing with |
the fur, she stood by the chair and |
waved her flag.
''Now, ladies and gentlemen" she
cried, here is Miss Kitty Jones.
7 |
kiss? What! Only two dollars?
For shame! Do you appreciate what
you are getting? Five, did you say?
Now make it six. Six it is. Seven
from the gentleman on 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 ten
dollars on Susie Perkins, whom his
good wife had once designated as
sassy" Rudd Castleton, the best
golf player in town, was great help
in ''bidding up and so also were
Jack Clubberly and Billy Sparks.
The ninth and last girl was none
other than the minister's daughter
herself. On the table by her side lay
a collection box, holding over 5000,
the proceeds of this unusual traffic. .
Perhaps the consciousness that she
had succeeded, that those poor little
tots would get their outing, was
enough to make her oblivious of her
self ,,
At any rate, she was calm and, beau
tifully collected as she stepped on the ,
chair, disdaining the helping hand that
q spectator held out to her.
Ladies' and gentlemen" she said. =
with your kind permission I will be u
ny own auctioneer, and 1 will spare
you the usual compliments. amhere
TO raise all the money can for the ',
Door children, and 1 am selling kiss II
% the highest bidder. How much am
offered?" r
twenty-five dollars"
"The first bid. ladies and gentlemen,
S twenty-five dollars. Who will make
t thirty? Thirty it is, thirty, thirty I
hirty-five, thirty-five. Is thirty-five
he highest bid?''
The tall innocent youth now stepped |
o the front. 1t is but justice to the |
'oys from the club to, say they did not |
recognize him.
''I'll make it 40.'' he said
The auctioneer was unmoved.
''Im offered $40" she said. Gentle |
men. bid up. Forty, 40, 4O-going at |
0-going. going. gone. Young man, |
he kiss is YOURS at S4O'' |
There was slight pause, a f1utter |
# interest. This nice-looking. gentle /
manly appearing boy. with $40 to bid /
or single kiss-who was he? At any |
ate. it didn't matter much, he was I
MY boy. /
'What a relief whispered one of |:
he committee. "to think her reputa- |
ion has been saved by a young thing. |
Ike that. Why. it doesn't mean any, I
hing to be kissed by him. An act Of
I verilly believed" |
Almost as if in reply the boy turned =
alf around. as the figure of Mike
lady slowly forced its way through
he circle. \
81 was bidding for some one else"
aid the boy. holding out the money.
Yes said Mike, his cool insolent
We sweeping the crowd. "He was y
idding for me. He was my-what do Is
GU call it ?-proXy. I'll take the kiss, IS
you please" s
4 dead silence-an awful pause. n
For the first time that evening a flush =
the face of the minister's Ike
aughter-a flush that made it's way ot
rom her firmly rounded throat up sh
yer her cheeks to the line of fair hair Ds
y her forehead. wl
She looked around the crowd almost co
ppea lfngly. Was there no one to help gu
er in this dilemma? Suddenly her ar