Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-01-19
Kiss Mary Louise
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD
(@ by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
(WNU Service)


Mary Louise's mother looked up
from the letter she had been reading
aloud and smiled at her pretty daugh.
ter curled up in the chair opposite.
81 guess" she said, "that Cousin
Warren has forgotten just how big a
girl you have grown!"
"And who?" asked Mary Louise, sis
Cousin Warren"
swell, to begin with, dear. he isn't
really your cousin. He's the son of q
very dear friend of mine. At the time
Of her death Warren came to us for
a little visit. He must have been
well, about sixteen at that time and
you were five or six. He let you tag
around after him and was much more
friendly to you than boys Of that age
usually are to little girls"
"And now" unused Mary Louise, "he
must be-why, nearly thirty years old!
Oh, guess he's so old that it's quite
all right for me to be accepting kiss
from him!"
IF Mrs. Sumner smiled inwardly at
Mary Louise's calm assumption that
thirty years spelled privileged age.
she gave no sign. Certainly Warren
would seem mature to her daughter
compared to the crowd Of youngsters
with whom she ordinarily travelled.
Knowing a little of what his life had
been, she could well imagine that he
would prove even older than his years.
Perhaps, had she known all that
was going on in the mind of her
daughter, she would have been
alarmed, for the young woman, as she
listened to an account Of Warren's
life, had arrived at singular conclu-
sion.
AS starter, she would borrow
TriXie Horizons lipstick, Janice Rob-
ert's new shell-tint rouge, and Glare
Brayton's "How To Behave In So
ciety." She would read up on cou-
pie Of the latest plays, few Of the
more sophisticated magazines, and
shorten her sports skirt another inch.
A kiss to Mary Louise indeed!
Warren Wayne looked about him
with interest as he got down from
the train. Then he sent az inquiring
look towards the knot of people gath
cred on the platform.
Suddenly, something drew his eyes
over to small car, and at that in
slant slender hand waved to him.
Hurrying over. he saw a dashing
young thing evidently sure that he was
the person for whom she was waiting,
although he himself was by no means
certain. "Are you, by any chance, Mr..
Wayne?"
"I'll say ami" he replied promptly,
looking curiously at the scarlet-lipped,
black-lashed girl before him whose
cheeks glowed with radiance liberal
ly if not quite skillfully applied.
II am Mrs. Summers daughter"
drawled Mary Louise. please stow
away your luggage in back and hop
along in. I fancy the station man
will see to your trunk"
She swung away up the main street,
one hand carelessly on the wheel, with
an air that would have distinguished
q sportier model of car than the flivver
she was driving.
So this was his old friend, Mary
Louise! Well, well, well! Then he
gave himself up to picking out old
landmarks along the way.
Meanwhile, Of what was Mary
Louise thinking? She was, for one
thing, wondering just what her moth
er would say when she saw her. She
had not yet had that pleasure, for
Mary Louise had made a back-door
exit, merely calling out a good-by to
her mother who sat on the side porch.
And then she was also thinking that
thirty was not as ancient as she had
imagined. And nobody had thought to
mention the fact that Warren was
handsomer than her favorite movie
star Of the moment.
She wished, just little, that she
had left the makeup business alone.
Or, at least, that she had not gone
into it on such a heavy scale.
Mrs. Sumner came down to meet
them. my dear boy, she cried, and
took Warren In her arms much as she
had when he had come to her, moth
erless, years ago. Then she caught
sight Of her daughter. Just for an in
slant words seemed to fail her. Then,
Goodness graciousw she exclaimed.
"Have you been rehearsing again for
that silly play? Do run upstairs and
wash your face or Warren will never
believe you are the same sweet little
girl he used to let beat him at cro-
quet!'>
Warren stayed on all summer. One
day, near the end Of his visit, he
took Mrs. Sumner aside for little
talk. Afterwards, he hunted up Mary
Louise and found her busy with her
sewing out under the trees.
II asked your mother" he said gent
ly, "if she ever gave you the kiss I
sent you. She said she hadn't and
gave me permission to give it to you
myself. You see, the girl sent 1t to
was the one I have always carried
. with me-"
Opening the back Of his watch, he
disclosed faded little snapshot Of a
curly-haired child that looked out at