Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Sale of a Kiss.
TOriginal,l

rattle for the benefit of the orphan asy-
lum, and the ladies of the committee
have assigned me fifty chances. If
the articles TO lie ratified We're for wom-
en- could get rid of them, I'm sure,
but since they are mans chronom-
eter watch and chain 1 don't know
what to do. 1 can't go among men
asking them to take chances"
"Pll be happy to take one of them"
That's very kind of you. Now,
couldn't you think of some plan for
placing the wholeS lot at one time?"
THAT would beta pretty big contract.
Most men have watches with which
they are satisfied
Don't you think that some man
could be found to, do 1t? Or two, or
three-any number="
II don't know aIYiperson or persons
whom l would ask"
Cant you think up some privilege
to go with the cha nces-something that
would be an honor rather than of in
trinsic value?"
/ remembered Lady Godiva. OF
course that wouldn't do in modern
times, but it set me thinking. FL
nally 1 hit OH something. The only
trouble about it was that Miss Gar
land might not fall lin with the plan.
1.-The only honor lean think of would
be n kiss" said.
"Why, Mr.. Feiaryw exclaimed Miss
Garland. under her breath. You sure
ly wouldn't suggest my giving any one
who would take chance a kiss"
Certainly not. But suppose the
whole fifty chances could be sold for
one kiss"
Miss Garland looked ut the floor,
then at the ceiling. then out of the win
dow.
You see, there is Il great difference
between kissing fifty men and kissing
one man." l added.
Eyes, but it is as. bad to kiss a man
once as to kiss him fifty times"
''If 1t is wrong to kiss him at ALL"
There was long pause. during
which Miss Garland picked up a piece
of paper and tore it into little bits.
She didn't seem to get on with her
problem. must help her.
At think 1 know a man who would
take your chances in the rattle with the
honor attached"
She made no reply to this. and pro-
ceeded:
He is not stranger to you. He has
known and admired you for n long
while. 1t wouldn't he like selling n kiss.
1t would give him great happiness, re-
lease you from the responsibility of
peddling the chances and benefit the
orphans"
II don't think" she replied. after
much consideration. that it would be
right, even under the circumstances,
for me to kiss man to whom am not
Engaged"
"Who knows but that an engagement
might follow"
Engagements usually precede such
things"
But this is a peculiar case. 1t
wouldn't do for you to engage your
self to a man simply that you might
sell him a kiss to benefit an orphan
ASYLUM"
cit could be broken afterward."
THAT would be a mere subterfuge.
II there Is sin in the transaction 1t
would not be wiped away by such an
arrangement as that"
Cant you suggest something that
would make the sale justifiableT"
"Oh, the charity renders 1t justifia-
BILE"
f'Do you really think so7''
Certainly 1 do. or 1 wouldn't sug-
gest IT."
There was more thought, but the
question was being rapidly narrowed
down.
"You haven't told me who the man
IS" she said.
81 have told you that he is an ad-
mirer of yours"
at seems to me that kiss given a
man who has no interest in me or In
him would be merely touching of the
lips without any feeling. whereas
kiss from a man who admired me
would be very different"
at should think you would prefer the
latter"
This remark also ELECTED no reply.
Miss Garland was still thinking, think
ing hard. She was very anxious to
dispose of her chances in one lot, but
the manner OF doing so seemed to her
very irregular.
what do you suppose" she said at
last, 'the people present would think
of me?'
"There need be no people present"
ooh, supposed the thing was to be
done at the fair"
"No; it could be done in private. In
deed I'm quite sure the man buying
the kiss would not expose you or him
self to such publicity"
"But in public 1t wouldn't be as
much HARM"
81 see no harm IN it either way"
"Are you sure this friend of yours
would do as you sayT
az am positive"
81 don't see how you can know that
since you have not had an opportunity
to speak to him about it."
'Do you suppose Marion" 1 said,
dropping into a tone Of tenderness,
that 1 would let any man except my
self buy q kiss from your
She bent her eyes to the floor, where