The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-07
WORRIES OF ONE GIRL
~ NELLIE COOKE.

WnAts the trouble tonlght! aSkec
the young man who was calling. "You
look bothered about something and
you are painfully quiet"
That's . dreadful SIAM" said the
Girl with mild resentment. "There
isn't necessarily anything wrong mere
~ because I'm not chattering like q
maggie. I shouldn't like to be told
that I'm . chatterbox."
II never said such q thing Of you
declared the young man. "You
couldn't be . chatterbox II you tried
! am Just wondering why you are
more than usually silent. Are you
tired?"
! mot exactly. Just worried"
why are you worried? Who is III!
Why didn't you tell me? Is It your
mother? She has been looking a lit
tie pale lately, ! recall"
mo. mothers all right, I'm glad to
say. But there's lots of things to
worry about besides illness. Peoples
osci:.ess may not be getting on we'll. 3"
you certainly are a triumph" cried
the young man, admiringly. 1T Is
Just like girl Of your nature to worry
when her father Is feeling anxiety.
hope he appreciates your thoughtful
ness"
"Oh. It isn't father!" the girl de.
cla.ed. hastily. II haven't the slight.
est idea how fathers business is do.
Ing. I don't have to give his affairs
. thought"
mo reason why you should"
agreed the young man. "You couldn't
possibly get hold Of the details Of his
large affairs II you tried. 1t isn't q
girls place to keep track of such
things. When she is married its diff.
ferent. Then tallow could tell her
everything about his business"
Even the troublesome things" the
girl said, understandingly. "A worry
shared Is worry divided. That's
what l always think"
III 1t isn't something relating to
your family that is going wrong, what
10 IT."
"Well. suppose you'll think me
foolish"
you're never foolish!"
"You don't know me. I'm afraid.
You see. there's little fur store that's
opened up over on the corner"
Eyes. I've noticed that little fur
store"
well. that's It."
"That's what?"
"WLy, don't you understand? That's
what I was worrying about. that
store"
what happened there? Did they
lose your furs or spoil them In any
way?"
"They haven't had any furs of mine
and father says he doesn't wish me to
take mine to him. l don't know
What can do about It."
take them to somebody else."
"But you don't seem to get the
'dea," said the girl, patiently. ITS
because l want to help the man that
want to let him clean my fnrs.
They were cleaned in the spring, so
don't need anybody else to do the
work over again, yet that poor man
has just set up in business and
don't think he's had single custom.
er yet"
did you promise him any custom.
ers?"
"Why, Of course not. I never saw
him before he opened the store"
'Then where does your responsible.
ity come in?"
"Everybody's responsible" said the
girl, severely. "When a new store
opens in neighborhood 1t is every.
body's duty to help it get start. This
neighborhood has let three stores fail
in the last year, and I'm awfully
afraid this one is going to 60, too"
~ shouldn't think a fur store was
needed In this neighborhood, should
you?"
"That Isn't the point. The point is
that the nan has got to support his
family. lie has a wife and three chill.
dren. besides an invalid mother or an
aunt or something. It's just too pitt
full for words"
so you worry yourself into a head.
ache over it?" said the young man.
indignantly. Il think the man ought
to be ashamed of himself. The idea
Of his worrying you like ttat!"
"Now you're laughing at me-"
Indeed, am not" said the young
man, fervently. "But, really, know
Of something lots worse that I wish
you would so to worrying over"
"Oh, dear!" cried the girl. what
awful thing is it,"
"Why, it's-it's me-" confessed the
young man. "Will you take me to
worry about permanently? Will you
marry me, Gertrude ?"-Chicago Daily