The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-03
p0NPON'S STOLEN KISS
BY ROB M'CHEYNE.

OF Indian summer. In the air was thal
langurous warmth that steals into
the veins and lulls the brain to dreams
and Renaissance. The giant cataract
could be heard family, drowsy, dis
tant hum Of monotony-a sound thai
seemed to pervade everything and
reach the bewildered brain, strangely
associated with the heavy odor o.
grapes, full ripe; the rich clusters
hanging everywhere.
1t is only by some such psychologi
cal analysis, whether scientific or not
that an explanation can be found fol
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 thu
while 1t was Antoine.
And such a kiss! A group of gay
young girls turned at the sound, only
to see the demure Fanchette, blushine
to be sure, but smiling in serene un
consciousness Of the fact that it wal
Ponpon who had slipped up behind hel
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
I swear her little chin is as soft as
re breast Of lie perdrix." He burst
into loud guffaw. Here Is La Orig
non"-he had given the dark-eyed gir
this nickname because she was tall az
maypole, and it had stuck because
she was pretty as one-"she will tell
you; she saw Fanchette kiss me-"
Eyes, and I think it 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 vine-coveret
cottage and kissed her mother witt
the happiest of faces.
"Ah my little Mignon, see yor
have made up your quarrel Of las
night with Antoine"
"Yes, mamma, he slipped up behint
me as was walking home-O, nam
ma, it was so good Of him. ! know
/ was in the wrong last night and
shall tell him so when he comes to
night"
But Antoine did not come. Thu
next day Fanchette noticed a differ
ence in the way the girls treated her
Day after day of the balmy Indiar
summer passed away and Fanchette
no longer in doubt of the worlds In
Justice went about her work with a sat
little heart. What had she done? Poo
Fanchette! She knew nothing Of the
world as 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 II
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.
81 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 a 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 poor
Fanchette.
mot going? Not going to the beeg
party that the boss gives us. Why.
there will be dances, and games, and
jack o-lanterns. Not going to the hal.
lowe'en party? Fanchette! Fanchette!
If you do not hold the water in your
mouth you can never get married"
But the girl wouldn't smile and poor
Ponpon went away sad of heart. But
she shall 60" he said, and with the
aid of Fanchette's mother he finally
persuaded her to 60 at the last min.
ute.
OF course her appearance. and with
Ponpon, set the busy tongues wag-
ging; and her tall rival hit upon a
merry plan that all the girls applaud
ed. They would send poor timid Fan.
Ghetto into the great empty barn
where where they had fixed up the
big swing like a ghost swaying back
and forth in the darkness. and when
she screamed they would all have
good laugh.
The crowd gathered about the low.
er door. as the girl slowly mounted
the ladder. AS she removed the band