The Yale expositor., 1905-09-01
An Engagement Kiss
torkinaLl

tracted so much in the first twenty
four hours that-but anticipate.
alghted at the hotel, gave my
hand baggage to n porter and was
climbing the piazza steps when / saw
a girl whom | was sure had never
met before coming to meet me with a
radiant smile.
Good graciousw she exclaimed. 81
thought you were not coming TIL TO
morrow"
But you see l have come today |
replied, humoring her mistake, for
knew she was in error as to my iden-
tlty.
well, declare! You quite take my
breath away" she went on, looking
at me admiringly 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"
/ was treadng 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 visit
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,
/ was glad to comply, determining
that as soon as l reJoined her 1 would
let the fact come out that l was not
the lover she expected. When we met
again my resolution weakened. /
| ~ hn g.
| Joy brief period with so charming a
girl. We went down Oh to the beach
In the cleaning and strollcd on the
line of foam. The moan rising out Of
the ocean glinted the crests of inter
yening waves. The stars were coming
out There was no sound but the plash
Of waves. l knew that If I talked OF
anything except love I would expose
my hand, and ii seemed as natural for
me to talk love to her as II we had
long been lovers. l told her how dur
Ing the four years of absence my heart
had yearned for her and begged her
to tell me if was 20 be made happy.
Sailing on the broad sea OF love l
struck never a rock, and when 1t was
time for Us to go in she had no sus-
fiG.on that she had made an exchange
Of lovers.
And now," I said before parting,
give your reply In kiss.
She kissed me. and that kiss was the
loveliest, longest, most rnpturous l
ever took from voman's lips.
The next morning l rose late and was
the only person in tho breakfast room. !
Sitting by window, l heard voices
on the piazza.
"Who was the fellow" asked
mans voice, "and what did he look
likrT
Like you, very much improved from
what you We're when 1 saw you last
HIN! You don't seem to consider
me improved"
Not in disposition. You blame me
for q very natural mistake"
~ very unnatural mistake If you
make such mistakes after we are mar
ried, there'll be the deuce to pay"
We're not married yet"
l peeped through a slat in the blind
and saw man sitting with the girl
/ had made love TO the night before
He looked very like me, though l did
not feel fattered by the likeness.
What should l do-slink out unob
served and take the first train or
brazen 1t out? marched boldly out
and Joined them.
/ certainly expected both to receive
me scornfully. Without waiting for
either to speak l begged q thousand
pnrlons Of the girl for not rectifying
her mistake at once. giving az my only
reason that she was 40 charming
could not bring myself to do SO. While
1 was speaking. which 1 did humbly,
the face OF the girl slowly broadened
into smile; that Of the man grew
momentarilv surfer. Having done all
/ could 70 atone for my sin, I turned
and left them.
I resolved to leave the place that
afternoon, but. meeting the girl with
out her lover, she extended her hand
to me and asked me to take q seat be-
side her. did so and told her Of my
intention to depart, which had been
formed on the ground that my pres
ence there would not> be agreeable to
her and her lover. She declared that
she would not be the cause Of my de-
parture and begged me to stay. l de-
termined to remain for awhile, but If
my presence proved Objectionable 7
would go at once.
That evening, observing the young
lady sitting alone on the piazza. 1
Joined her. 10 my surprise, at my
mention Of her lover she SAID that he
had gone.
Then she gave me her confidence in
matter OF which l already knew the
principal part. ct eighteen she had
admired a man whom she had known
but a short time when he removed to
another place. They had correspond
ell, and after four years absence he
had returned. hoping to get n favora-
bic answer Go his suit. She had been
disappointed in him and had rejected
him.