The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-08-17
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WITH EARSBY'S HELP
BY F. w. SULLIVAN.
lCopyright.l


able? demanded Eloise, tightening
the reins over the unkempt back of
Earsby.
The situation has its merits, III
admit, l replied, glancing happily at
the radiant girl.
We were seated side by side in the
little two-wheeled vehicle known as a
donkey-cart. tried earnestly to dis
entangle the leaping landscape to dis
cover our whereabouts.
And you have tried to convince me
that an automobile is the only means
of seeing the country" she remarked
scornfully.
It's the only means of seeing 1t in
one place, | ierked out. IF those
trees would only stay put for minute
might enjoy 1t more
The padded board that passed for a
seat back struck me sharply beneath
the shoulder-blades, for the three
hundredth time.
"Oh, it's all in getting used to it,
Dick" was the patronizing reply
Same as a broncho' | hazarded.
fotllnG the seat back triumphantly by
leaning forward Eloise did not deign
to answer this tlippancy.
We had left Northampton shortly
after luncheon to drive along the road
that circles the bay on the south shore
of Long Island. After two weeks Of
pleading, interspersed with glorious
rides IN my humble roadster, | had
finally agreed to become Eloises guest
for the afternoon behind Earshy, on
one condition that the duke should
be left behind.
This in itself was regarded by con-
servative observers as triumph In
itself, seeing that the duke-a real
one, at that-had been the girls con-
stant companion of late during most
Of the hours between sunrise and mid
night.
His Grace of Twizdale was not a
half bad sort In his way, but, | often
asked myself, how could he love Our
Lady of Joys as | did who had been
to school with her In pinafores and
hoped vainly for so long?
where are we now" | asked.
"On our way home, my fine humor-
ist," replied Eloise a trihe icily. II
suppose you are glad"
only because you have an engage
ment with the duke at half-past three"
I replied, and ought to be on time.
You reminded me Of the fact yourself
before we started out.
Eloise colored a tnfle and l cursed
my bluntness.
/ "The duke will keep" she said
dryly.
He wasn't picked when we left"
! ! suggested, but you cant tell what
he has been doing since
please confne your witty obscrva-
uons to the landscape, Richard, '
warned Eloise stiiily,
"Slow down your mule and ! will,
| retorted with an equal amount OF
spirit.
The conversation langulshed after
this, and the afternoon appeared about
to become a failure.
We approached little grove and |
surreptitiously looked at my watch.
1t was just three o'clock, and judged
we would not disappoint the duke. |
resigned myself with twinge of bit
terness.
AS we entered the cool greenness OF
the little arbor, Earsby dropped from
| his racking canter to a walk, and IN
the very center Of the shade stopped
short, pulling at the reins to loosen
! their tension,
"Get up!" commanded Eloise
sharply.
The brute twitched his ears and
turned his head so as to observe us
with kind Of asinine insolence, His
expression was so far from compll-
mentary that l took 1t as a personal
affront-
/ Here. let me have the reins,"
commanded, and took them from
Eloise,
Knotting the ends, belabored the
animal with considerable energy and
precision. Earsby turned his head TO
the front. Whisked his tail and slew q
fy that was resting on his seventh nib
After that demonstration OF marks
manshlp ] paused.
perhaps a switch will do the busi'
ness better" suggested Eloise, and
Immediately got out and cut one from
the nearest tree. Again attacked
the stubborn animal, but only succeed
ed IN raising a cloud Of dust.
Earsby yielded great sigh OF com
fort and commenced to nibble the
grass at the side Of the road Ny
herculean blows might as well have
been raindrops.
stop" cried Eloise, when | was
about to swoon with fatigue, Il think
love will do 1t. never did believe IN
using brute force with animals.
no, keep It for humming birds,
said |, heaving the splintered club into
the underbrush.
Eloise again chose to disregard my
words and descended from the cart
She slipped her fingers beneath the