alled
out in a loud voice, "Obadiah Strout."

As Strout walked towards the line of young girls they called out
together, "Mister, please take a chair."

Strout sat down in a chair. One of the girls who had the bandanna
handkerchief in her hand passed it quickly over his eyes and tied it
firmly behind his head. Two of the girls then stepped forward and each
one taking one of his hands and extending it at right angles with his
body held it firmly in their grasps. At the same instant his head was
pulled back by one of the girls and a kiss was imprinted on his upturned
mouth.

"Who is it?" screamed the girls in unison. The holds on the Professor's
head and hands were released and he sat upright in the chair.

"I kinder guess it was Miss Huldy Mason," said he.

A loud laugh burst from the girls, mixed with cries of "You're wrong!"
"You ain't right!" "You didn't get it!" "You're out!" and similar
ejaculations.

The handkerchief was taken from his eyes and he was marched to the left
of the line of girls, which ran length-wise of the kitchen.

Abner Stiles was the next one called in, and he was subjected to the
same treatment as had befallen his predecessor, but to the intense
disgust of Professor Strout he saw Hiram Maxwell come on tiptoe from the
parlor door, lean over and kiss Abner Stiles. The thought of course ran
through his mind that he had been subjected to the same treatment. He
was on the point of protesting at this way of conducting the game when
the idea occurred to him that it would be a huge satisfaction to have
that city chap subjected to the same treatment, and he decided to hold
his peace.

The next one called was 'Zekiel Pettengill, and he was treated in the
same manner as the Professor and Abner had been; but as Hiram leaned
over to kiss him, 'Zekiel's foot slipped upon the floor and struck
against Hiram's, Hiram being in front of him. 'Zekiel then put up both
of his feet and kicked with them in such a way that Hiram was unable to
approach him.

'Zekiel called out, "It's Hiram Maxwell," and the room rang with the
laughs and cries of the girls.

'Zekiel, having guessed who it was, was marched off to the right of the
line of girls.

Strout called out, "Let's play something else," but the sentiment of the
company seemed to be that it wasn't fair to the others not to give them
a chance, so the game continued. Quincy was the next one called, and to
still further increase the disgust of Strout and Ab