Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-17

right. You II never regTe6 its N4hSs nine. Now ten. That's better. Ten it is. Come. gentlemen, bid up.
 The excitenzent ran high. Deacon Bradbury sinplxins, forgetting what fate awaited him at home. bid ten dollars on Susie Perkins, whom. his good wife had once designated as s'sassy' Rudd Castleton. the best golf player in town, was a great help in .sbldding 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 collection box, holding over $2oo, 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 tifu1ly collected as she stepped on the chair, disdaining the helping hand that a spectator held out to her.
 Ladies and gentlemen she said. sswith your kind permission will be s you the usual compliments I am here to raise all the money I can for the poor children, and am selling kiss to the highest bidder. How much am I offered?"
 Twenty-Five dollars"
 .sThe first bid, ladies and gentlemen, Is twenty-five dollars. Who will make it thirty? Thirty it is, thirty, thirty thirty-five, thirty-five. Is thirty five 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.
 ssI'll make it 4O,'' he said.
 The auctioneer was unmoved.
 "I'm offered s4o.'' she said. Gentle men, bid up. Forty, 40, 4ogoing at 40 going, going, gone. Young man, the kiss is yours at s40.'
 There was slight pause, futter of interest. This nice-1ooking, gentle manly appearing boy, with $40 to bid for single kiss-who was he? Atany rate, 1t didn't matter much, he was only boy.
 stphat relief" whispered one of the committee, .'to think her reputa- ton has been saved by a young thing like that. Why, it doesn't mean any thing to be kissed by him. An act of Providence, I verilly believe!'
 Almost as if in reply the boy turned half around, as the figure of Mike Dady slowly forced its way through the circle.
 s.I was bidding for some one else" said the boy, holding out the money.
 sYes,'' said Mike, his cool, inso1ent eye 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"
 A dead silence-an awful pause.
 For the first time that evening a flush overspread the face of the minister's daughte-a flush that made its way from her firmly rounded throat up over her cheeks to the line of fair hair on her forehead.
 She looked around the crowd almost appealingly. Was there no one to help her in this dilemma? Suddenly her eye lighted on a figure that stood half concealed from view-a short, square igure-and there came to her voice a ring of triumph.
 ssYou shall be paid she said. "The money, please
 It was handed to her, and she put the bills in the box.
 Then. she turned to the figure she had seen- the old family colored cook, black as the ace of spades, who had come to witness 'de proceedin's." ]" "Come here, nanny" she whispered, and drawing her close and putting her arms around her. she kissed the black face a resounding smack.
 Then she turned to the gambler.
 .And here,'' she said, 'is my proxy. Take your pay, sir! r!"-Brandur Nigga zine.