The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-01-09

! What a Kiss
!, Cost
} A Story of Southern
I Persons Long Ago
Bu F. A. mitchell

/ 0NoNNA-NAeAAAto
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. It was
not that she was strong character,
for she was not She was not only
Needless, but blind to the result of her
heedlessness. But she was lovable. In
deed, she was loved through her faults
rather than her good qualities At
least I, her grandmother, loved her on
that account
Marian used to tell her grandmoth-
er more about what was going on be-
tween her and her young men asso-
ciates than any one else. Why she did
this / don't know unless it was be-
cause realized and therefore symSpa-
thized with the conditions under which
she labored. Candor compels me to ad-
NIT tnat she possessed traits which had
shown themselves In me when 1 was
her age, and 1t is more than probable
that she inherited them from me.
While endeavored to guide her out Of
the effects of her indiscretions I never
lectured her for having been indiscreet.
/ realized that indiscretion was a trait
born in her and was not likely to be
erad.cated till she had grown beyond
the aga when it would lead her into
trouble
Marian used to come to me in q light
hearted way with her perplexties, but
one Gay she gave evidence that what
she had to tell was of serious nature.
Grandma" she said, II have gone
and Gone 1t now and no mistake"
what is 1t, childT' I asked.
you know Elliot Walker?"
"Yes."
"Wen, Elliot and were in the mu-
sic room, at the piano, he turning
over the Sheets"
She paused. gave her time.
Elliot bent lower and lower over
my shoulder. suppose should have
moved, but i didn't"
,, ss"Well?"
"He kissed me-"
refrained from comment on this
and waited for the denouement.
II don't know what it was that
prompted me to act as 1 did. I was
certainly not offended. had expected
wnen didn't move that be would kiss
me and should not have thought much
or him If he hadn't. 1t was not that
was prudish; it was-wel, I don't
know what it was, unless it was Old
Nick got into me- But / 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 I had not
been aware Of his approach, and he
had seen the whole performance"
What did you do next?" I asked
anxiously.
why, you see, couldn't very well
cay that had encouraged, Elliot to
kiss me, could r.
go on"
"And I couldn't say that was not
really offended"
What did you dor"
"Why, went on out of the room"
"And didn't go backT
Les, dlIST lew mQnuI2S.
And what did you say~
Nothing about what had happened.
began to chat with Herbert, while
Elliot sat looking very much embar-
raised"
"Oh, Marian"
was aware that these two Young
men were rivals for Marian's favor.
We we're 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 woman. If trouble between the
young lien did not result then | was
no judge Of human nature. All this
flashed through my brain, and said
to Mariani
did your two visitors show any
animosity toward each otherT's
None whatever But, grandma, 1
have heard since that which leads me
to fear
"WhatT'
Il have been told that this morning
they We're playing billiards together at
the club and Elliot charged Herbert
with showing up points that he had
rot made. Herbert called Elliot a
liar, and Elliot struck him"
l did not ask to hear any more.
knew well that the young men would
not play billiards together after what
had occurred except for purpose, that
purpose being to make 1t appear that
different cause from the real one had
resulted in an animosity 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 sincep l ask
ed anXiously of Marian.
Nothing"
| doubted If Marian foresaw what
would be the probable result of all
this, and dreaded to tell her. Never
theless If she did not prevent meet
ing between these two young men and
one of them killed the other, she being
responsible for the act, her life would
be blighted.
Marian" I said, "you must ego at
once to Herbert Kenworthy and tell
him that it was your fault that Elliot
kissed you"
"oh, grandma, can'tr'
''This quarrel has nothing to do With
billiards. 1t is about you. Herbert
has constituted himself your cham
pion, understanding that Elliot insult
ed you"
81 have thought that myself" said
Marian, paling.
"a duel will surely follow"
Marian looked at me with fright
ened expression that excited my pity,
but l knew that 1t was no time to in
dulge in anything but action. ! i'm
pressed upon her the necessity of her
preventing any further trouble be-
tween her two suitors. During our
conversation it came out that she had
made a choice between all her suitors,
including the two in question. This
she revealed to me, though I was the
only person she conflded 1t to. She
loved Elliot Walker. Thinking she
needed my support, 1 told her that I
would go with her to see Herbert Ken
worthy. She made no reply for awhile
to this proposition. l could see that
a struggle was going on within her,
but l was ignorant as to just what it
was. Presently she rose.
"What are you going to doT 1 asked.
81 am going to see Herbert"
"Do you wish me to go with your
"No, grandma"
This was the first indication of
strength saw in her, and it was some
relief. She left me, and later l heard
her pony phaeton on the gravel walk.