The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-04-25
THOSE POTATO BUGS
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Victoria had abandoned the little
car in disgust when the gasoline gave
out. She was only half way home
from the post Office and had the pros
pect Of walking two miles to the EN-
ersons. where she was staying.
She tucked the letters into her
blouse and trudged along, the hot sun
beating down on her bare head. Col
lar turned in and sleeves rolled up
Sol was having pretty good chance
to spoil the milky whiteness of her
skin.
All at once she saw some cows. And
no fence to restrain them, for they
were out in the road and coming to-
ward her. Three of them. one red, one
black and white, and Jersey.
If there was thing in the world
that Victoria was afraid of, it was a
COW. She stopped suddenly in dismay.
What in the world should she do? On
one side were some grass, few
bushes, and fence. She couldn't hids
under bush. She would be sure to
be trampled on. Where could she 60?
The fence was high. She had never
climbed fence.
But the cows were coming! Anyone
can climb tree If a bear is after him.
So Victoria got over the fence. That
Is, she climbed to the top and fell the
rest Of the way. And she knocked a
pan out Of mans hand on her way
down.
Before she could scramble to her
feet she caught sight Of the contents
Of the pan. now scattered in all direc.
lions, and she started to scream and
shiver, and cover her eyes with her
hands. About hundred or two
squirming, crawling potato bugs was
the sight she was trying to shut out.
And then the man took her firmly by
the shoulders. Shut up" he snapped.
For the love Of Mike. don't have hys.
terics here. What's the matter with
you?"
Victoria was impulsive and generous
by nature. She held out her hand. Il
am very sorry. But I was scared to
death at the cows. II you have an.
other stick, maybe l could help get
them back in again. mean the bugs"
He laughed. mo. thank you. 1t will
only take q few minutes, Miss Miss
-"
Harmon. am Victoria Harmon.
and am staying over at the Emerson
farm. My car broke down and I'm
walking"
"But it's two miles"
Il know"
"And it's a beastly hot day"
yes, it is.
well, won't you let me hitch up
and drive you homer"
Victoria, accustomed to offers OF
homage and also accustomed to &C.
cepting them, said simply, Eyes, thank
you, believe will"
So she waited in the shade of a
chestnut tree while the man went to
the barn and got the runabout ready
She was thinking that, dressed up, he
would be very fine looking, and he Ger.
tainly had commanding manner. He
was so different from the men whom
she knew at home. He was big and
brown and hearty and she was sure he
had never an unwholesome thought in
his life.
So he drove her to the house. Then
he towed her car home a little later.
And Victoria kindly consented to drive
over to Hanging Rocks with him on
Sunday to see the falls. 1t was as she
had thought. He did look well dressed
up, and he seemed to know how to
dress. His clothes were we'll made
and made for him! She began to be
puzzled. Once he spoke Of Naples as
though he had been there.
The Emersons knew nothing of him
except that he had recently bought the
Brown farm.
There were several rides and many
walks before the time came for Vic |
toria to 60 home.
She both hoped and feared some.
thing, but when the day came her
young farmer friend said only a polite
"good-by" at the station. Victoria went
home to the city with a vague longing
in her heart
One day her mother said to her,
Victoria, wish you would be nice to !
Mr.. Thurston whom your father Is
bringing home to dinner tonight. He
is very desirable, good family and all
that-apd very rich. He has been
away and has just come to town. He
has the reputation of being eccentric
and people say he is crazy about farm
ing. don't know much about that
part of it. but | know he is very, very
well Off"
Eyes. and suppose he Is as ugly as
satan and as rich as Croesus and he's
looking for young wife and I'm It,"
Victoria stormed and ran out Of the
room.
VI "a ~ n.