The Southern Enterprise

The First Kiss.

Among the arrivals in Cincinnati by the Louisville packet, was a young couple who, it was evident, bore a more tender relationship to each other than brother and sister, and yet, as they occupied different state rooms, it was certain they were not husband and wife.

As soon as possible after reaching the landing, they repaired to a hotel, where, in conversation with a social gentleman, the youth confided the secret that they were an eloping couple; that the bride's parents who resided below Louisville: being, like many other progenitors of the female sex, cruel, perverse and hard hearted, they had run away and were only anxious to finish the adventure, by getting married as speedily as possible.

He had hardly made the statement, ere a bland featured, middle aged gentleman entered the office, and without noticing the young man, walked up to the register book.

The youth, after a significant pressure of the arm of his companion, stepped upon one side into another room, where he remained until the elderly gentleman, having got through the list of arrivals, turned upon his heel and walked rapidly away.

"That's him," he exclaimed, our hero, "he must have come up by railroad, and is searching for us." How "lucky that I did not put down our right names. But what shall we do?"

"Well," replied his newly found friend, "this is rather an awkward fix: I expect you'll have to go farther up the river and get married at Cincinnati, for the old chap has a bad countenance that means mischief, and he'll be sure to go to the court house, so you won't be able to get a license."

"I'll go up stairs and hurry Emelina off at once," exclaimed the now almost despairing man.

"You can't get away before 12 o'clock," returned the other, "and the unreasonable parent will be sure to be aboard of the boat."

"Hold on, my lad," exclaimed his good natured counsellor. "By Jove, I begin to feel an interest in this matter. You go up stairs and tell the young lady to be prepared for a start, and in the meantime keep a sharp lookout; and don't let the obdurate father catch you. I'll be back within an hour."

And off he started, leaving the bridegroom in prospective to wonder in what manner he was going to help him out of the scrape.

Sure enough, within the hour he returned, accompanied by a certain gentleman who was duly qualified, legally and ecclesiastically, to bind together "hearts that beat as one," and the bride being duly notified, they all made rapid tracks for the river side, where they found a skiff in waiting with a brace of oarsmen.

"Get in and be quick about it," said the master of the ceremonies; and, without a word of inquiry, in they went; and, when seated, a few lusty pulls took them to the middle of the stream.

"Now, then," continued he, "we are out of the jurisdiction of Cincinnati and there isn't anything to prevent the ceremony being performed, so go ahead."

And there in the tiny boat, floating lazily down stream, in the midst of cold, hazy atmosphere, the nuptials were celebrated; and as the final word was spoken, the ingenious manager of the affair took his reward from the rosy lips of the bride, by cheating the bridegroom out of the first kiss.