The Washington times., 1904-01-31
A Striking Remedy

ception had thinned down TO a
i handful Of old family friends.
Betty who. in the capacity OF
bridesmaid. had contrived TO secure most
Of the admiration whicn should properly
have centered ,'pon the bride, remarked
this she was tired.
So I took her down to seat in the
old Dutch garden. where yew and box
were clipped into weird shapes resen.-
bling nothing in this worid-or. / trust.
/ the next-but which the head gardener.
an Imaginative person, opined 70 be pea
cocks.
! I spread a rug for her over the uch-
ened stone OF the quaint old seat. and she
thanked me gravely and relapsed into
pensive silence while waited solemnly
I for the oracle Betty had graduated at
/ Cirton the year before. and in those
] DAYS I believed her charming mead T.
{ be literally stuffed with high aspirations
and noble thoughts
kissing" she said suddenly, is
/ stupid business.
came down to mere earth with
thud Of establishment. bit admitted the
,,oint-with certain mental reservations
Il was thinking OF kissing in the yes
, try she added in explanation
J YOU would certainly be safe from OBJ
servation there" / said. but as Tar a.
that goes. this place
J Don't be stupid" cried Betty. blush
ing-she w-s younger then You know
perfectly we!a what ] mean
You were Speaking" / said of Kiss
ing regarded as a business. OF thes 1
am no judge. But a Dsstime. gh'en
the right petple"-I glanced at Betty
and romantlc environment II looked at
| the alleged peacocks-'I should not be
prepared
Neither SHOULD t. interrupted Betty
| sharply. ''aad you're talking dreadful
| nonsense. Robert What ] meant was
I that 1 should have hated to be Molhe
todsy-being kissed by snuffy old uncies,
and Tom. Dick and Harry.
..And>Bobbie' added
"Oh. you didn't count" cried Betty
scornfully.
I forgot to- 1 said. after third
one It was quite like cid times 1
added wickedly.
Il don't want to hear about Il.
thanks" said Betty colby, II know
quite enough myself"
! I'm sorry to hear that said grave
ly; that sort of thing is all very well
for man of my age. but
Really. Robert" cried Betty desper-
ateIy. Il don't know which is the more
i lamentable your idea of humOr or your
| /
LET US abjure personalities" 1 said.
and return to our muttons. In the first
place, you make the somewhat sweep
ing assertion that kissing is a silly bust
ness to which ] reply that 1 can con-
ceive Of circumstances in which it be-
comes a positive duty Let me put a
case Now. supposing that you and
were engaged"
who tor" asked Betty. in delightful
disregard of grammar
Each other" 1 said
"Ohr ssid Betty, isn't that what
!. Euclid calls the reductio ad absurdum -
IF you like" I said. Personally.
should prefer to cal it the first propO-
: siition."
Not " any means the first" said
Betty. poiJtedIy.
r 'runder the circumstances which have
described I said Il should consider
u my duty to kiss you
Hunt" cried Betty. you're the last
man in the world 1 shall ever kiss"
as that a promise - I said. eagerly.
II should ever kiss" she corrected.
Certainly you should" 1 said; the
point is. Sill you?"
Certainly mott" cried Betty, with de-
cision. To begin with. you're arguing
from false premises"
II saw a notice once said thought
fully. that Rad. During alterations TO
premises business conducted as usual"
business cried Betty. ''Of that /
am no judges mimicked me to ad-
miration-"but as a. pastime, given the
right people'-she looked about in eIab-
orately fruitless search-"and romantic
environment she fixed depre-
ciative gaze upon the peacocks-'I
should not be prepared"
Il believe" 7 said. that you would
be prepared for anything"
Prove ftl'' cried Betty.
I tried it and got severely Handled.
81 wish" 1 said. as I endeavo1ed to
stanch the flow OF involuntary tears
from my left eye, that you would
take off your rings before you go into
Z action
I'm most awfully sorry. Bobbie. but
you shouldn't have done IL, you know.
z Does il hurt much? I'm frightfuIly
: sorry really" She held out her hand
and took it
II should like the left hand. too
I, ventured.
! I'm keeping it for emergencies"
i said Betty.
You needn't" 1 said. I'm hors de
. combat. A magnanimous foe.' I added.
would endeavor to alleviate the SUI
: ferings of the wounded"
Let me look" said Betty.
I withdrew the handkerchief.
''Oh, Bobbie.'' she cried. penitently.
there are four nasty little flaming red
, placesi What can do2"
I'm my nursery days" replied.
: ''there was an effectual cure One got
n somebody TO do something to the place.
to make il we'll I forget what"
80 do T. said Betty
= ..If YOU were really sorry," I put IN,
: reproachfuIly. you'd remember"
: 81 think do-now," said Betty. shut
> your eyes, please"
: Must To- asked
= Certainly" said Betty. severely.
Something that felt like falling rose
= petal touched my cheek.
a ''Therer' said Betty.
'sThere were four marks. think you
said" 1 observed. keeping my eyes
: closed
"Oh. Bobbiei
-Four marks" I repeated, sternly.
| IT,