The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-02
HIS FAvORITE PAPER
~ JOHN KANE.

popSsS 81" SsNSA w SCI WnoS NC SosASS
broad point Of view-when he felt
q slight tug at the topmost paper. In
stinctively he frightened his grip.
There was another tug, this time Q
more decided one. It was also slightly
impatient. and it was successful. AZ
the newspaper slipped from under his
arm young Whitman was aware that
coin was being pressed into his
hand. He turned just In time to catch
q glimpse Of a pink. softly curved
cheek under an engulfing hat. and to
see the young woman deftly whip her
spoils into shape convenient for ca.
rying as she ran.
Before he could recover his breath
sufficiently to call to her his assailant
had become lost In the crowd that was
boarding the train. All he could be
sure Of was the pink cheek. a hat that
looked to his bewildered masculine
eye like all the other hats that were
bobbinS about the station and blue
serge suit
Young Whitman looked at the coin
In his hand; then he looked at the
newspapers that remained under his
arm. She had taken his favorite. the
one that he really depended upon for
his literary meal. Then he looked up
into the grinning countenance Of .
neighbor.
Took you for a newsboy, did she!"
chortled the neighbor
Once more young Whitman looked
down at the money In his hand. He
held it out helplessly. Can you beat
that?" he said, dazedly.
In spite of his loss. the memory OF
that pink check remained pleasantly
with young Whitman for some time.
For its sake ne took a decided inter.
est in nondescript hats and blue
serge suits for several weeks after
ward. Probably it was this newly de-
veloped interest that made him notice
one evening In the street car which
was bearing him and number Of
others over to his station that directly
in front Of him sat a pnk.cheeked
wearer of blue serge suit and hat
OF the kind already inadequately de.
scribed.
He was some little distance behind
the young woman and when on getting
out he passed the seat in which she
had been sitting he saw that she had
left = parcel lying there. He seized
the parcel and made after the owner.
Il beg your pardon" he said, raising
his hat, but l think you left this In
the car"
The girl looked down at the parcel.
1T is mine." she said. Thank you
ever 30 much"
She moved to the sidewalk and III.
tie way out Of the crowd without ia.
king the parcel. Then she opened and
plunged her hand into the recesses Of
an enormous handbag. After moro
or less prolonged scrabble" among its
contents she brought forth q small
purse. She scanned its contents
eagerly.
Dear me-" young Whitman heard
her murmur. Il haven't q thing but q
quarter. l suppose III have to give
him that"
The parcel was taken from him with
hasty courtesy. Once more he felt q
coin pressed into his hand. A vaguely
impersonal voice breathed. THANK
you ever so much" and the owner OF
the parcel had disappeared trainward.
Young Whitman stood still, ponder
ing. Il bet you anything" he remarked,
presently, to homself, that that is the
very same girl. 1t is fate!"
Nimbly and shamelessly he rushed
into the train, searched until he found
the girl in the blue serge suit. and
then seated himself directly behind
her. He was determined that he
would at least know her next time
they met.
He was 20 confident that another
meeting had been arranged by fate
that he felt no surprise when upon go
ing over to call some evenings later
upon bis friends the Parkinsons he
found there the girl Of the tips. Mrs.
Parkinson presented him to her, In.
forming him that the girl was Parkin.
snoS sister. and that she was going
to pass the winter with them.
The rest followed naturally enough.
They are married now.
my DEAR" young Mrs. Whitman
says whenever her husband starts to
tell the story at their early encoun-
| ters. really, the only thing ! noticed
about him each time was his shoes
they were shocklngly rusty and worn
II you could have seen them! he
insists that I said . quarter was too
much for him, but, % . matter Of fact,
would have gladly given him more
for bis shoes looked % II he must be
hungry. I'm glad I married him any
way, for now I make him keep his
shoes looking respectable. Chicago
Daily News.
Polite but Empty.
Il q A~vA