The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-26
Mary Anne's
Hero

muy Allu0 ,
BY barr Moses
DOWNRIGHT ma g A,'oe'assd Literary
ogim1by's new shoes pinaAsd his
SesG The road was dusty and this
dust mingled with the yellow pollen
a he raeIwsed. Wa making sAd work
e TIE lower pat Of bic natty tsous'
Confound Marry Anns!" exclaimed
0simshy.
May Anne Wa biz coasln. md he
vas o. H. Wv to her wedding. He
Mhsl 1Asy AAAs ~ least q III ~
fosoVSsvsn arse eousins whom - was
% fortunate - 70 possess. but che
va. nsvssthslsas. The only one Of the
hst Tor whose wedding b would have
1slt Il necessary 70 put himself to 90
much discomfort and expense. This
W. because Mary Anne was vain and
ambitious and adored 0rimsby - her
one wealthy and city.bred relative.
He knew that to her mind her we'd
ding would be but a poor affair II she
could not have him and his present to
display to her assembled friends. and
being abnormally considerable Of the
feelings Of others. he had consented to
go. and had spent far more money
than he felt justified In doing in the
purchase OF a set Of sterling silver
tableware In q neat wooden case.
which he had at that moment under
one arm, and which was very heavy.
In addition to the wedding present
he was encountered with an umbrella.
q suit case and a raincoat.
what a fool was to write Mary
Anne not to send to the station for
me-" he growled. land that walk OF
three miles along a peaceful. grassy
country lane would be delightful.
Grassy country lane. indeed! It's q
nasty, weedy. dusty. rutty road. But
it's country all right! oh yes! It's
country. and its PEACEFUL all right
There's not q soul In sight.
Nov l wonder how the deuce Mary
Anne ever found q man to suit her In
this Sleepy Hollow. where nothing ever
happens? She always had her heart set
on hero. a man with good red blood
In his veins, a doer Of deeds"
by this time Grimsby had arrived at
bit OF sequestered woodland through
which the dusty road wandered In an
aimless fashion. as II It had no clear
notion concerning the direction which
It wished to pursue. Hardly had he en-
tered this wood and turned the first
curve before man. dressed In a ready
made and limiting black frock suit
and wearing a stiff-bosomed white
shirt, a tall straight collar and pair
Of cuffs which fell down to his thumbs.
strolled out from the shelter OF some
tall bushes, presented revolver and
remarked CURLY:
Money! yer life! Hands up!"
Craven fear surged through Grims.
by, his knees Knocked together and he
felt . strange. creeping sensation un'
der his hat
Don't shoot!" no gasped. finding II
impossible to obey the command ~
gardins his hands promptly and drop
ping to bic knees instead. Don't
shoot! III hold up my hands as quick
a. I can"
He grasped HE coat and umbrella In
one hand. slipped his thumb through
the heavy cord with which the pack
age containing the wedding present
was tied and taking It and the suit
case In the other. managed to execute
the maneuver clumsily.
"Hum." said the highwayman. re-
nectively. you might have put them
down. II would have been easier"
Then he walked up and unlocked
the wedding present from Grimsby's
extended thumb.
That's all I want" he said laconic.
ally, and walked or
For a moment Grimsby remained on
his knees. with his encountered hands
still raised aloft. then he slowly low
cred them and rose tremblingly to his
feet
The highwayman shuffling on down
the road looked over his shoulder.
Going to the wedding" he called
cause II you be. you might az well
come along with me-"
He paused and waited. Grimsby, toe
bewildered to reply. walked on dis
trustfully. until he had caught ND e
him. He noticed more particularly the
mans clothes. the Sunday clothes OF q
rustic. and the honest tan Of his face
and hands. Suddenly an explanation
came to him. The fellow was. like
: himself. a wedding guest. and hay,ns
no present OF his own and no money
to buy one such as he deemed suitable
perhaps he was q discarded admire,
Of Mary Anne's who wished to make .
show-had decided on this bold ex
pedient.
At first II seemed that 1t would bt
an easy matter to denounce the fel