Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-12-17
"A Kiss"
By JACK LAYTON
t'a 1870. Western Newspaper. Union.

the trees shedding their summer
leaves were desolate too. The leaves
cracked beneath Cynthia's feet as she
went on up the garden path to the
piiiared veranda, years of silence and
decay showed everywhere. She drew
her fur about ter throat as she sat
upon the highest step to look the old
place over. the dear old place that had
been her girlhOod's home, this visit
fully sweet woman had but to close
her eyes 10 people, the deserted rooms
with faces long absent There her
square piano had stood, and at the
opposite end of The impressive parlor
had been the pier glass. A winSome
picture that pier glass had often re-
Elected. girlish vision of floating ruff
fies, with happy shining eyes beneath
softly wavy hair. Cynthia remembered
the vision OF herself, as she sat, and
saw 1t again at its fairest clad In
bridal array.
In satin slippers the girl Cynthia
had danced down the room. her white
veil sweeping after. and he had called
her ''the lovlieSt vision In the world"
But that was before the kiss. Such
of ones life--as it had changed Gym
thia's. There were two suitOrs, you
see. big VIII Lefton, poor. adoring
and uIrewarded And Barton Swift.
rich by inheritance. successful In bust
ness. BY no virtue of his riches had
love for him, with all the time re-
gretful ache at the back OF her happi-
ness, because of poor wins sorrow.
Not that Will was cowardly ,n defeat,
his outward manner was his bravest
best Barton ives wildly triumphant.
his laughter rang out all the day long,
the day of his wedding to be.
With other friends he and Cynthia
had festooned the Railways and rooms
with flowers. In her white robes she
had laughingly defied superstition for
the admiration of her lovers gaze, and
Barton left enraptured. before the few
brief hours proceeding the ceremony.
AS he reached his own home in bliss
full daZe. he found that he had forgot
ten TO execute certain commission.
and returned Entering the long room,
his steps muffled by the thick carpet,
Barton Swift beheld reflected in the
pier glass. the picture which he never
forgot, and which no explanation could
satisfy. Cynthia, still in her bridal
robes. was clasped close in the arms
of viii Lefton. and as Barton watched.
Will bent for her kiss. When he raised
his face from hers Cynthia gave him
no words of anger, tears were on her
cheeks.
Barton said sharply from the doorway,
and win waiting only for Cynthia's
motion of dismissal had gone. "Well,"
Barton asked her with a Eneering
smile. $50 II was my money after all,
10 they said. and sou loved Lefton
all the time" White to the lips with
wide Mortified eyes. Cynthia made no
reply. His sneering smile changed to
a harsh laugh.
swell. forewarned. forearmed," Bar
ton said cuttingly, his own pain max
ing him cruel, Better to have found
out in time-good-b
When the girl found her voice she
was alone in the flower decked room.
Later. as the wedding hour approached
she had in desperation thrown a cloak
about her shoulders and gone to Bar
toms home to seek him, only to learn
that he had rushed in TO the house
and ont again with the brief word that
he would he long absent
So Cynthia ike crumpled white
flower was found unconscious on the
floor of her room, when the wedding
guests came. and the wedding had
never been. Immediately, a kind
father had taken her TO travel abroad.
since then she had been here or there
as her fancy or friends dictated. And
as the years passed the old home be-
reft of it's owners was sold, and the
money divided between the sisters.
Now that Cynthia's sisters were mar
ried. and scattered far, the old house
was TO Ne sold again. Cynthia read
the advertisement in her city apart
men.. and a whimsical desire had
seized her t. view the old place once
more. She could think now of that
dreadful day with a smile. and wonder
that If had seemed to mean so much.
Put after all the years her cheeks
burned hot at memory of an impulsive
farweu kiss. Poor WIN. he had
prieved deeply over the tragedy his
rash act brought about. Cynthia
wondered what sort of woman he bad
married. Then. as she stood up to go,
man came through the great house
doorway. and stood speechlessly look
INC al her. She recognized viii LET
ton al once. the same serious eyes,
The patient face that years could not
touch with sternness.
"WHl." cried the woman, how
strange 10 meet you here, and IN