The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-21
TIE KISS OF MEANING.
BY Henry Wilton Thomas.

Copyright, 1902, by w. r Hearst.)
I hear some critics OF manners declare
tina she ought not to have been with him
there in the soft June night. watching the
moonlit ripples Of The lake. Possibly she
told herself so, more than once. as they
ranbieA onward In deHaely canop-ed paths
of Central park. into which the pale eye
of night sent only an occasional glance.
Now and then they came 30 an open
place, where the beautiful scenery OF the
starlit Sky unfoicied. How the CLOUDS
scampered along the clear ornament IKE
vapory Titans in flowing robes playing
tag!
they passed the bronze effigies OF
Shakespeare and saw his bald pate sill
Nered by the touch of Luna. Bobby buris
was there, IL minstrel OF peace. side oy
size with a hero of war.
From the REGION of the menageHie, over
there beyond the coDse of chestnut ana
elm, a lions roar sounded, and, making a
little shudGer, she drew her arm closer to
his.
They made the descent of the broad es-
caladc OF the mall, talked ard laughed
along the margin OF the water and passed
AT last on II rustic bridge. Here they
stood. playing that liz was midnight ana
the clock was striking the hour.
A beat or two drifted beneath them.
| often With two occupants and nobody at
the oars. The spell of the scene was upon
them. Dimple silent, Laurence. too, While
oyer the sheen.ng surface came the IN
art.cu!ate voice OF young people entering
the boats at the landing.
a bower of wisteria hard by invited
them to a seat side by side, and here they
would ave gone. she as much In the
mood as he. but for the Impotence OF
Laurerce-but the moonlight was TO
blame. So was his youth, and SO was life
itself.
Suddenly his arm left the rough oaken
rail Of the bridge. against which they We're
both leaning, his lips approached her
chcek-abruptly enough-and almost ell
countered the back of the blue silk stock
that strdled her pretty neck.
She recoiied q step. too, and gave q
small gigg!e of re~proach-acting quite self
possessed. 1t must be owned.
Really" he stammered, 1T beg your
forgiveness. Ii was dreadfully rude. but.
honestly. I th~ought-we!l. I thought l
might, you know" making matters a
shade worse, OF course.
WHY will men use tobacco"' Iahlia
remarked. more in a tone OF mus:ng char:
Interrogation.
Use tobacco" repeated Laurence. Won
derlng if ne had heard Alright.
YES: why VIII they smoker"
II think I could not say, even II 1 saw
the relevancy"
IL NldNeS SO many OIL llieEI ull' YOU
know" she went on; "hlunts their per
ceptions so. They say nicotine soothes
them, but heavens what Il heavy toll ii
makes them pay-in stupidity"
Laurence was able to laugh by this
time. On. III confess to any volume OF
stupidity you like" he agreed. SILL.
think l should prefer to show it In pre-
Stunning AN opportunity rather than IL
sighting one. Oh. j beg your pardon. ]
did not mean quite that"
She dropped the theme. and led the
movement toward home. Their silence, as
they walked was broken only by fits ant
starts OF enforced conversation. She haC
plenty of time to tell herself that she was
at one with him In his frank avowal as
to mana duty Of approaching an oppor
tEnity.
What woman could forgive q man who
did not. And yet she wanted to tell hin
that ~omen-one woman, a~nyhow-did no
regard solitude, moonlight and a throb q
sentiment as the stuff of which the idea
opportunity was made. They had thei
claims, but they We're not all.
She was at the point OF WHOLESOME
maiden philosophy. you see, where a kis:
seemed to her something that ought t.
convey a deep, very deep meaning. Wfa
her heart told her she wanted to tell him
to explain why she had turned to him th'
back of her neck. But how could she tel
him? The lulls in their talk grew longel
an lle Way W iet pIHS
Was it a stroke of thought transferenc<
or simply 81 bit of common sense on hi:
part? When he had made his adieu ut hel
door hc strode away with slow, measured
pace. telling himself tho very thing tina
Dahlia had not the courage to express
He saw it plainly now. With her IL kis:
meant too much to be taken or give,
lightly.
1t was d moment Of awakening for hin
an awakening to the fact of her true
character and to that in himself which
was needful to his better nature. I1igl
esteem for her took the place Of idl,
fancy, and after ill it was q profitable
evening for both.
Profitable. / say. because in the day:
that followed she noted a change in hi
attentions that would nave given her
keen sense OF triumph had her endeavo
been that OF he oquctte. But. sincere
herself, she had faith in tho sincerity o
others; and, since We are Nenturing Il
read her heart, let us. observe that it CAV
her Joy to perceive that the ideal oppor
tunity when he might imprint a kiss o
meaning was making its sure approach
And that very thing happened before tn,
leaves turned to flame and gold.
COLORS SEEN IN DREAMS.