The Tupelo journal., 1917-03-09
What a Kiss
Cost
A Story of Southern
Persons Long Ago
By F. A. Mitchell

Ao'olilc y l. ali my ueSceIutdutS OF ler
generation. What was the cause Of
my feeling for her is hard to specify.
She was Marian Whitlock, and there
was but one Marian Whitlock. 1t was
not that she was a strong character,
for she was not. She was not only
Needless, but blind tt the result of her
heedlessness. But she was lovable. In
deed, she was loved through her faults
rather than her good qualities. At
least /, her grandmother, loved her on
that account.
Marian used to tell her grandmoth-
err more about what was going on be-
tween her and her young men asso-
ciates than any else. Why she did
this l don't know unless it was be-
cause 1 realized and therefore sympa-
thized with the conditions under which
she labored. Candor compels me to adj
NIT that she possessed traits which had
shown themselves in me when l was
her age, and it is mor than probable
that she inherited them from me.
While / endeavOred to guide her out Of
the effects of her indiScretions 1 never
lectured her for having been indiscreet.
l realized that indiScretiOn was a trait
born in her and was not likely to be
eradicated till she had grown beyond
the age when it would lead her into
trouble.
Marian used TO come TO me in a light
hearted way with her perplexties, but
n day she gave evidence that what
she had to tell was of a serious nature.
Grandma" she said, Il have gone
and done it now and no mistake"
what is it, child" l asked.
"You know Elliot Walker?"
Eyes"
well, Elliot and l were in the mu-
sic room, 1 at the piano, he turning
over the Sheets"
She paused. l gave her time.
Elliot bent lower and lower over
my shoulder. 1 suppose 1 should have
moved, but 1 didn't"
"Well?'
"He kissed me-"
/ refrained from comment on this
and waited for the denouement.
81 don't know what it was that
prompted me to act as I did. | was
certainly not offended. / had expected
when i didn't move that he would kiss
me and should not have thought much
Of him if he hadn't. 1t was not that
1 was prudish; it was-well, l don't
know what 1t was, unless it was Old
Nick got into me. But l arose from
the piano, looked daggers at him and.
turning, started to leave the room.
What was my surprise to see Herbert
Kenworthy standing IN the door of the
music room. Elliot and / had not
been aware of his approach, and he
had seen the whole performance"
What did you do next?" l asked
anxiously.
why you see, l couldn't very well
say that had encouraged Elliot to
kiss me, could II"
go on"
"And l couldn't say that 1 was not
really offended"
What did you do?"
a WIN III u VI Tie IOOIl.
"And didn't go back?"
eyes, after a few minutes"
"And what did you say?'
Nothing about what had happened.
L began to chat with Herbert, while
Elliot sat looking very much embar-
rassed."
"Oh, Marian!"
l was aware that these two young
men were rivals for Marian's favor.
we were southern persons, and in the
south our men are hot blooded. Her
bert Kenworthy had seen Elliot Wal
ker give Marian what appeared to be
an insult, which she could only resent
as a woman. If trouble between the
young men did not result then I was
no judge Of human nature. All this
flashed through my brain, and / said
to Marian:
Did your two visitors show any
animosity toward each other?'
None whatever. But, grandma, /
have heard since that which leads me
to fear
"What?"
II have been told that this morning
they were playing billiards together at
the club and Elliot charged Herbert
with showing up points that he had
not made. Herbert called Elliot a
liar, and Elliot struck him."
i did not ask to hear any more.
knew well that the young men would
not play billiards together after what
had occurred except for a purpose, that
purpose being to make it appear that
a different cause from the real one had
resulted in an luminosity which would
doubtless lead to a duel, their object
being to keep Marian's name from be.
ing involved in the affair.
what have you heard since?" ! ask
ed anxiously of Marian,
Nothing"
doubted il Marian foresaw wha1
would be the probable result Of al
YA-A-