A FORTUNATE KISS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2391, 5 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FORTUNATE KISS.

In the University of Upsala, in Sweden there lived a young student—a lonely youth, with a great love for studies, but without means for pursuing them. H" was poor, and without connection. Still he studied, living in great prorerty, but keeping a cheerful heart, and Irving not to look at the future which looked so grimly at him. Mis good humour and good qualities made him beloved bv his young comrades. Once he was standing with some of them in the great square of Upsala, prating away an hour of leisure, when the attention of the young men became arrested by a very young and elegant lady, who at the side of an elderly one walked slowly over the place. It was the daughter of tire Governor of Upland, living in the city, and the lady with her was her governess. -She was generally known for her beauty and for her goodness and gentleness of character, and was looked upon with great admiration by the students. As the young men now stood gazing silently after her, as she passed on like a graceful vision, one of them exclaimed ;

“ Well, it would he worth something to have a kiss from such a month.’ The poor student, the hern of our story, who was looking intently on that pure and angelic face, exclaimed as if by inspiration, ‘ Well, I think I could have it.’

‘ What !’ cried his friends in chorus, ‘ Are you crazy ? Do yon know her ?’ ‘ Not at all,’ he exclaimed ; but I think she would kiss me, just now if I asked her.’ ‘ What, in this place before all our eyes ?’ ‘ In this place before all our eyes.’ ' Freely !’ ‘ Freely !’ ‘Well, if she will give you a kiss in that manner I will give you a thousand dollars !’ exclaimed one of the party. ‘And I!' ‘And I,’ cried throe or four others, for it so happened that there were several rich young men in the group, and bets ran high on so improbable an event, and the challenge was made and received iu less time than we take to relate it.

Onr hero—my authority tells not whether he was handsome or plain ; but I hare my peculiar reasons for believing he was rather plain, but singularly goo Ilooking at the same time—onr hero immediately walked off to meet the young lady. He bowed to her, and said, “My lady, my fortune is in your hand.” She looked at him in astonishment, but arrested her footsteps. He proceeded to state his name and condition, his aspiration, and related simply and truly what had just passed between him and his companions. The young lady listened attentively, and when he ceased to speak she said blushing, but wit!) great sweetness, "If by so iTttle a thing so much good can be effected, it would be foolish in me to refuse your request’’—and she kissed the young man publicly in the open square. Next day the young student was sent for by the Governor. He wanted to see the man who had dared to ask a kiss of his daughter in that way, and whom she had consented to kiss so. Ho received him with a severe and scrutinising brow, but after an hour’s conversation was so pleased with him that ho asked him to dine at his table daring his studies at Upsala. Our young friend now pursued his studies in a manner that soon made him regarded as the most promising scholar at the university. Three years were not passed after the day of the first kiss, when the young man was allowed to give a second one to the daughter of the Governor as his intended bride.

He became, later, one of the greatest scholars of Sweden, as much respected for his learning as for his character. His works will endure for ever among the works of science ; and from, this happy union sprung a family well known in Sweden at the present day, and whose wealth of fortune and high position in society are regarded as small things compared with its wealth of goodness and love.