The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-08-12
BROKEN TO HARNESS
BY ELIZABETH SHEAR.


In . moment Of observation-disclosures
Burke got married.
It must have been absentmindedr
ness or sheer mental alteration. for
II Burke had stopped to think he
would have realized that he Of all
men was cut out for q bachelor. He
had been q bachelor for over forty
years and the habit was ingrained In
him. When you have had nobody to
consider all your life but yourself It
strikes you as an imposition and .
hardship to have another human be-
ing thrust upon you. especially If the
human being in question has appeal.
ing eyes and coaxing ways and . gem
eral effect of decentralization upon You.
Burkle was much in love, but the
Joys Of this state were counterbal'
anced by the annoyance Of being
dragged out Of accustomed ways. The
two months wedding trip was . sue
cession Of tears and forgivings. be-
cause Burkle was constantly forget
ting that he had bride and the bride
naturally objected to that. Burke
often pondered on the inscrutable
ways Of women. who, 1t seemed. al
ways wanted to b in the center Of
the umelight.
He really could not blame Marie.
however. because she certainly was
worthy Of being shone upon. Often
when he found himself still bewildered
over the fact that he was married one
glance at Marie would b . sufficient
explanation.
Yet in spite Of this dim comprehen-
sion Burke was far from being com.
pletely broken to harness. That was
Why the nrst day the Burkles got back
from their trip Burke accepted Joy
ously tho invitation Of the bunch" -
represented by Jones and Larkins.
The two fell upon him at luncheon
time, and, after much handshaking
and congratulating. proposed dinner
downtown at the same old place where
six or eight congenial souls had been
accustomed to gather in the years
that were gone by.
Burke was hungry for sight OF
the boys and 30 he pronounced the
idea bully. That afternoon he was
extremely busy, and It was after ok
o'clock when he closed his roll top
desk.
"Gee!" murmured Burke, % he
hastily smoothed his hair and other.
wise made an office toilet. 1T certain.
" will seem good to see the old crowd
again and taste one Of Franconi's din.
ners!"
In q pleasant dream Burkle locked
!! his Office and departed without not
ing the telephone staring him in the
face or recalling his brand new nat
and his bride waiting with q brand
new dinner for his Homecoming. That
dinner had cost her . world Of pains.
Franconrs dinner was q very good
one. Then the crowd proposed the
theater and after that somebody pro
posed supper and there were stories
to be told and cigars to be smoked,
and when Jones said as he had always
said before on these occasions: ITS
late, Burkle-you'd better stop at my
diggings just around tho corner In
stead Of going out to your station.
Burkle, being sleepy. assented. Yes
he stopped at Jones' "diggings."
| In the morning when he wakened
the sun was high and with q glance
at the clock Burke bounded up and
into his clothes. He recalled an i'm
portant appointment at the office fol
nine o'clock, and he made Z rush tc
get there on time.
Now. when Burkle 10 engrossed n
business he gives q remarkably goot
imitation Of a man deaf dumb and
blind to every other consideration. NJ
thought but that Of business on hant
entered his mind. That was why whez
Z couple Of persons wearing sQuar'
toed shoes and mysterious expression
entered his Office and after staring .
him suspiciously demanded his nam
Burkle was not agitated. He tol,
them absentmindedly that his nam,
was Burkle and continued laborinl
with his papers,
One Of the square toed men tappe,
him on the shoulder. Maybe your
Burkle," said the square toed mar
but you've got to prove It. -Burkle'