The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-09
ROMANCE EVERYWHERE
BY CORA PtlSNER.


oeeeesssssssess
The little stenographer shufled
pile Of filing cards with languid air
and looked dreamily at the bookkeper.
What a lot Of romance there Isl" she
said. II mean what a lot OF possibili-
ties for romance! Now suppose gust
Of wind should come in and carry one
Of these cards down to the street, and
a girl should pick It up and see the
name! Here's q card with the name
and address Of Thomas Carlyle, q fas.
cinating name, think. seem to have
heard 1t somewhere. but no matter.
What If this card should be blown out
through the window?
why. that little girl down there
would find it. and she'd say. It's surely
fate!' And she'd take it home to her
bedroom and dream over it! Yes, I
guess she'd carry 1t around in her
purse and snatch 1t out whenever she
was alone. fancying how he looks and
wondering what he'd say II she should
write him!
Then, maybe, she'd actually de-
velop the courage to do what her heart
dictated, and she would write him!
"And when he got the note way of
there in his little western town. he'd
sit down and picture to himself what
the girl who wrote It could be like!"
The little stenographer spoke dream
lily and the bookkeeper smiled with
patient condescension as he listened.
Then what did this Thomas Car
lyle, ranchman, do?" said the book
keeper. as the little stenographer
paused.
why" said the little stenographer,
he went up to his little shack and
sat down and wrote her a delightfully."-
breezy western letter, telling how glo-
rious it was out there! How his
ranch was paying. and how he needed
some one to share the enjoyment Of 1t
all with him! He told how the fruit
was ripening and the flowers growing,
and how the bungalow was progress
Ing up on the hill! Even as he wrote
he could feel her sympathy, and knew
that she was counting on his letter!
And then she would get i'll And
Immediately che would begin to feel
that life was entirely worth while
again. because somebody needed her!"
She sighed gently with q degree OF
sentimentality that irritated the book
keeper.
"Oh-no intermissions for fearful
mustc!" he commanded. IF you want
me to sit through 1t, hustle along the
next reeli"
WELL" obediently continued the
little stenographer. they'd correspond
of course. and they'd learn all about
each other. He would find that she
was getting only SIS a week, and
hadn't any home. Immediately he'd
write that she had lived this way Ions
enough, and he was coming right W
after her!
And when she'd write back she
would not tell him that she wasn't
ready or anything so silly, but she
would be frank and say that she't
be waiting for him! And" Again
the little stenographer paused, over
come by the affecting vision.
well, well!" the bookkeeper DELHI
erately descended from his stool. He
strobe over to where she sat. He
put q paternal hand on the head thai
was held restfully on her hand. Ant
he smoothed her hair, as he spoke.
did she have 1t 80 bad!" he sale
soothingly. We'll, and why didn't she
Just write to her Tommy Carlyle, anc
begin things? Why doesn't she ST
her right down and prepare for ranct
life! Think Of the romance you're
missing. my child. while you pine ava,
here. when here's Tommy's address.
plain as ink!" He lifted the card unit
1t was at level with her eyes, bu
she shook her head.
| mo-" she sighed. 1T cannot be
You see. I'm just sorting out the card
Of the Characterization who can
pay their bills even II we 60 to law
This name Carlyle heads the list
This romance I've been spinnin,
wouldn't do for me, because l know
all about the names. Ill have to &c
mine come other way!' Signing, sh,
shuhled the cards. - Chicago Dali,