The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-10
What a Kiss
Cost
A Story of Southern
Persons Long Ago
Blu F. A. mitchell

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 to the result Of her
heedlessness. But she was lovable. In
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 I don't know unless it was be-
cause 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 / was
her age, and it Is more than probable
that she inherited them from me.
While endeavored to guide her out of
the effects of her indiscretions never
! lectured her for having been indiscreet.
l realized that indiscretion was 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 light
hearted way with her perplexties. but
one 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 Il, child?" l asked.
"You know Elliot Walker?"
yes"
well, Elliot and l were in the mu-
sic room, at the piano. he turning
over the Sheets"
She paused. l gave her time.
Elliot bent lower and lower over
my shoulder. suppose should have
moved. but / didn't"
"Well?
HE kissed me-"
l refrained from comment on this
and waited for the denouement.
II don't know what 1t was that
prompted me to act as I did. I was
certainly not offended. I had expected
when didn't move that he would kiss
me and should not have thought much
OF him II he hadn't 1t was not that
was prudish; it was-well, ! don't
know what 1t was, unless 1t was Old
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 l had not
been aware Of his approach, and he
had seen the whole performance"
what did you do next" ! asked
anxiously.
"Why, you see, I couldn't very vel
say that l had encouraged Elliot tc
kiss me, could IT'
go on"
"And 1 couldn't say that was not
really offended"
"What did you do?"
"Why, went on out Of the room"
"And didn't go backY
Eyes, after a few minutes"
"And what did you sayp
Nothing about what had happened
l began to chat with Herbert, while
Elliot sat looking very much embar
rassed."
"Oh, Marianv
l was aware that these two young
men were rivals for Marians 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 bt
an insult, which she could only resent
as a woman. If trouble between the
young men did not result then l was
no judge of human nature. All this
flashed through my brain, and I said
to Marian:
did your two visitors show any
animosity toward each other?"
| None whatever. But grandma,
have heard since that which leads m,
to fear
TX "What?'
| 81 have been told that this mornin,
they were playing billiards together a
the club and Elliot charged Herbert
with showing up points that he hat
not made. Herbert called Elliot
liar, and Elliot struck him."
II I did not ask to hear any more.
knew well that the young men woul,
not play billiards together after wha
had occurred except for purpose. tina
purpose being to make 1t appear tina
a different cause from the real one had
resulted In an animosity which woult
doubtless lead to a duel, their objec
being to keep Marian's name from be
ing involved In the affair.
what have you heard SINGER" ask
ed anxiously Of Marian.
Nothing"
I doubted IL Marian foresaw wha
| would be the probable result of al
this. and | dreaded to tell her. Never
theless If she did not prevent a meet
ing between these two young men AM