The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-25
EVENING STORY
The Kiss Taboo.
BY VINCENT G. PERRY.

comfortable big chair on the veranda
and endeavored to enjoy every breath
of it. But even enjoying afternoons
becomes tiresome, especially to girls
of Lenora's type, so she rummaged
thru the magazine rack by her side
in search of something of interest. /
A ma gazine fell from the center of the
pile and opened at her feet. Lenora
gave an exclamation of disapproval
as she saw her own face looking at |
her from the open page
Would that that article and picture
might vanish from her sight, she
wished, as she kicked the book closed. |
1t was the most idiotic thing she had
ever read. She hadn't thought that at
first, but now she felt it nearly every
minutes of the day. Why couldn't
she forget it? She couldn't no matter
how hard she tried, for she had been |
so proud of it at first; and she had
read it SO many times, it was i'm
! pressed her memory for all times
| to come. The paragraph under her
| picture was the one that CALLED her
most The article was practically all
about her father but that one para
graph about herself was the one she
hated. She could see it in her minds
eye staring out at her morning, noon
and night. Miss Lenora Montrose.
| the cha ming young lady pictured
| above, only daughter of Dr. Montrose,
| the well-known health specialist, falls |
| in line with her fathers views on the
osculatory practice. The young man
/
| lege of kissing his bride, she states
| emphatically. DR.. Montrose is en- |
| deavoring to secure legislation to make |
| kissing illegal
! However she could have made such
a statement for publication she could |
| not see now, but she made it, and |
! there was no denying it. 1t was barely |
| five months before that she had given
| the interview to the ma gazine writer
| in connection with the article about |
| her father. She was just fresh from
| school and hadn't thought of anything |
but books and what a great man her |
| father was. How was she to knowl
| that some day she would want to be |
| kissed?
Her change of views all came about
| because of the new chauffeur. That
| was another thing to worry about
| she was in love with a chauffeur. The
very thought of it made her blush. |
To think of her, the daughter of one
| of the leading scientists of the day, in
| love with chauffeur. Here her /
| sentiment got the best of her pride.
Dick Cochrane was not a common !
| chauffeur-far from it. He was the I
| very finest chauffeur and the best
! looking young man she had ever
| known He showed refinement and
education. too, that bewildered her.
| Who was Dick and where did he come |
| from? she asked herself a dozen times
| a day She was sure there was a ro-
| nance connected with him and she
was going to find out all about it. Per
| haps it was better she did not know.
| Why in the world couldn't he tell her?
| He would. she was sure, when he
! asked her TO marry him. He had been
! on the point of asking her on two or
| three occasions but he hadn't. Why
hadn't he? Was it for the same rea-
| son that he didn't kiss her.? He had
/ been, on the point of kissing her on
more than two or three occasions and
had always stopped himself. She knew
that he knew of the magazine article
and that was what caused him to re-
| frain. How she hated that article!
All her pent-up feeling was eXerted in
| one kick at the ma gaZine at her feet
and it shot from the veranda and lit
at the feet of Dick Cochrane as he
rounded the corner of the house
! Who's throwing magazines at me?''
| he called out, as he picked it up. He
caught sight of Lenora's flushed face
and whistled softly. What has been
disturbing you. Nora?' he asked. He /
was the only enc who had ever dared |
! shorten her name. Not this maya
zine. I hope?''
4 hate it," Nora cried. ct hate |
it. and its beastly publisher and inter
| viewer. [ hate every word in it,
He ran his fingers thru the pa ges
and opened the book at the article |
that had caused all the disturbance.
why here is your picture in it, !
The surprise in his voice was we'll /
| feigned.
you knew it was there all the
time" she exclaimed, impatently. 1T |
is horrible picture and that article |
| is idotic. 1 can't understand father |
bothering about such trivial things !
when there are so many big things |
| in the world to engage his atten- |
ton"
-, Then 3s, you do think kissing is, all
never made such a statement-this |
article is a lie?'
Il did make that statement The |
article was true then, but I've changed |
my views. L was only a silly girl |
then"
This magazine is only three months
| Old" he said, as he looked at the |
date Hasn't your change of views
been rather SUDDEN"
i: Il gave that interview two months
Lefore tina. issue was published. That
was before 1 knew you"
i Has our acquaintance had anything
to do with your change of mind ?" he
smiled.
you have. never kissed mec' She
was on the defense in a minute.
No | have never dared. You see.
am only your fathers chauffeur"
That is not what has kept you
back. Was it because of the article"
she asked.
Dick scaled the veranda railing and
stood by her side.
Before 1 answer that question will
, you let me kiss you?" he asked
eargerly.
i Lenora blushed. but she did not re-
fuse. That was all the answer Dick
| needed.
Now he said. as he sat down
beside her. Il can tell you what
have wanted to tell you for the past
month. 1t was not because of that
a tic1e that didn't kiss you, but it
was because of it that 1 did. BY SO
| doing 1 have won a wager of five
| thousand dollars
! What" Lenora gasped Five
thousand dollars for kissing me-
Yes" he laughed. II am not