Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-26
Who Kissed
Him?
A Story of the Breaking Out
of the Great European War.
By JOHN Y. LARNED

Edward Beaverton was considered
the handsomest man in his class at
college. His was not that class Of
beauty that is purely physical; he was
an intellectual fellow, a man Of char
acter, and this was stamped upon
his features. Moreover, though there
were girls who were stupid enough to
tell him that he was an Apollo, instead
Of making him conscious of his beauty,
it disguised him.
On leaving college Ned concluded to
see something Of the world before set
Ting down to work. He sailed with
the American multitude in June for
Genoa, from there proceeded to the
Italian lakes and thence on into Swift
zerland through the st. Gothard tunnel.
In the train leaving Lugano and in the
same compartment with him were half
a dozen American girls travelling under
the care Of middle aged lady. The
girls were evidently having the time of
them instructions by the way, pointing
out this and that object Of interest, a
peak, a cascade, the track Of an ava
lanche, anything that they should no.
tice.
Ned had met no Americans in his
journey thus far-at least had made
no acquaintance among them-and
was at once seized with desire to
know these young ladies. One does
not realize how precious ones fellow
countrymen are till he meets them in
a foreign land. Not only were these
ladies fellow countrywomen Of Ned,
but they were all pretty, some of
them very pretty, and there was one
Of them that had a pair Of the most
kissable lips he had ever seen.
The young man, though DESTROYS OF
forming the acquaintance Of this par.
ty, and especially the one with the
kissable lips, sat with them for some
time without meeting any excuse for
doing so. One Of them dropped a
guidebook, but before Ned could pick
it up the girl recovered it herself.
Though he watched for an opportunity,
none came. At last an idea came to
him.
1t occurred to Beaverton to put this
party off their guard by pretending to
be a foreigner and ignorant Of the
English language. He spoke German
indifferently and French tolerably.
When the guard took up the tickets
Ned asked him some questions in Ger
man. This was sufficient to indicate
his nationality. Later when the duen-
ma asked him in English how many
minutes were required for the train to
pass through the tunnel he replied in
German that he did not understand
her.
This loosened the tongues of the
girls.
ILL.," said one to another, you've
lost your bet that he Is Italian"
"And you've lost yours that he is
English"
II knew he was German. He Is my
ideal of the principal character in Wag-
ner's opera of 'Lohengrin,' said an
other.
These remarks were made in low
tone, with continuous glances at Ned,
who was apparently intent on the
splendid scenery through which the
train was moving. He did not hear all
that was said, but he heard enough to
tell him that he was an object of in
terest to his fellow travellers. Indeed
he received more attention than the
peaks and the waterfalls along the
route.
The kissable young lady in the par.
ty was, judging from a mischievous
smile that lowered about her pretty
lips, the arch mischief maker of
the lot. They called her Jack, all ex-
cept the duenna, who addressed her as
Jaquelin. To her not even the most
magnificent peak lifting its head far
above the clouds was matter of Sc
rious consideration. 1t was of red
stone, and she spoke of 1t as the "red
headed one" She made several COM
ical remarks about Ned which he heard
plainly and caused her companions to
laugh.
There is a station near the southern
entrance to the st. Gothard tunnel,
where all trains stop before plunging
into the mountain, and many of the
passengers alight to stretch their legs.
Ned got out and walked back and
forth beside the train. When he pass
ed the compartment occupied by the
girls two Of them were at the window.
They looked at him, their eyes dancing
with mischief.
II should not be surprised" he said
to himself, IF, before this journey is
over, those imps will play some game
on me-"
When the train was about to start
he re-entered the compartment, and
the few hundred yards separating the
station and the mountain were soon
passed Just before leaving daylight
he glanced up at the roof of the car
and observed that the light had been
covered by woman's travelling hat,
but had no time to determine how the
feat had been accomplished. When
the train entered the tunnel there was
not ray of light In the compartment.
1t requires just quarter of an hour
to pass through the st. Gothard tun-
mel. Not word was spoken during
the passage. Some five or six minutes
had elapsed when suddenly Ned felt a
pair of lips pressed against his. That
they were feminine was evident from
the fact that, besides himself. there