f to act so senselessly?' He replied, 'It
may appear senseless to you, but I can assure you it would be bliss to
me.' I tried to turn the subject of kissing me to something else, and
did the best I could to entertain him in conversation on other subjects,
but no; he was more stubborn than ever to think of nothing and talk of
nothing but kissing me on the cheek. Not wishing to have any
unpleasantness with him on aunt's account, I said to myself, 'You are
nothing but a simple, little, contrary, foolish child, in a man's form,
and I shall have to humor you as I would a little boy, for you have only
the mind of one.' I told him if he, as a young gentleman of honor, would
never say one word more to me about kissing, he could kiss my cheek just
once, which he did and was quiet afterwards. He was very pleasant during
the remainder of our ride, and when I got out of the buggy I was glad he
did not ask if he could call again on me. When I think of him I cannot
keep from laughing, the foolish simpleton. I would not have him for all
the gold in California. I must tell you about another of aunt's pets I
went out riding with several times. There was more to him than there was
to Ryland; his name is Barker, and he is worth twenty-five thousand
dollars, and aunt says he will become one of the leading lights of the
legal profession. Well, he was full of humor and jokes disposed to be a
little gay in his talk, and from what he related concerning himself one
might infer he had been at times a little swift. One afternoon we were
out in the country riding and he became very animated in his
conversation about taste and style of young ladies' dresses, and from
that went on to say what a fad it was among young men to notice and
admire the bright hosiery which young ladies wore when bicycle riding,
and continued in that style of talk, saying what good taste I displayed
in my dress; he was sure that the pretty, bright hosiery, which he
supposed I wore, would do his eyes good to behold. Just as he was
apparently making a motion as if to inspect my hosiery, his nigh colt
shied at an old post that was leaning over at the side of the road. He
had all he could do to manage the horse. I laughed, and told him 'He had
better keep his mind on the team, and not think about such things as the
kind of hosiery I was wearing, that he must not look upon me as a
dry-goods window.' He acted kind of mad with the colt, and said no more
about ladies' hosiery. That w