The Fortmate kiss.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 138, 20 October 1871, Page 6

The Fortmate kiss.

■A i&ETTY BTOBY, BY FBEDEBIKA BBEMEB. In the great University of Upsala, in Sweden, lived a young student, a noble youth; with great love for studies, but without means for pursuing them. He was poor, without connections. Still he studied, lived in great poverty, but keeping a cheerful heart, and trying to look at the future, which seemed so grim to him. His good humor and excellent qualities made him beloved by his comrades. One day he was standing in the square with some of them, prattling away an hour of leisure, when the attention of the young men became arrested by a young and elegant lady, who, by the side of an elder one, was slowly walking over the place. It was the daughter of the Governor of Upsala, living in the city, and the lady was her governess. She was generally known for her goodness and gentleness of character, and looked at with admiration by all the students. As the young men stood gazing at her as she passed, like a graceful vision' one of them suddenly exclaimed—

"Well, it would be worth something to have a kiss from such lips."

The poor student, the hero of our story, who looked on that pure angelic face, exclaimed, as if by inspiration—

"Well, I think I could have it." "Well!" cried his friends in a chorus, " are you crazy ? Do you know her ?"

"Nofr'at all," he answered; "but I think she would kiss me if I asked her." " What! in this place, and before all our

eyes ?"

"Yes."

" Freely P"

" Yes, freely."

" Well, if she would give you a kiss in that manner, I will promise, to give you a thousand dollars !" exclaimed one of the

party,

"And I! and I!" exclaimed three or four others, for it happened that several rich young men were in the group, and the bets ran high on so improbable an event. The challenge was given and received in less time than we take to tell it.

Our hero (my authority tells me not whether he was plain or handsome; I have my peculiar reasons for believing he was rather plain, but singularly good-looking at the same time), immediately walked up to the young lady, and said—- " Mein fraulein, my fortune is in your hands."

She looked ,at him with astonishment, but arrested her steps. He proceeded to state his name and condition, his aspiration, and related what had passed between him .and his companions.

The young lady listened attentively, and at his ceasing to speak, she said, blushingly, but with great sweetness — "If by so little a thing so much good can be effected, it would be wicked in me to refuse your request," and publicly, in the open square, she kissed him.

Next day the student was sent for by the Governor. He wanted to see the man who dared to seek a kiss from his daughter in that way, and whom she consented to kiss.

He received him with, a scrutinising bow, but after an L cur's conversation was so well pleased with him that he asked him to dine at his table during his studies at the University. Our young friend pursued his studies in such a manner that he was soon regarded as the most promising student at the Uni-

versify. Three years are passed since the first kiss, when the young man was allowed to ft-second kiss to;the daughter of the Governor as his wife.

He became, later, one of the most noted

scholars in Sweden, and was much res

pected for his character. His works will endure, while time las cs among the works of science; and from this happy union sprang a family well known in Sweden at the present time, whose wealth and position in society are regarded as trifles in comparison with its goodness and love.