The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-03-23
LOVE TAPS
Originally

and Mabel and l were walking nder
the stripped trees, kicking the fallen
leaves. We were both very young, and
very young people are apt to fancy
the discussion Of abstruse subjects.
why is it," remarked Mabel, that
old people usually dislike autumn and
winter?"
ooh, old people have no apprecia-
ton! 1t has been all knocked out Of
them"
"All old peoples"
"All? Yes. Why? What do you
mean?"
Mrs. Kennedy, for instance"
Mabel did not look up at me. She
bent her eyes to the ground. l saw
her drift. l had been somewhat at
tentive to Mrs. Kennedy, who was q
widow.
Mrs. Kennedy is not DID," 1 said.
"She is thirty"
Not yet t~wenty-six."
The only reply to this was a scorn-
full laugh.
ITO return to what we were saying"
l went on, II think that people, birds,
trees, flowers, all pass through the
same stages. Each has its spring, sum-
mer, autumn, winter. When the leaves
fall the old person is reminded that his
or her autumn is at hand; when the
snow is on the ground it is typical of
the end Of life"
ooh, dear, how did you come to
think of that? To hear you talk one
would fancy you were in your dotage."
This left handed compliment caused
q slight color to come into my face. l
did not deign an answer.
81 have it," she went on. You got
it from the widow. Is she In her sum-
mer, fall or wlnter?"
"Mrs. Kennedy is but half a dozen
years older than you," I said.
please don't bite my head off. l
said nothing against your love. mere
ly referred to her age"
Miss Sinclair" l replied sternly,
these references to Mrs. Kennedy are
unpleasant to me. l wish you to I'M
derstand that, situated as l am with
regard to her, living under the same
/ roof with her, 1 must walk a chalk
line"
with Mrs. Kennedy"
"You are incorrigible."
Tired of this defensive warfare, l de-
termined to carry fire and sword into
the enemy's territory.
"Well," [ said, "since you will have
it so, l admit that l am partial to wild
ows. Only last night one gave me a
delicious kiss"
l was watching her closely and saw
an involuntary SILVER pass over her.
"tMy darling boy the widow said to
me, what would l do If anything should
come up to part us?"
DO old women who mate with young
fellows always call them darling
boyy"
"Then she put her arms around my
neck and gave me a long kiss"
"Shameful'
"Why shameful?"
10, / don't mean that; anything that
d al is not shameful, but l never
r. ndlre these elderly women who
get tdetr claws on young men,
Mabel was turning white and red
alternately, and l felt assured that i
was getting the best Of the argument.
| We came to a stone culvert under
meath which ran a small stream and
sat down on the coping. sat very
near her. She moved away. moved
nearer, and she retreated to the end
Of the coping. l arose and strolled
about, finally bringing up directly be-
hind her. Then, bending, kissed her
on the cheek.
The hand that boxed my ears was
gloved, but the tingling that followed
was worthy of a bare hand. She turn
ed a fiery glance upon me.
Keep your kisses for your superan-
nuated widows
ITO kiss you is more spicy"
81 don't choose to divide my kisses
with Others"
"1t's not a division. l kiss you once;
kiss the other q hundred times"
THE other gives you leave. l do
not"
"That's where the spice comes In"
you mean the ungentlemanlike con-
duct"
Why will not women understand that
to call a man ungentlemanlike Is insult
ing? l returned the thrust in kind.
al don't consider it ungentlemanltke
to kiss some women" I remarked
eoldly.
"Do you mean-you horrid-well, !
never"
"There are women who permit
do you dare call me n Of that
kind?"
"You do not permit me to finish. The
widow who permitted me to kiss her
WAS Of course one of those
This fencing was with pointed
swords, aud already there had been q
deal Of pinking. This last stab threw
me into a fury.
"stop:" l cried, holding up my hand
She was my mother"
your mother" scornfully. more
likely your
She left the word unspoken. l turn
ed on my heel and strobe away. had
walked half a mile before l got sufh
GENTLY cooled to consider that the
charge Of "ungentlemanlike" would
hold against a man who left a gtr
alone in a wood. l went back and
found Mabel sitting on the coping. J
sat down by her.
mabel" 1 said, II had no bushes!
to mislead you"
"And had no business not to un