The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-03

nass ..E.s /. sporting editor aEi
society reporter for the Only paper N
the County. that his Aunt Sallie. VINO
had raised him. had said that very
Light that any gifi Would tie prouu
to MARI. him, and that 1t must DC
nov or never. And all the time ne
sat giumly in a straight chaiI'
, cling Gtnevieve, who chatted gayl!
They. too. head the unusual noise
u the hall, and the girl was lrleh'-
. ed. Before Jack Wilton could re-
Il sure her the curtains parted ana
= lie rat and the cat darted INTO the
!oam. The young man sprang up
in open arms and Genevieve. utter
inC one unearthiy shrek, rushed into
! is close embrace Her hair was
'll,sled, her white frock crushed and
j ick Wilton, in hot rush OF words,
It'd her everything that he had meant
Z, tell her and great deal more
esides.
He might have talked all night. had
Lot voice of thunder interrupted
him.
Sir, what does this mean?"
In the door stood Mr.. Grantwood.
ariig ominously. with Mrs. Grant
vood in curl papers and a blanket,
trying very hard to see and not be
cea and behind them Tommy Grant.
wood, grinning broadly. John Viii
ton had seen Mr.. Grantwood In tow
eri.g RACES. but never so angry as
this; he had seen Mrs. Grantwood
relaxing in rocking chair, but
never so limp as now Still he did
rot ~ayer
"Gcnevieye. come to your mother,
commanded Mrs. Grantwood.
Geneyieve did not stir; she was ex-
pericncing the first great thrill OF her
ladylike life. and she chung to her
lover
Sir" cried Mr. brentwood, swell
ing with rage; but his wrathful tor
rent OF words was cut short by Thorn
as Vaudeville Gran,wood. who shout
ed:
SAY, pa, look at that rat.
For Jack Wil'on's cat had at last
corncrcd her prey and was bringing
It to her master for the customary
praise Mr.. Grantwood, at his small
sons suggestion. looked.
Good gracious. Lily" he exclaimed.
what rat And forgetting his
daughter he fell on his knees by the
cat
Mr.. Grantwood." begged Jack VII
ton, pressing his girl to his heart,
Il love your daughter"
Mr.. Grantwood was pressing the
cat to his heart Jack" he replied
with conviction, shes the best ratter
In the state"
Il know ! am not worthy" sighed
the young man, but III try to make
her happy"
shes hungry" suggested Mr..
and she's much too fine
to eat rats. Get her chicken bone,
Tommy"
Give her to me-" urged Jack VIII
ton, and the absent minded Mr..
Grantwood realized at last that he
was being asked for his daughters
hand. lie picked up the cat and his
eyes began to twinkle. "All right.
Jack" he answered, I'll swap with
you. n you must have Genevieve, |
must have the cat. Now that's bar
gain"
4 little later In the evening Jack
Wilton was Fastening home to tell
his Aunt Salie the glad news. The
blood was still pounding unreason-
ably through his veins. and he
seemed to be walking on air. when
the words Of his poem came
back to him. imbued with new and
wonderful meaning. lie thought OF
the time he had spent on that poem.
his nights of agony, his early morn
Ing fittings in pursuit of inspiration
from the rising sun And its queer"
he unused for he was still OF the
opinion that newspaper man Is
literary that it wasn't
the poem that won her after all, but
MY old mouser. Nelly"