The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-07-11
POUF! AH-A-LA-LA
Nv MARIE BEAUMARscHEFF.
(Copyright)

room. Such son. Sucn d lno'noi
Emil Jean Marie Lefebre wept ana
was chastised at the age OF twenty
one. Madame la mere-buxom, irate'
huge-was competent to manage any
one-eyen a gendarme if need be-
The cause? A miserable-pout!-
the scum of a milliners daughter
down the street, she of the hair re-
sembling carrots, and the atrocious
freckles. Mon dieu and it would seem
the more freckles, the more love.
Bien! Madame would attend to all
first to Emil Jean Marie; afterward
to the bold mink; all-all in good time.
Parbleu! What would you? To
have a girl come to the house every
week-every week, attend you!-to
collect a bill for a bonnet not yet
worn! True, madame had possessed
it a year; but what then? What with
It's hues-yellow and pale pink-it was
not possible to wear it so soon after
| the death of monsieur. For madame's
husband had died during the year, and
SO she had continued wearing her old
black hat
Who would expect anything differ
ent? A beloved husband in his coffin,
the very thought of yellow and pale
pink was odious-odious for many
days to come. Meanwhile madame had
been constantly reminded Of the price
Of her unworn bonnet
Can one never trust the ungrateful
children? All, the tortures of mother
J hood! First the agony of the birth;
then the rearing of the infant, the fear
that it will not live, the continued and
eternal vigilance-for what? To have
an migrate of a son answer summons
to the front door every week, like q
rabbit run out of its burrow, and fall
in love with the daughter Of an ex-
orbitant milliner-a daughter present
ing a bill-as if she were wound up
regular to appear once week like a
mechanical toy!
To think that he should be SO un-
like his brother Paul Baptiste-Paul
Baptiste, who knew not one woman
from another except when served by
one at his dinner! A fine son; so 81
lent-so honest-so dutiful, who had
eclipsed all by wedding one Of the
soeurs Felice. The eldest one it was,
Antoinette-she who had always had
epileptic fits-so sad!-and only four
teeth-but a portion Of five hundred
francs. All, bon dieu! there was filial
devotion for you-an example for all
mothers to admire!
And Emil Jean Marie! Have you
not heard, then? He is no longer a
son, but an migrate, an outcast, pa
riah! His mothers heart it Is broken
as well; even the thought of Paul Bap-
tiste and his wife will not console.
1t is like this Madame locks Emil
Jean Marie in her room. Never" de-
clares she, shall you come out until
you promise to forget this pauper of
a milliner girl, who has not a sou to
her name. er-neyer-never!"
III all were like you In making pay.
ment for what they purchase, 1t is
small wonder that she is a pauper."
This atrocity from ones own son!
Then all is quiet.
Presently madame goes downstairs.
She strolls in the garden at the side
of the house; she becomes calm-then
pensive. She plucks flowers and
shifts in deep breaths of sunshine and
air. She reflects that 1t is as well
to punish sons once in a while, as
le bon dieu knows how men are all
born to be lords, and forever order
ing women about as soon as they are
married.
1T is only during their youth that
they are submissive. Men are like
kings of beasts" soliloquized madame
complacently reviewing her life with
the departed monsieur. "Ah! he was
like unto noble lion when roaring
his desires: Blanche, fetch my shoes
Blanche, carry the hamper" Mad
anne wept.
A footstep sounded. 1t stopped in
front of the house. Doubtless some
stupid OK of huckster. Madame paiC
no heed; she continued her gentle rev
cries. 1t was a romantic moment. full
of sentiments of the past. Presently
however, madame bethought her O
her uncooked dinner, and she saun
tered around toward the front. Some
one was passing by-some one-mad
anne screamed.
1t was the milliner's daughter-or
her head the yellow and pale pinl
bonnet! Madame grasped the ston,
post for support. The girl bowed.
Behold me, madame. wear tn,
hat, it is true. am here, but I return
this time with it on my head, and yo,
may also reassure yourself on on,
point: your son-suCh baboon! d,
you think | would look at him
La-a-la. l would as soon wed a bin,
mandril. To him have made all tn,
Establishments only TO endeavor to Sc
cure the money owed. To him | prom
Use all my soul, if he will but throw
me down the hat from madame
room. Now, 60 and release you
grand bebe. Who would have him