The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-03-18
WORLDLY WISE PERSON
BY JOSEPHINE CARROLL

In the chair in the farthest corner
when she went to children's parties.
She had a meek, pretty little face.
abundant yellow hair and large. ap-
pealing blue eyes that held a shadow
OF apology in them for her temerity in
presuming to exist. She retained the
modest violet atmosphere after she
was grown up.
| Other girls might blossom into dar-
ing coquettes and fascinating bellies.
but Albertine always kept in the back
ground. Whenever people looked at
her they involuntarily thought Of lace
mitts and hoopskirts and curtseys.
They felt that Albertine should be
put under glass.
This being the case, it was aston
ishing that down in her secret heart
Albertine had fierce love of the dar.
ing. the wild and gay and the extreme.
When she picked out dress design
she always chose the rankest. most
alarming atrocity. The dressmaker
said. "Oh. certainly" and then pro-
ceeded to modify the pattern to suit
Albcr'ine's appearance.
Things had way Of dropping softly
on her in old fashioned lines. She
wanted to look frightfully smart and
somehow she never did Secretly she
suspected the dressmakers, but she
never dared accuse them.
1t was the same way when it came
to the young men. Let perfectly
steady. sober youth who earned reg
ular salary and was good to his
mother come Enr way and Albertine
raised her little nose and shifted. She
simply could not see him. She ad-
mired extravagantly the sort of young
man who dashed down the street
WEARING crimson silk socks and tie
to match and the latest cry in waist
coats. and if he WAS followed by a
bulldog so much the better Ii people
raised the If eyebrows and cOughed
discrcetly when his name was men,
ton, d it made the situation perfect.
Albertinr always felt lofiily then
that she was an experienced, worldly
wise person and the eyebrow raisrrs
were narrow proyincials. Usually tho
bulldoggy young man never pro.
crossed in the acquaintance farther
than raising his hat and casting an
enhancing smile at her but Albertine
was satisfied with Just adorng him
from a distance.
Her family was quite alarmed when
she fell in love With Harry Junglcs,
because Harry always was in debt
and worked only enthusiastically,
and Albertnp's relatives had a great
deal of money Harry seemed awake
to this, for he actually called on Al
bcrtinp and talked poetry to her in
the parlor in loN, rich tones and told
her how the world miSiudgcd him.
Albertne Went 20 far as to powder
her already white hose and her moth
er caught her once using an eyebrow
though an Easter lily had begun TO
rouge. The situation was saved, how
ever, by the shorifl's removing Harry
for forgery, and after that Albcrtine
wore what she thought was a heart
broken expression and thought sh"
threw into her face deep lines of eX-
pcricncc and suffering.
After Harry several others Of the
same kind followed. Therefore. hay
ing long lowered over Albertine in
fear that she would do some fool thing
and spoil her life her family was en-.
tranccd when she became engaged 70
Jeffrey. 1t all happened so suddenly
that one was scarcely aware Jeffrey
was on earth before he was introdnc
ing himself as a future son.in-law and
brother.
Jeffrey was absolutely as nearly
perfect as he could be for Albertine
Liberal minded people might say he
erred on the side OF rigidness and
propriety and possible narrowness
but one felt that he would always be
at home at six O'Clock sharp for din
ner and that Albertine never would
have to hang out of the front window
trying to distinguish whether 1t was
he wavering down the street at one
o'clock In the morning. Jeffrey choked
at the sight of cigarette, wouldn',
be caught dead at dog show and said
his wife never should be Permitted
to wear decollete gowns in the even.
ing.
The more people considered the
matter the more inexplcable 1t DO
came. Finally her dearest friend fiat
ly asked Albertine to explain jeffrey t
attractions.
You see," said the dearest friend
with your ideas | can't understand
how you happen to fall in love with
Jeffrey, of all men,"
"Of all men," echoed Albertine in
plying establishment. why, I'll tell
you, Susie-because I recognized al
once that Jeffrey is the most sophis-
tcated sort of person. He's such a
man of the world. can't abide these
goody- goody men."-Chicago Daily
News.