The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-13
A KISS BY
MISTAKE
BY WILLIAM CHANDLER

Ned Bartholow and his fancee
Sarah Stevens, were on a railway trair
entering the city of New York. They
were to be married In a month, and
Ned having business In the metropolis
Sarah had decided TO go down With
him and spend few days there on the
matter OF her trousseau.
Shortly before reaching the Terminal
the train ran into tunnel 1t was a
short tunnel, and no lights were lit.
Most Of the passengers, thinking that
they were rolling into the station,
arose from their seats and crowded
into the aisle. Ned and Sarah among
the number. When Ned perceived that
the train was In the dark he conclud-
ed to take kiss. Drawing Sarah to-
ward him, he pressed his lips upon
hers.
Sarah, to his establishment, broke
away from him, at the same time ut
tering a cry. The train shot out into
the light and revealed to Ned q young
woman looking at him Indignantly.
Sarah was standing yard away from
her flance.
The young woman who had been
kissed, seeing the astonished express
sion on Ned's face, broke into a smile.
Ned was in dilemma. He couldn't
apologize without saying that he had
kissed the wrong woman. So he said
nothing. The smile on the girls face
changed to a frown. Sarah, not I'M
Outstanding what had happened, look
ed curious.
The train stopped In the station, and
the passengers poured out on to the
platform. The kissed woman alighted
before Ned and Sarah, and Ned kept an
eye on her as she walked out of the
sta ton dozen yards ahead Of him.
When she reached the sidewalk she en-
tered a taxi. Ned made a mental note
Of It's number
Fate has so many persons affairs In
its hands that 1t starts things, then
leaves the persons themselves to work
out the problem, though fate will take
a hand at any time In any of the mil
lions of life's real stories. Ned Bar
tholow felt that he owed the lady he
had kissed by mistake an apology. Since
he could not well have made one In the
presence Of Sarah 1t occurred to him
that possibly he might do so when Sarah
was not present. At any rate, he fixed
In memory the number Of the taxicab
In which the lady had been driven
away and as soon as he had disposed !
II Sarah went to the cab company's Of |
ice, asked that the number be called |
in and when the cab came paid the |
,abman a dollar to tell him where he |
lad driven the lady.
Another strange thing is that we do |
things for one reason thinking that we !
ire doing them for another. Ned could /
have let the matter drop, or he might |
nave sent brief explanation by mail
that is, after getting the lady's name.
ae did neither. He called at the ad-
lress the cabman gave him that very
,vening and asked for the lady who
lad arrived during the afternoon on
rain.
The truth is that all this part of the
tory might as well be condensed into
ew words. That kiss In the dark was
feast for a god, and he wanted anoth-
r one from the same lips. He could
ISIS his fiancee all he liked. Possibly
hat entered into his reasons for wish
ng to kiss another woman whom he
ad no right to kiss.
The lady entered the room wonder
1gly and, seeing the man who had
Used her, blushed. That was the most
thing she could have done.
/ doubled Ned's desire to kiss her
gain.
II have taken the liberty to come
ithout permission" he said, ito make
n explanation"
The lady dropped her eyes to the
Dor and waited Ned had intended
tell her that he was engaged to the
dy who had stood near him on the
ain and to confess that the kiss had
zen intended for her. But how could
, hope for duplicate kiss after max