The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-08-04
poNPoN'S STOLEN KISS
BY ROB M'cHEYNE.

The sloping vineyards along On
tario were lightly yelled in the mists
Of Indian summer. In the air was that
dangerous warmth that steals into
the veins and lulls the brain to dreams
and "reminiscences. The giant cataract
could be heard family, q drowsy, dis
tsnt hum Of monotony-a sound that
seemed to pervade everything and
reach the bewildered brain. strangely
associated with the heavy odor Of
grapes, full ripe: the rich clusters
hanging everywhere.
It is only by some such psychology.
cal analysis, whether scientific or not.
that an explanation can be found for
the startling fact that Fanchette. 60
Ing home from the days picking, al
lowed Ponpon the Jester, the clown.
the great laughing registering Ponpon.
to imprint upon her pretty. upturned,
scralet lips, kiss. thinking all the
while It was Antoine.
And such kiss! A group Of gay
young girls turned at the sound. only
to see the demure Fanchette, blushing
to be sure, but smiling in serene un-
consciousness of the fact that Il was
Ponpon who had slipped up behind her
and tipped her chin back, as Antoine
sometimes did, when he was not too
serious.
80, that is the way when Antoine
is not here!" And she turned back
to wait for Antoine.
When he came up Ponpon was hang
ing over him, casting all manner Of
jibes at him.
"You have excellent taste, Antoine.
swear her little chin Is as soft as
ze breast Of lie perdrix." He burst
into loud guffaw. Here Is La Orig
non"-he had given the dark-eyed girl
this nickname because she was tall as
a maypole, and 1t had stuck because
she was pretty as. one-"she will tell
you; she saw Fanchette kiss me-"
Eyes, and l think 1t is outrageous
Of her."
Ponpon was not prepared for this.
as he had no idea anyone had seen
him, and had called La Grignon into
It only to tease Antoine. So he quick
ly ran off to join another group. But
Antoine was silent and his companion
had no chance to poison his mind
against her rival.
Fanchette entered the uncovered
cottage and kissed her mother with
the happiest of faces.
"Ah, my little Mignon,. see you
have made up your quarrel of last
night with Antoine"
Eyes, mamma, he slipped up behind
me as l was walking home-O, nam.
ma, it was so good Of him. I know
was in the wrong last night and 1
shall tell him so when he comes to.
night"
But Antoine did not come. The
next day Fanchette noticed a differ.
ence in the way the girls treated her.
Day after day of the balmy Indian
sunsRer passed away and Fanshette.
10 knsar IN doubt Of the worlds IN.
Justice went about her work with q sad
little heart. What had she done? Poor
Fanchette! She knew nothing Of the
world az yet She could not under
stand.
One day, late In October, she was
sitting on the stone wall, her eyes OF
across the valley and her thoughts In
far-off Gascony. when Ponpon came
upon her.
"Poor Fanchette!" he said banter
ingly, "she is re last Of her illustrious
race and it makes her to mourn.
Come, let me kiss away that sad look. "
T hate you! hate you! hate
everybody" she burst forth.
"Fanchette! Dear little Fanchette.
This is serious. Tell Ponpon."
Fanchette only shook her head and
winked the tears back. For long
time the good hearted fellow who had
worked all the mischief regarded her
in silence, then. unwilling to leave
without word said:
"You will save Ponpon dance to
night?"
The girl shook her head.
"Fanchette! Do not be SO ill-tem
pered.'
Im-I'm not going" sobbed poo,
Fanchette.
mot going? Not going to the bees
party that the boss gives US. Why
there will be dances, and games, ant
Jack 'o-lanterns. Not going to the hal
lowe'en party? Fanchette! Fanchette
II you do not hold the water In YOU
mouth you can never get married"
But the girl wouldn't smile and poo
Ponpon went away sad Of heart. "Bu
she shall Co." he said. and with tn
aid Of Fanchette's mother he flnall!
persuaded her to 30 at the last min
ute. rs
OF course her appearance. and Will
Ponpon. set the busy tongues va
ging; and her tall rival hit upon ,
merry plan that all the girls applaud
cd. They would send poor timid Fan
Ghetto into the great empty bari
whore where they had fixed up tn
big swing lihe ghost swaying bacl
and forth In the darkness. and whel
she screamed they would all have
good laugh. Is
The crowd gathered about the Low