The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-02-15
GAnlE OF BORROWING
BY EMILY JOHNSON.

managed to get a look AT the ldHii!
furniture decided that the Platchetts
did not possess any too much OF THIS
worlds goods These furnishings
were plain and somewhat scanty. ac'
cord to Pleasantville standards. But
one and all voted the Platchetts desir.
able ncisllbors
Platchett made friends readily. he
was usually smiling. was great story
teller and never failed to laugh at any
story told by another. He was. IN
deed. good listener-he would SIT
and listened as ii his life depended
uron il. Mrs. Platchett was in these
things n fair match for her husband,
and the l!l'lc Platchetts seemed to
PATTERN thair behavior similarly
The first nornns that Platchett
Joined the o,her male members Of the
suburban colony Tor The ride to town
in the smahar ot the SO he searched
his pockets III fJll yiow Of everybody
in tie car Thea, N.;h Il frank smile,
he accprted a match from pendcrby
He held the match in his hand and
put the other hand into his breast
POCKET with full contidencc--only to
draw il out aGaln empty.
Il came away without single
smoke" he declared What do you
think Of that
Pendorby was sympathetic He
pressed a cigar upon his new neigh.
Dor a cigar of that variety known as
the Pendcrby choice, three costing so
( cents. The borrower smiled again, lit
4 the cigar. and seemed well pleased
/ And he did not bother to return the
smohe tie next morning. nor on the
mornng following
Soon the rlatchctts became ac-
Quainlrd With every family in Pleas
antyilie. and then the game began in
earnest
The front door bell, or maybe the
side door hcll, or even the back door
bcil 81 some ouc Of the houses in
the sui lrb would ring pcrsistcntly
a TRIP 70 TIL Goer Gud.l disclose one
OF the Little II tolctts standing Their,
ready to deliver his or her message
as soon us the door was opened.
please, ma'am." was invariably fol-
lowed by a request that the neighbor
lend mamma this or papa that or
both parents the other thing. 1t went
from bad to worse, and when the Plat
chetts had been in the house a month
hacking just one day--the neighbors
decided to rebel.
The men were responsible for the
idea, even as they were responsible
for the meeting at which the plan
was formed
Next day, after the male population
of Pleasantville had gone to its vari.
Gus Offices. 1t was discovered that
Platchett had not caught II S:15.
The women Of the suburb knew later
in the that he had not gone to town
at all. but before they knew this tho
plan had been put In operation.
Early In the morning an ancient,
woolly headed scrvitor of the Pen
dcrbys arrived at the Platchett resi-.
dence. He carried portable vacuum
cleaner. and he made polite explana-
ton. "Marse Penderby done say yo'
is to use dis yah today" he said, IAN
he sent 1t over SOS yo' wouldn't have
to come after It,
Before Uncle Eben was out of sight
the half grown Truman boy came up
the steps with talking machine In
his arms. Ma said she'd save you
a trip" he pouted. land it's time you
was usin' 1t again" lie turned and
was gone.
AS the Truman boy went out of the
front gate little Bobby larson, from
the brick house down the street,
trudged up the front walk with a
basket filled with neatly tied and la
beled packages. These we're marked
cup OF sugar" pinch of tea," "olive
oil for salad DRESSING" vinegar you
forgot to ORDER and flour to do till
the grocer's boy gets here" He set
the basket down. pointed TO 1t with a
gesture evidently rehearsed and went
away.
4 As l'obbv larson vanished Mrs. Mar.
ley, the ncXtdoor noighbor, called in
person. TN going to my sisters to
spend the day" she bepan, "and |
thought I'd just come over before |
ic't and ;cl you that you can have the
surrey ana old Dick this afternoon. So
YOU won't have 10 run ont to a tole-
phone for them, you know" She
turned and marched down the steps,
looking back not at all.
Ms. platchett moved the various oh
Jects inside tho house and shut the
door. SDn was smiling and whom she
called platchett he smiled as usual.
When the men came from town that
evening they ate suppers and made
their way to Penderby's for the meet.
ing. They wanted more news than
they had been able to get.
J Marley. the next-door neighbor. had
gone to his uile's sisters for dinner,
and 1t was late when he arrived.
Well" he commenced, 81 don't so
much mind their using old Dick and
me surrey to haul all that crowd to
their new home-fiye good miles it is
to taryille. too but do think if was
running il in IN ban1 tho;, ,