The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-13
THE COUPLE
NEXT DOOR
By JOANNA SINGLE
downright. 1912, by Associated Literary
PresS.)

Inc HOWaFUS somehow eiHo"1Ao
her. Not that their behavior was
ever out OF good taste. but their very
glances were caresses, their mousse
keeping progress OF cooling and
nest building that made their neigh
boris face a bit more grim than the
softness OF young summer would seem
to warrant She was finding that she
could not get away from love. Also
that the great passion ignores the
small matter Of age. So. at nearly
forty. and after the lapse OF nearly
twenty years, she found herself fond
ling pansy plant-and wondering
what had become Of Steve Stratton.
Years do not sweeten the bitterness OF
a woman deserted without explana.
ton by her lover.
She weeded on, and heard young
Howard bid his wife good night az he
started on an errand down town.
Then she looked up to see the girl
wife coming toward her. and wishing
she did not make herself SO unap
proachable to people
Good evening = what q lovely
garden you will have before June Ia
out! wish l could make things
grow!" Eugenia Howards very voice
was winning.
Miss Cornelia smiled and removed
her wedding gloves. She wore a
white dress with touches of black on
1t, being In half mourning still for the
old father for whom she had cared so
many years. And one who had known
the rigid. stern. peevish old man
would not have wondered at his
daughters leaving the place where
she was brought up. and buying a
cottage in a town where she could
begin a life Of her own anew.
She led the way to the porch.
seated her visitor, and sat In silence.
but 1t was a pleasant silence. She
was not without q sense OF grim
humor, and read the question In the
young wife's eyes.
"You are wondering why-I have
not married! Married women al
ways wonder that about unmarried
ones. They are sorry for US. too
which they needn't be. BY any
means!"
Young Mrs. Howard blushed GRIM
son, went white again, and gave
little gasp.
Don't mind my bluntness." con-
tinued Miss Cordelia. 1T Is my way.
And l like you. and have never
told a living soul why l am single.
At the same time. before l tell you
why 1t Is, let me tell you that hap
piness does not depend on others,
but on ourselves. am not unhappy.
have known dozens Of married
women whose lives were burdens.
But. all the same. was once ter
ribly In love-terribly Is the right
word. When things went wrong 1t
nearly killed me. and II my mother
hadn't suddenly died and left me to
the daily necessary care OF an In.
valid father, | am sure | should have
gone half insane" She paused. and
the young wife reached out for
her neighbours hand and gave 1t a
squeeze. There was no sickly weak
ness in Miss Cordelia--she straight
ened as she talked
i've always wanted to tell some
body. was only twenty. and loved
man few years older than |. a
childhood friend. very sensitive and
naughty. He was the son of the
village rich man. Father did not like
him, but that did not change me-
We had never spoken our love-but
one night stole out to meet him
and-he kissed me. We didn't need
words. The next day | had a letter
from him formally asking me to
marry him. lie knew my answer.
but wrote 1t nevertheless. told
him about a little silly half affair |
had had with another man. and that
| never cared for soul but him.
and asked him to answer immediate.
ly and say 1t made no difference. |
also told him my father objected be-
cause Of the difference in religion
and fortune. Well. days passed. and
I did not hear from him.
Then I found he had gone on q
business trip for his father. wait.
Cd for his return. and still had no
word from him. Finally. wrote him
An angry little note-I said q mum.
Der Of hot things, among them that
I hoped never to see him again, that
he need not dare to come TO see me;
that would return unanswered any.
thing he wrote! Then. without tell.
ing my mother why. 1 coaxed to "a
for a visit to . cousin.
Il went. In few days my mother
died Of heart failure. and I hurried
home. After the funeral and the
trouble was over l remembered nv
lover. He had gone to Canada.
never saw nor heard from him again "
WHAT shame" murmured En-
genia Howard.
The older woman showed A nlacid
face. She rose and pulled a, a grow
Ing vine
1T wasn't-just losing him" she
said. 1t was knowing that his seel
ings for me was Just caprice. and
that be Was sorry he hal aslaa