The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-10
HIS USUAL BAD LUCK
eY JULIA FRYE.


show any signs OF hard wear. nor do
any of my other dancing frocks. II
you'll pardon the trite remark. l have
returned home a sadder but a wiser
girl. have learned a few wholesome
truths, though l must admit that
found them rather unpleasant at first.
I'll just give you a little account
of my visit to the city and then 1t
won't be necessary for me to point .
moral.
Looking back now, I feel like smil.
ing at the pitiful egotism which led
me to half expect phalanx Of young
men at the train to meet me. Some.
how. ! got the idea from the flattering
remarks Of at least a half dozen Of
those who honOred our porch with
their presence last summer and pre-
vious summers that my advent in the
city would be to them q source Of the
kcenest delight. Strangely enough.
therefore. my arrival created not even
ripple of excitement.
III 1t hadn't been for dear old Mrs.
Gray. there wouldn't have been one
friendly face to greet me az ] stepped
OF the train. Even she was fuller Of
her own affairs than Of mine. She
said she had some errands to do. and
asked me II I would mind going with
her to the shopping district. OF
course. I said I'd like to 90 with her.
but after we had passed . whole af.
ternoon pricing toweling and kitchen
ware in the Easements Of three do
partment stores. I made up my mind
that when I wished to see the shops
I'd try to go without Mrs. Gray.
Il was glad when we got to her
apartment finally. to find that my
trunk had come. for was anxious to
put on something pretty for the eve.
ming In case there should be callers.
might just az we'll have taken my
ease in the negligee that Mrs. Gray
suggested. for our evening together
was uninterrupted. l began to think
that maybe some Of the cards l had
sent to my summer friends--summer
friends 10 such good name, dear. for
those careless young men who grace
our tennis court and swimming beach
and decorate our porch during the
heated season-had gone astray. So
decided to call up Ted Harris and tell
him was In town.
Ills mother answered the phone.
She said Ted had told her that l was
coming and she thought he expected
to see me the next week. He was SO
busy socially, she informed me, that
he had very little time. Indeed, he
WAS leading a cotillion at the Fort.
nightly assembly that very evening.
Il thought Ted's mother rather fe.
line, but the cotiilion sounded good to
me, and | had Il fascinating mental
picture of myself moving through the
mazes of that delightful dance two
weeks later remembered how Ted
was always doscanting upon the per-
lection of the floor and the beautiful
music at his club, and | was sure he
would want me to dance there once
at least. l was awfuily glad my eve.
ming gowns weren't in the least bit
country.
well, to relieve your curiosity at
once, let me tell you that Ted called
me up the next day and was most
cordial. He told me how glad he
would be to see me and how sorry he
was that llc had every evening taken
for weeks in advance. That WAS i'll
his usual bad luck. he declared. But
he said must surely have luncheon
with him downtown. l replied that |
would if could, but that my time WAS
very full He said simply must
squeeze the luncheon in and he'd call
me up In day or two and arrange q
date.
THAT, my dear was the last Of Ted.
heard from him no more and prob
ably will not again until he appears
upon our veranda bright and smiling
some morning next summer, amiably
ready to enjoy our boat or our auto.
mobile or even the early apples In
our orchard
after had been in town week
Clayton Rogers called me up and said
he'd been trying to get around to see