The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-17
A GAME OF HEARTS
BY cLARIssA MAckIE.

striped awnings and verandas Sc
with many little tables, and a grea
room inside all done in blue and white
with border of willow-pattern plates
The growing purr of high-poweret
motor came through the open case
ment window. 1t slowed down ant
stopped at the gate of the Willow
Plate Tea Room.
"Oh, bother!" pouted Elsie. as sht
went into the little kitchen and re
turned to the room to discover soil
tary man seated at one Of the white
enameled tables. He was far from
being an Unlocking specimen Of mas
culinity, although his clean-cut fea
lures were sternly set. He did NOT
glance up when Ellis placed . glass Of
water before him,
You may bring me-" he said de-
nberately, = poached egg on toast, y
and, turning away his head, he looked
out Of the window.
Elsie hesitated and then marched
stimy of to the kitchen. Once there
she shook her fist at the back Of the
unonending stranger.
"Poached egg! And It's the one par
ticular thing that l can't make!" she
groaned.
Three trips she made into the tea
room-once to set tempting pats of
butter and the pot of tea before the
patron, again to serve him with the
burned bit Of toast on which was
sprawled the yellow, leathery-looking
egg. The third trip was in answer to
his summons.
please bring me another egg" he
said in tone of polite WEAKNESS.
This one seems-er-er-rathe over
done"
Elsie Wayne always remembered
that August afternoon as a perfect
nightmare of eggs that refused to be
poached and of endless trips into the
tea room to present her trophies to
the grim-vsaged young man at the
table.
Invariably he waved her offerings
away, always with that look of bored
patience.
From a distant table Elsie brought
the plate of pink-and-white heart
shaped cakes. These delectable nor
sells were favorites with Mrs. Burtcn's
patrons.
Those look very tempting" he said
smoothly. You did not make them"
"On the contrary, did make them"
she affirmed spiritedly.
"Indeed?" His tone was amused.
He picked up the top cake and broke
it in two.
"a broken heart" he said in a mus
ing tone. Easy to break, but impos-
sible to mend"
1T is not worth mending-hearts
are all alike she said, and, gather
ing up his dishes, she disappeared
kitchenward.
She cleared place on the table,
set the egg poacher in its receptacle
Of boiling water, broke an egg into
1t, closed the lid and carefully toasted
q slice OF bread.
She almost shrieked with Joy when
she laid the buttered toast on the
little blue platter and slipped the
pinky, white-f1lmed poached egg
1ecked with pepper onto the toast.
She had achieved a triumph. It
was even more beautiful than any.
thing Susanna had ever accomplished.
The kitchen door swung behind
her little young form; in her out.
stretched hands she carried the silver
tray and set before him the perfect
poached egg.
Il think I've discovered the knack
of doing it," she said
That's good" he said.
hadn't you better eat It while it's
hot?" she suggested.
He proceeded to eat slowly, Elsie
watching each morsel as it vanished
between his well-cut lips.
rs it good?" she would ask. and
always he nodded. When the blue
platter was cleared he looked up sud.
denly.
Once upon time | was engaged
to marry girl. She was studying
domestic science. and thought
knew something about cookery: I've
camped lot She couldn't manage
poached egg. though. We quar-.
relied"
All! cried Elsie, pulling the cake
plate away from his restless fingers
You have broken another heart"
Are hearts so precious?" he asked
A tear fell from her eyes and
splashed on the cracked heart cake
Tears will mend broken heart"
he said, taking Elsie's hand and hold.
ing II closely.
"Oh-Dick.' she sobbed softly.
m sorry we quarreled," he whis.
pered; that's why l came. Mrs
burton telephoned she was going
away and you were to keep shop for
her-ani | couldn't stay away"
But the motor races"
Pshaw!" Taking her other hand
believe ! can make a perfect
poached egg now. Dick" she smiled /
through her tears. You shall have
them every morning for breakfast"
heaven Forbid he groaned trag.
ically.
"Why?"
loath EN-! Don't ask me wbv
sent you back with your dreadful
samples, darling! l just wanted the
exquisite pleasure of ordering Won
around-because-" He paused IN
kiss her ~
Why she asked again.
On. because l know | shall he