The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-15
Mrs. Hector's
Reception
BY JoHN CHARLTON


the morn ng train Mrs. Hibberd Iiec-
tor refre led her Oter-taXed memory
by reference % mol, book AS a
prominent Official Of tie State Union
of Iothe". '',ub, sha was booked n
address ha Mothers club of Lean
ington al tarce O'Clock and briei
talk with her secretary on the sre OF
departure had left her with a very
aazy idea of the days programme.
The notebook bore pencil marks
that primarily must have held some
coherent meaning TO the scrbbler-
Mrs. IIibberd Hector. herseli-but
now that excellent lady could not
make head or tail of the frantic
scrawls. Occasionally she jerked out
head merely to discover that it bore
no relation to any other head or tail
on the page and finally in despair she
turned the book upside down and
found that her hieroglyphics really
had some meaning after all.
"Fahncy." she beamed through her
iorgnette at the page. Nov. let me
sect is arranged that ! shall take
luncheon with Mrs. Armstrong good
old name, too. wonder if she's re-
lated TO the Chesley Armstrong;?
Then | am to address the club men,
bers at three o'clock, hold reception
from four TO five and take the siX-ten
lrain home A busy day! Now, for
the names of the committee SO that
| shall have no difficulty in remember
ing them when am introduced; it
makes better feeling
Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Conrad Stod.
dard. Mrs. Daniel Boucher. Mrs. Case
Wayland," she repeated over and over
again until the brakeman Jared the
door open and announced Leaning.
tom"
1t was sleepy, sunshiny June day
and down the crooked length OF
bennington street the merchants sat
before their shops and talked about
the weather and the fishing and the
tides. The summer boarder season
had not yet opened and business was
dull. There was one stuffy looking
stage at the railroad station and Mrs.
Hibberd Hector had glanced once
within it's musty depths and with q
'shrug Of her shoulders decided to
walk down the long hill into the VII
lage.
Her dignity WAS offended that the
Mothers club had not sent some sort
of an equipage to meet her train and
then 1t suddenly and unpleasantly 90
CURED to her that she had neglected
to send word naming her train She
picked up the skirt Of her summer
silk, opened her parasol and after IN.
quiring the way she walked down to
the bay, blue and shimmering under .
cloudless sky. and % reached large.
white house Get In the midst Of green
lawns. very cool and pleasant and
comfortable looking. She rang the
bell and then waited with growing
impotence while the minutes passed.
No one answered her sunmoas.
~ sire eark exhausted irto a porch
chair a double seated carriage drove
iato the yard ard Tie SOLE occupant,
evidently farm hand. looked curl.
ouslv q. her. Ne drew up before the
door. you looking for Mrs. Arm
strong?" he asked.
YES" replied Mrs. Hibberd Hec.
Tor shortly.
well, she aint to home. She's
gone down to the Point with the chill.
dren-the Mothers club is having .
picnic down there"
Mrs. Hibberd Hector thought rap
idly; 1t was possible that the club
had changed its plan and was to en-
terrain her at the Point-that would
be very pleasant indeed on this ideal
day. With a sudden return Of enthu.
siasm in the days project she beamed
upon the man.
Il wonder II you couldn't drive me
down to the Point!" she said sweetly.
Mrs. Armstrong expects me. but
didn't send word what train | would
take, 90 there was no one to receive
me. have to return to town on the
SIXTEEN train"
yes. ma'am," he said willingly
and helped her into the vehicle.
As they drove through shady woods.
fragrant with sassafras and hun.
dred other elusive odors, Mrs. Hibberd
Hector settled back in her seat and
once more referred to her notebook.
She had chosen for the subject Of her
address q topic that was near her
enthusiastic heart. Mrs. Hubbard Hec'
Tor had never been a mother but she
knew Just how children should be
trained to get the best out Of them
and to insure their getting the best
out Of life. How to hold your child's
love-" was to be her subject and Mrs
Hector had carefully and conscien
t,ously studied over the matter Of
preventing the country children from
docking to the cities, and she wal
quite ready to tell the Mothers clut
Of bennington all about it.
Suddenly Che road emerged from
the wood and dipped down into hol
low between the bluffs where Their
VAS a white sandy beach and the bay
Its hard to turn around dowl