Show A KISS ASTRAY WO men were sitting at a table la in a quiet corner ot of the cafe ot of one ot of the uptown fashionable J hotels ot of new york tork one evening last winter from time to time one or the other took up the glass standing before him examined it with gratuitous minuteness sipped a few ew drops of 0 its contents and set it back on the table nothing was said by either beyond some commonplace remark about the weather or a guest at another table both were waiting for something one to tell a story the other to listen to it but the first could not apparently force himself into a 9 mood tor for confidence and the second could not force a confidence not freely given supposing them to be unmarried a stranger would say bay that there would be little to choose between them in the yes ot of the other sex since one was quite as attractive as the other and both would pass tor for fine looking finally the one who was waa to tell the story interrupted the exchange ot of trivial remarks with this apropos of nothing that had gone before it well ot of course this ends me with the Temple tons oh I 1 dont see why jack was the answer taken up evidently where it had been left unfinished on some former occasion have to go there all the same fame once in a while anyway just as it if nothing had happened no this ends the whole business naturally you dont see why but you would if I 1 told you everything ita lust just as well though I 1 was rather expecting to go abroad next month and now I 1 shall have all the excuse I 1 need tor for going at once but she ehe oh ob no matter about her ive finished myself in that quarter for good and all hm H m even so why should you the use ot of springing that old stuff about other fish in the sea on me this that sort ot of an affair with me like an internal infernal ass I 1 keep it to myself not from you anyway but I 1 can trust you what did those old Temple tons want to interfere with it tor for ive been a trifle tast fast ive spent a pot of money ive done heaps of things im not particularly ticul arly proud of remembering but with her I 1 would be only too glad to settle down I 1 dont suppose I 1 could make much of a fist of working for a living now luckily I 1 dont need to though and I 1 could be a decent citizen at any rate but those Temple tons se seem em to have an idea that im a kind of well dressed tough and they lt let me know through mutual trie friends ads confound their friends that I 1 have any chance with her it if they coull could prevent it still ive kept on calling there pretty often I 1 stay away and finally one day I 1 told her how luch much I 1 felt toward her there was a long silence here but archie made no attempt to end it jack aar to f I 1 11 IN DUMB HORROR took look a sip alp from his glass whirled it around back and forth halt half a dozen times on the table by the stem and at last went on without looking up 1 I suppose I 1 may as well tell you the whole thing we went on afterward lust just the same as ever as far as ag the Temple tons saw they probably took me to be a pretty industrious caller but nothing more they took good care though not to leave us together much still we found means ot of keeping our affair going and she promised to wait dear girl as long as necessary or until her father and mother get into it a different frame of mind about me you know that way I 1 have of drumming out tunes on the piano the question seemed so irrelevant that archie looked up amazed why yes he answered hastily that got to ta do with it everything everything when I 1 called on her I 1 often used to sit down at the piano while waiting tor for her to come downstairs and play tome some melody she he liked I 1 was intimate enough with the family tor for that I 1 had bad a fool idea I 1 suppose that my playing was a kind of love message rubbish of course but a fellow la in my condi condition conditto tio n will suppose e anything sometimes id bo be playing louder than usual and hear bear her when she came into he be room those times it if th the e old folks around she would steal up belind lind me and put her ha bands ads on my shoulders then I 1 well I 1 used to put toy ny arms cp and pull her sweet little lace face down to mine and pshaw the use of remembering that owl another pause which archie filled ip by lighting tt a fresh cigar and offer ng one to jack who gazed blankly at it some minutes without accepting it ind then continued night before last I 1 called on her rho rhe mald maid said she was dressing but would see ice me as u soon as possible at A ter my usual fashion I 1 went to drumming on the piano I 1 remember I 1 was wai playing at that time the lovers song cons in alda aida when they are burled buried alive I 1 was blue and it seemed to fit the situation somehow we were burled buried alive I 1 thought la in the tomb ot of the th templeton prejudices I 1 dont know nor how long ions I 1 played I 1 got interested in the music suddenly I 1 felt the light pressure ot of two hands bands on my shoulders and I 1 reached back over my head as I 1 had bad dozens of 0 times before and drew her bar face quickly down to mine and kissed it madly in another second I 1 had bad leaped pit the piano stool in dumb horror I 1 had seen the tace face and it my little girl at all but her mother old mrs templeton heaven knows what had possessed her to do nhat hat she did but she had done it I 1 absolutely gasped with embarrassment t and bean besan stammering all aorta ot of rate miserable apologies finally blurting out like a double dyed idiot as I 1 was 1 I know it was you who did you think it was that was all the old lady said but she said it with a north pole sort at 0 deadly composure that set mp me shivering to my vitals with a cold per spira tion ion I 1 saw in an instant that I 1 had betrayed let rayed everything so I 1 plunged leeper deeper into complete imbecility WY my lear dear mrs templeton I 1 exactly mean that im sure I 1 mean ap thing but I 1 was so startled I 1 1 I fact act Is im not at all well this evening please give my compliments to miss templeton and say I 1 was not feeling well and had to leave without seeing her good evening with that I 1 fairly ran out of 0 the room and the house by the way I 1 left that cane you like so much at the house but im satisfied so long as I 1 got out alive now do you think I 1 shall do any more calling at the Temple tons it jack was expecting either sympathy or advice now that his story was told he certainly got neither article from archie who broke out into a peal of 0 laughter that attracted the wondering attention ot of every one in the room and even startled the sedate waiters 1 I really beg your pardon old man he be said when he could finally speak tut there Is a tremendous funny side to your adventure honestly my dear jack im not laughing at you but lust just think of making such an awful break with old lady templeton why ashes the main brace and chief pillar in dr bartons church and this Is her first scandal in her long and highly respectable spec table career jack gazed ruefully at archie well he sighed I 1 daresay there Is something tunny funny about it tor for somebody else but how about me and her what shall I 1 do do do nothing old in man an was the hilarious rejoinder youre all right and ill bet a hat on it you just keep quiet and wait meanwhile trust to me to keep mum 0 0 4 0 0 a when jack reached his bachelor quarters that night he found this note a waiting awaiting him west fifty first street my dear jack what did you do to mamma the other night I 1 came downstairs and found her in the drawing room instead of you the gentleman you call jack rather familiar it seems to me Is III she said at least he told me so and he asked me to present his apologies for not waiting to eee you of course I 1 was dreadfully frightened but mamma said she was sure the illness was not cot in any way dangerous because she knew what caused it were you really very III jack do you know mamma was just as sweet as she could be about it she comforted me and said I 1 should write this note to you with her compliments ments i she was very particular about my putting that in to ask you to call at the house tomorrow morning she says she wants to talk to you about your illness she told me to be sure to underline that word and jack she actually said she has been looking up your record and she convinced you are a much better young man than she has been led to believe you will call tomorrow as early as possible wont you jack I 1 shall Ishall have lots to tell you always yours december 16 1895 GRACE 1 I rather guess there will be a good deal te tc tell all around in that house bouse when I 1 get there thought jack as he performed some foolishness over the little note 1 I dont understand a bit what mrs templeton Is driving at but ill call to see her tomorrow with my life in my hands bands it if the heavens dont tall fall la in the meantime 0 0 0 0 jack at the present writing Is a decent citizen at any rate and a married one he recovered that cane from the templeton house some gome time lime ago by the by and archie is 1 carrying it now as a gentle reminder that certain things are not to bo be discussed outside ot of certain circles archie also has big a hat bat more than usual in 91 his collection ot of headgear |