, 1902-12-25
A KISS
fOriSinal.1

prone to forgive than u man. She has
more heart. y man acts with Justice.
a IN with tenderness"
Il doubt ii any woman can be char
liable to another woman"
Il can. When there is IN op%portuui-
ty, l will show you"
would vol forgive n girl for permit
ting me to kiss her without my being
engaged to herr
Il would not forgive you If you did"
We'll turned. Why would you not
forgive me:'
THE man is Ia stronger. He should
not take advantage of woman's weak
ness. Whom have you been SHINING
with!'
IF l should give you her name, l
would be doubly guilty"
"A girl who wouiu so demean herself
would not care
Don't blame her. You have just said
that you cain be charitable"
To this Ii only reply was IL brief
silence.
Il suppose" she said presently, you
can tell me what sort of u looking
thing she was"
Thing! She was more than Il thing.
She was Il human being with Titan
hair, brown eyes and Il skin white us
milk"
You mean Ii was a redheaded girl
with II chalky complexion"
U the contrary, she was very pref
ty."
What wee the circumstance lead
ing up to-
The kiss? oh, that came about
very naturally. If You had seen it all.
you wouldn't Ulame her."
Il do Lame ..,."
But you. said that when there came
an opportunity you would SLOW me
that You could he charitable"
Charity Lesins"-
AT hollc:"
a slight color came to her check and
Il mild lash to her eye at the asper.
sion.
when the sin is confessed and the
sinner is pcnitcmt. But tell me more
about this Bold jade"
She was gentle, contiding. Her
voice was soft and sweet. So inno-
cen was she that she did not wait for
me to Kiss her: but. throwing her white
arms around my neck. she kissed me-
The horrid thing
There WIS II long silence. .Aleen sat
down on the beach and began to punch
the sand with her parisol.
You are offended at me- | said.
senting myself beside hey.
Il am hurt that | should have be-
slowed my friendship on such Il tri-
! 49,. Nr.-,. III 1t. ,-.
sode take place."
"Lust evening""
"M'hcre:'
Every near where we are sitting"
saw II spark of sunlight rcfracted
from her eye 10y n tear. There was nc
mistaking it.
-.Aleen.' l said. forgive me-
you have treated me s~haucfully."
"Alccn. no one in the wide worl,
save YOU
The time for words had passed, ant
1t was fortunate that there was some
thing besides words crowding in 10
take the!r place. l put my arm about
her waist. drew her toward me and
kissed her.
4 bust of merry laughter from IL
hind, Il cllild's arms about my heck, Il
rosy mouth against my check.
Al" -, IT, is tic thing
the 'r,Gnl..d 1irl with a cl.lky; oh
plcXion.' the 'sinucr.' who kissed me.
! She has offended again"
| -Alecn rose and without a word
walked away and crossed the board
| walk. and in IL few minutes her re-
treating figure was lost within ;he por-
tails of the hotel.
lis She mad:" asked my little friend.
Mad does:;'t express it. Can't YOU
find Il word in your child's vocabulary
that will better describe her coudi
fion:"
''Wlat did you dog"
1 had drawn her on to bitterly con-
dcmn Il woman who would receive II
kiss from II man to when she w;Is not
engaged and then Kissed her myself.
~ have acted very lady" | said to
the child. and an heartily ASHAMED of
myself. | wish you would 20 TO her
for me and tell her So"
l t2ok her hand in mine and led her
to the hotel. Since II was her bedtime
and | preferred that .tlCeu's anger
should have time TO cool | deferred the
message till the next maruln::. hut the
next mo:ning .Alrru's neither an
noui:ccd that hcr daughter WIS indis-
posed and would keep to her room.
Toward evening II cold wind cnmc
up. a.l the guests OF the hotel ocCu-
picl the drawing III. .llccn sat
rcaGin: n. the ot,,Hr crd frum where |
was. Slia did not Ge'sn II | oil; ", IL;
me. though l was quite sure shr l:arw
I wns In the q My little friend
cam" in an, lade i:e good night.
Gu tell Miss .Alecn." | sail 10 her,
that you h1rr taken lac. tie l..ss YOU
gave me yesterday and wish To give 4:
to her"
she danced on to .Nlrru. VIII looked
fro:l h'r hcn,: when she csrav UP. aird
I SEW that thy meSse"rc az s2o;;r. Tlicl