Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-06-09
THE KISS.
: , ; , ; , : > p : I
By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS.

; ICOpyfl8nt, lsV5, Dy American Press Asso-
ciation-j
They met on the tr~ nscontiro entail
train going west He started ON
! New York. and she gee on at Omaha
She was dashing girl. He was a
bit Of a swell in fancy walstcoat
and light CATERS over his shoes. She
sat near him in the parlor car, and
when the conductor took her ticket
and let It down like the steps Of a
coach Of 1896 he saw that she was
booked for san Francisco. lie was
| going 10 San Francisco himself.
He WISHED he had some one to in
trodu:e him. 6at he hadn't ln a little
while. though. something funny oc-
CURED. and she smiled, happening to
catch his eye at the same time. lie
hadn't been used TO having eastern Ia
dies smile at him on a train. He
couldn't make this one out.
They were crossing the aIkall plains.
and there was nothing attractive to
look at. Even the river Platte. devoid
Of a fringe Of bushes On its banks.
was bereft of beauty. He couldn't
stand it any longer He took his news
paper and novels, dumped them on the
seat beside her, lifted his hat, threw
open his coat the better to show the
pattern Of his waistcoat and said:
Il shall be pleased If you can find
anything among those TO help you
while away the time In this desoIate
region"
"Oh, ! don't wish to read? she said.
"I'ye had enough Of books lately. I'd
much rather talk"
She took mp the papers and put them
on the opposite seat. He sat down
beside her
He was quite astonished at the ease
with which the acquaintance had been
made. Since he had never thus made
lady's acquaintance before it was
natural that he should be little sur
prised.
There was an added zest in iudlng
her out-plenty of difficulty In 1t. And
1t was an adventure much to his lik-
ing, although he rather suspected that
she might turn out to be an adven-
turess or ladylike pickpocket She
was fairly well educated, made no Slips
In grammar, used no slacS, put he ba,l
not been conversing with her an horr
before she treated him as If they had
been introduced, and at the end OF
twenty-four hours acquaintance like
an old friend.
And he was astonished at himself
for the confidence he committed TO
her. He told her he had a chum liY-
ing In San Francisco who was about
to be married. He was going out
there TO be his friends best man. She
asked him great many questions
concerning the couple who were TO par.
ticipate as rincipals-whether there
was a romance in 1t, how old the
groom was, the bride. Was he hand
some? Was she pretty? Were they
rich or poor? She prattled and ratified
on till she had exhausted all il , knew
about the groom and had made up all
he didn't know about the bride, which
was considerable. BY this time she
knew that his own name was Searbor-
ough. his friends name Wolford and
the brides Merriam. She was disap-
pointed that he couldn't tell her the
brides first name. though she was
sure 1t was Rosalie. When he asked
why she said it was because that was
the name she should have He told
her that Charlie Wolford-after this
she always spoke of him as Charlie
was not romantic chap, so he n.
ferred that there wasn't much romance
in the case. She said she didn't be-
lieve it-that she had never known a
Charlie that wasn't good fellow and
list full OF love and loyableness.
What had Charlie told him about
Rosalie's looks? He couldn't remem-
Der Charlie having written him about
that. but he was sure Charlie thought
her pretty.
When they reached the mountains
and the scenery became grand the girl
had become so interested In the man
that she did nothing but prattle to him,
leaving the canyons to waste their gor-
geouS beauty on some one else. She
treated him with as much unreserye
and uneonventionaliiy as IL she had
been brought up with him He could
only understand 1t on the assumption
that there was something just little
bit queer about her. However, some
thing, he knew not what, kept him
from acting on the assumption till
they were nearing San Francisco.
Then when they were alone on the car
platform she put her red lips so near
to his that there was nothing left for
him but TO take a kiss. Instead OF
blushing or drawing back. she burst
into a merry laugh. Then he was
more mystited than ever.
He asked 10 see her to cab when
they should reach he station, but she
told him that she expected friends
to meet her-ycry straitlaced friends
who would not like TO see her in COM
pany with man. so he must go away
by himself He asked IL he might call
on her. and she said he might. She
would see that he got her address.
When he saw his friend Wolford he
recounted Isis adventure Wolford told
him he could not tell anything about
the western girls. they were so diff
ferent from eastern giris-so unconven-
tional AT that Scarborough stopped
short Of telling about the kiss.
When Wolford took his best man To
meet his fancee who should she be
hut the Girl on the train,