Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-08-25
Cousinly Kisses
By MURIEL e. GRAY
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

VII ASASA SluC vi uSl 1uC0, lOI d SUI
dent Of the name of Smith,"
She was in one of the college dormi-
tories and had with her two very
pretty girls. her daughters. She was
speaking to Il young man who emerged
from a door into the corridor and was
about to descend the staircase.
My naine is Smith. There are sew
eral Smiths in college. Which one are
you looking tory"
Edward B.. Smith,"
I'm Edward r.. Smith. You can't
be-
Your Aunt Elizabeth"
You don't mean it! And these girls
are"-
Your cousins. Bess and Ethel"
well. we'll! I'm delighted"
The young la put his arms around
the old lady's shoulders in a stage en-
brace and kissed her back between
them. Then be kissed Ethel-on the
cheek. Lastly he kissed Bess-on the
lips.
When did you come down. Aunt
Elizabeth" asked the student.
I'VE reached here this morning.
We've been wishing for a long while
to see the college, n your mother
wrote us that you had come here.
Let me see-how many years since we
have seen you? 1t must be ten or
twelve. You were then a little boy
six or sever years old"
"Ress and l we're playmates. 1 be-
lieve."
At the remembrance he gave Bess
another kiss.
"Oh. no; you WEREN'T" said the old
lady. You spent but one summer with
rs, and that summer Bess was obliged
family for her health. You've
seen her before"
Never seen her before. Well, IL this
is the first time l hope it won't be the
last"
And he kissed her again.
At that moment the real Edward B..
Smith came along. Seeing his chum
Gardner Dale chatting with an old
lady and two pretty girls. he looked
wistfully at the latter. Dale excused
himself for a moment and went to
Smith and whispered:
These are our aunt and cousins.
I've passed myself off for you. If you
give me away IIl murder you"
Then. leading Smith up to the ladies',
he said:
This is my chum Gardner Dale. He
will be very glad to assist me in show
ing you the college sights and making
your stay pleasant"
"Delighted." said the false Dale, pull
ing off his cap.
Smith is a very good fellow" Dale
announced TO the party. then in a
stage whisper 10 the aunt, HE leads
his class and is altogether the o
prominent man in college,"
See here. Gard-I mean Ned-you
stop that. You can't bride me that
way. What ! do l do in pure mercy"
What is he talking about. Edward"'
asked the old lady.
"Oh, he's got modesty on the brain.
Besides, be studies so hard be doesn't
know what he's talking about"
The young men walked about with
the old lady and the two girls. taking
them into the different buildings and
showing them the sights generally.
There was to be a prom" in the even
ing, and the students invited the girls
to attend it with them. They asked
the old lady to go. too. but she obliged
them by declining.
"Tve always heard" said Bess to
Dale-the real Dale-who had paired
off with her at the prom" that stu
dents are so full of pranks. Do you
practice them much at your college?"
"Pranks. Oh, no: We have to study
FRANKS. What kind of pranks do you
mean?"
well l heard of a case once where
some ladies q to a college to meet
a relative they had lever seen. One
of the students palmed himself off for
the one they had come to visit"
THAT couldn't have been at this COL
lege. A man who would do that here
would get the dead cut"
Inc girls enjoyed themselves during
the evening and on returning to their
hotel bid goodby to the two young men
who had escorted them. After being
duly thanked and when the young
men were about to withdraw Dale
stepped forward. kissed Ethel on the
cheek and gave ,Bess a prolonged
smack on the lips. Smith stood look.
ing on. much disgruntled.
Where do l come in?" be asked in
"a tone that much disturbed the
equanimity of his chum lest he should
give him away.
.Oh. you'll come in on the way
home. l shall have something nice for
you"
mo, you won't" growled Smith. II
don't sell my birthright for a mess Of
pottage. See here, girls; this fellow
Dale has been putting up a job on
you. He isn't your cousin at all. I'm
your cousin"
cousin Bess and Cousin Ethel" put
in Dale, he's doing this simply to get
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