The daily Alaskan., 1905-10-23
An Engagement Kiss
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 I was in frame of mind to get all the fun that could be possibly extract ed from two weeks vacation. l eX- tracted so much In the first twenty four hours that-but l anticipate.
 l alightcd at the hotel, gave my hand baggage to a porter and was climbing the piazza steps when l saw a girl whom I was sure l had never met before coming to meet me with a radiant smile.
 Good graciousr' she exclaimed. q thought you were not coming till to- morrow"
 But you see l have come today" l replied, humoring her mistake, for l knew she was In error as to my iden- tity.
 Well, I declare! You quite take my breath away" she went on, looking at me admtrjngly from tip to toe. How you have improved! I'd scarce ly have recognized you"
 You are the same lovely girl; you couldn't improve"
 1 was treading on dangerous ground, but relied as soon as the error was discovered on my ingenuity in making up plausible story to let me out.
 Well" l said looking at her wist' fully, "are you of the same mind?"
 Those people over there are looking at us. Leave me till after supper: then we'll walk on the beach,"
 I was glad to comply, determining that as soon as I reJolned her I would let the fact come out that was not the lover she expected. When we met again my resolution weakened. l could not resist the temptation to en- joy a brief period with so charming a girl. We went down on to the beach in the gloamIng and strolled on the line of foam. The moon rising out of the ocean glinted the crests of Inter vening waves. The stars were coming out. There was DO sound but the plash of waves. I knew that If I talked of anything except love I would expose my hand, and It seemed as natural for me to talk love to her as if we had long been lovers. I told her how dur ing the four years of absence my heart had yearned for her and begged her to tell me if was to be made happy. Sailing on the broad sea of love struck never Q rock, and when 1t was time for us to go In she had no sus- plcion that she had made an exchange of lovers.
 And now" I said before parting, give your reply in a kiss.
 She kissed me, and that kiss was the Iovellest, longest, most rapturOus l ever took from woman's lips.
 The next morning I rose late and was the only person in the breakfast room. Sitting by a window, I heard voices on the piazza.
 Who was the fellow" asked a mans voice, "and what did he look like?"
 like you. very much improved from what you were when I saw you last. %
 "H'm! You don't seem to consider me improved"
 Not in disposition. You blame me for a very natural mistake"
 A very unnatural mistake. If you make such mistakes after we are mar rled, there'll be the deuce to pay"
 Were not married yet"
 I peeped through q slat in the blind and saw man sitting with the girl I had made love to the night before. He looked very like me, though l did not feel fattered by the likeness. What should I do-slink out unob- served and take the first train or brazen 1t out? I marched boldly out and joined them.
 I certainly expected both to receive me scornfully. Without waiting for either to speak I begged a thousand pardons of the girl for not rectifytng her mistake at once, giving as my only reason that she was so charming l could not bring myself to do so. While I was speaking, which did humbly the face of the girl slowly broadenei Into @ smile; that of the man grew momentarIly surlIer. Having done all I could to atone for my sin, I turnel and left them.
 I resolved to leave the place that afternoon, but, meeting the girl with out her lover, she extended her hand