The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-05
TOM HARR'SON'S HOME
BY FRANK Il. MELON.

Tom Harrison SIl.leu TutQcr shame
( facedly as he surveyed the complete
" furnished six-room apartment
Wear of his S0-odd years of bachelor
life. the young architect had reserved
a suite of one of his latest mode
apartment houses to crafty a fac
, which for the past two years haG
amounted almost to an obsession.
) He wanted to see what a home
would look like. a home furnished
after the desires Of his own heart
Now 1t was finished. He was pleased
with the result but thought amusedly
Of what his friends would say II they
knew.
! At that moment there was q gentle
knock on the door. In response tc
his hearty "Come I'M" girl barely
out Of her teens entered. She was
clad in a brown corduroy with filmy
lace at the throat that set OF her rare
beauty effectively.
rs Emily here?" she asked. after
an approving glance at the rich fur
nishings, noticing that Tom was alone
Emily" he repeated. wondering
whom she could mean. "No, she Is
not here"
"But she told me-"
"She told you she would be here?"
eyes," explained the vision perplex.
eddy. "She told me she would certain.
~ be here to meet me-"
well. she hasn't come as yet"
Are you Mr. Walker?"
mo. my name is Harrison-Tom
Harrison. I'm the architect who
planned this building"
you're a friend Of Mr. Walker and
| Emily. Of course?"
II don't like to admit II. but I've
never heard Of them" he confessed
whimsically, wishing sincerely that he
had.
But" she persisted. beginning to
feel III at ease, surely this IL to be
their suite?'
II think not. I've reserved this
suite for myself"
TITS Suite "a. isn't it,"
"It's Suite 2B."
He was relieved to see the girls
features relax into an appreciative
smile.
1T is plain to you. Of course" she
apologized. that have blundered in.
to the wrong apartments. My chum
Emily Philbrick and Mr.. Walker are
to be married tomorrow. and Emily
wantC me to come and see the suite
in VII. III they are to live"
IF 1t is Suite 2B. will take pleasure
I in showing it to you." he offered.
Emily Philbrick met them at the
door In the course of the explara
tiOns that followed, Tom Harrison
learned that his visitor was none 9th
er than Elsie Gibson, the girl artist
who had been winning fame in Il 9
magazines.
During the year that followed, he
was frequent visitor at her studio.
each acknowledging the charm Of the
others acquaintance. Then suddenly
Elsie Gibson disappeared, leaving no
word as to whittier she had gone.
Tom Harrison's quest after Elsie
Gibson was most energetically follow.
ed. yet no trace Of her could he dis
cover. It finally occurred to him that
he had once heard her mention the
fact that her father. a widower. had
a little farm at Upperjay in tho
Adirondacks. A study Of complicated
railway timetables resulted in his TAX.
ing the wrong train. righting his er.
ror, and, after much delay and nu.
merous changes. in his reaching Up.
pcrjay.
He failed to find livery stable, but
did enter into negotiations with a
passing farmer who with apparent re.
luctance. at last consented to take
him to the Gibson farm.
At the gate. with freshly gathered
garland of roses and sweet-scented
thyme. stood a familiar little figure,
looking very forlorn until she recog.
nized Tom Harrison.
"Oh. Tom" she cried gladly, "you
don't know how lonesome have
been" Her manner changed quickly,
as II she were holding herself in re.
straint. "But now I suppose I ought
to address you as Mr.. Harrison"
"Why. Flsie?" bluntly.
She looked surprised.
Because of your approaching mar.
rage. of course"
My approaching marriage!" he ask.
ed, mystiied
Certainly"
"But ] didn't know I was going to
be married"
"'That is very strange indeed, since
1t was printed in the paper"
Elsie, this is all nonsense. Where
did YOU see that clirping?"
II found it lying on your writing
desk"