Miss Nermal and Belton were invited out to a social gathering of young people one night.

He was Miss Nermal's escort.
At this gathering the young men and women played games such as pinning on the donkey's tail, going to Jerusalem, menagerie, and various other parlor games.

In former days, these social gatherings played some games that called for kissing by the young ladies and gentlemen, but Miss Nermal had opposed such games so vigorously that they had long since been dismissed from the best circles.
Belton had posted two or three young men to suggest a play involving kissing, that play being called, "In the well." The suggestion was made and just for the fun of having an old time game played, they accepted the suggestion.

The game was played as follows.
Young men and young women would move their chairs as close back to the walls as possible.

This would leave the center of the room clear.