The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-10-21
TRAGEDY OF A WIND
BY GEORGE !. PALMER.

staring intently across the crowded
waiting room. Look at that man
the one just getting into the elevator!
It's too late. He's gone"
She sank back into her seat. III
ne hadn't got away SO quickly should
have rushed up to him and asked him
to please pull my hair" she remarked
tensively.
Her companion looked exasperated.
Helen. you do say the most ridicu-
lous things! Will you kindly tell me
why you should want to rush up to
any man and ask him to pull your
hair?"
The girl in the toque giggled.
why. yes. was Just going to tell
you." she replied.
you know two years ago last sum.
mer. after had typhoid and had to
have my hair cut of. l went up to q
farm In Wisconsin to stay a month.
! know you stayed only week"
That's part Of my story. One day
when l had been up there nearly a
week started out for long walk in
the woods in the course of nv wan
behring's | came to lovely little lake
with the most beautiful pond lilies
floating on it. There was canoe
drawn up on the beach at one end
and little boat house among the
trees"
when does the man come in?"
All in good time. my dear. I'm
leading up to him. | looked all
around for somebody the canoe might
belong to. and then | decided to Dor.
row 1t for few minutes and paddle
over and get some lilies. trusting to
luck that the owner would be kind
enough to stay away until got back"
Nice. high principled thing to do. 3"
Il padded over to the lilies and
was having beautiful time gathering
a great bunch of them. when discov-
cred that the paddle was floating
around In the water just out of reach,
| leaned over as far as dared, and
was clawing for it, when heard a
shout from the shore. A man was
gesticulating and gyrating on the
beach. Hey, look OUT he yelled.
Wait till row out and get it!'
HE dashed into the boat house and
brought out a rOwbOat. He rowed
over and pushed the paddle within
my reach, and | padded back with
him in my wake, feeling the way
used to when tried to play hooky
and got caught"
And what has all this got to do
with hair pulling?" asked the other
young woman restlessly.
oh, I'm coming to that. After he
! had helped me out of his canoe and
dragged the lilies out we looked at
each other and laughed. He had the
most delightful laugh and dark blue
eyes and broad shoulders. And then
he wanted to know If he couldn't
carry the lilies home for me, and the
first thing knew we were wandering
along through the woods and having
beautiful time"
You didn't think of asking his
name or where he came from before
you Went strollng through the coun.
try with him, suppose?" suggested
the girl who was doing the listening
"Well, everything went along de.
lightfully." proceeded the girl with
the toque, until just as we reached
the farm house where I was staying
Then nasty little gust of wind came
up-there hadn't been a breath OF
air stirring all day--and blew my hat
off. And, my dear, it took my wig
with it. You know I had to wear one
because didn't have any hair, and
there | stood looking like a shearcd
sheep"
"EIe certainly must have known
how it was"
Il don't know what he knew or
what he thought, for the minute he
brought my hat back few into the
house and the next day skipped the
country and came back home was
afraid would see him again. Nov
you know why want to have him
pull my hair.
ooh, Margaret. here he comes back
again, right toward-lOok, the tall ono
with the gray overooat!"
THAT man. Why, that's Sidnc.
Hollister I've known him for ages
Before the girl in the toque could
stop her the other young woman had
intercepted the young man and b.
was standing smiling down at him
Sidney, this is Helen Benedict, and
she wants you to pull her hair,
please" gurgled Margaret.
Pull her hair" the youth began
amazedly, then light dawncd in his
eyes as he held ou, his hand eagerly.
is it really you? Well, l think You
ought to have your hair pulled for
the way you treated me that day, and
then skipped the country afterward
without leaving a trace. tried to
bride the people at the farm house
He broke off and then began again
IL won't pull it here in public, but Il
you'll let Margaret bring me up to
see you some day I'll be glad to give
it little tweak and call it square.
Didn't you really think"
"That you always wore a wig? Not
l..