The Shadow Kiss.

Three women and two men gather in a tight circle in the interior of a decorated room. They look across the room at a wall where there is a shadow of a man and woman kissing. 1/2 page.

Two deep bay windows lit the room In which we watch’d the evening gloom ; In this myself and Lucy sat, Pater and maiden aunts in that ; The gaslights on the flags below And on our ceiling cast a glow. While pater and his coterie Talk’d matters parliamentary ; Or rul’d, with solemn shake of head, How prudently the young should wed, In my committee I said, “ This, My dearest, is the time to kiss ! ’ Lured by the shadowy hour and nook, The proffer’d pledge she coyly took ; When, lo ! by our unlucky fate, In silhouette, our tête-a-tête, Noses and pouted lips were all Obliquely shadow’d on the wall ! So, when the footman brings in tea, Sombre are they, and scarlet are we : The lamp has prematurely shown A truth we dared not to own : Small thanks to light untimely cast,— And yet this kiss was not our last ! J.S.