The Jennings daily record., 1902-12-02

up. Don't let anyone else get 1t, to the
limit of your Northumberland? III he
there in time"
The boy. fresh and fair and innocent
lookfng-as the run of boys in "gilded
hells" are apt to be-waS off In a trice,
aud in ten minutes more had added his
individual unit to the circle around tie
main centre Of osculatory interest
1t is highly probable that If such a
really scandaious proceeding as this
auction had been premeditated and ad-
vertised beforehand it would have been
promptly squashed by the pillars of
the church. But the suddenness of 1t
took the critics Off their feet. and it
was we'll 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 sweet kiss?
What! Only 81? 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 1t nine?
That's right. You'll never regret 1t.
Nine, nine. Now ten. That's better.
Ten it is. Come, gentlemen.-bid up
The excitement ran high. Deacon
fate awaited him at home. bid $40 on
Susie Perkins, whom his good wire had
once designated as sassy" Rudd Cas-
tleton, the best golf player in town,
was Il great help in bidding up" and
so also We're Jack Clubbcrly and Billy
Sparks.
The ninth and last girl was none
other than the minister's daughter her.
self. On the table by her side lay
collection box, holding over 5000, the
proceeds of this unusual traffic Per-
haps the consciousness that she had
succeeded. that those poor little "tots"
would get their outing, was enough to
make her oblivious Of herself
AT any rate, she was calm and beau
tffully collected as she stepped on the
chair, disdaining the helping hand that
spectator held out TO her.
Ladies and gentlemen" she said,
with your kind permission l will be
my own auctione@r, and l will spare
you the usual compliments. am here
to raise all the money | can for the
poor children. and l am selling Il kiss
to the highest bidder. How much am
| offered?"
"Lwanty-five dollars"
",rhe first bid, ladies and gentlemen.
is So. Who viii make il thirty? Thir-
ty, it is. thirty, thirty-thirty- five thir-
ty>fve. Is thirty-tivc the highest bid?"
The tall. innocent youth now stepped
to the front. It is but Justice to the
boys from the club to say they did not
recognize him.
I'll make it forty" he said.
The auctionecr was unmovcd
81 am offered So" she said "Gen-
tlemen, bid uD. Forty. forty, forty
going at forty going going, gone.
Young man. the kiss is yours at $40"
There was Il slight pause. Il flutter of
interest. This nice-looking. gentleman
ly appearing boy, with so to bid for 4
single kiss-whO was he? At any rate,
it didn't matter much, he was only Il
boy.
What relief" whispered one of
the committee. "to think her reputation
has been saved by young thing like
that. Why, it doesn't mean anything
to be kissed by him. An act of provi-
dencc. l verify believe"
Almost as if in reply the boy turned
half around. as the figure of Mike
Dady slowly forced it's way through
the circle.
II was bidding for some one else"
said the boy. holding out the money.
Yes" said Mike, his cool. insolent
eyes sweeping the crowd. "He was
bidding for me, He was my-what do
you call it?-proXy. I'll take the kiss,
if you please"
! \ dead silence-an awful pause.
| For the first time that evening q
flush spread over the face of the min
isters daughter-a flush that made its
way from her firmly rounded throat
up over her cheeks to the line of fail
hair on her forehead.
She looked around the crowd almost
appcalingIy. Was there no one to heir
her in this dilemma? Suddenly her eye
lighted on q figure that stood half con
cealcd from view-a short squat figure
and there came to her voice Z ring OF
triumph.
"You shalt be paid,' she said. "The
money, please"