The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-09
BOBBY THE BUTLER
By HARMONY WELLER.

The room was so dense with smoke
that the twelve heads surrounding
the dining table seemed to waver
over the damask like so many ghosts
of bachelors. One of the twelve was
soon to take upon himself the yoke
of matrimony, and this was his fare
well dinner.
Out of the smoke the voice OF the
Honorable Bobs continued the trend
of an argument on social questions
started by Major Graham.
"And I say that there Is work for
every man right here In this city
II employment Is really desired"
Since you are such wonder,
Clipped in Lord Henry. lets see the
kind of a mess you will get yourself
into by trying to secure one Of these
many positions" Having turned the
conversation into q lighter vein as
was Lord Henry's wont he took
greater interest. "I'll bet you the
latest thing in aircraft that you
can't support yourself by your own
labor for three weeks"
TITS q go!" Honorable Bobs then
reached across the table and he and
Lord Henry clasped hands.
Honorable Bobs remained quite
undisturbed. That he was going to
win that biplane and show some peo'
pie that there was work for willing
men was shown in the delightfully."-
steely expression In his blue eyes.
So patriotic was Honorable Bobs that
the first months of the war saw him
back from the front with an arm so
shattered as to disable him for Sec
ond trip to the trenches.
The result of Major Graham's bach.
elor dinner was that Honorable Rob
ert Ingraham accepted post as a
kind Of butler in a refined and quiet
boarding house in Holland park. His
wounded arm. his peculiarly attractive
manner and his evident desire for the
position gave him prompt success with
the lady to whom he made application.
Things ran on smoothly until the
advent Of Leona Martin. Leona was
the most dainty Of American girls.
She had come to the boarding house
to live for a few weeks before return.
ing to her home.
The first morning that Honorable
Bobs knocked at her door with
her cup Of tea, Leona felt aggrieved
that she must leave her coy bed and
unlock the door. It was . cold morn
ing in January and Leona shivered as
she slipped into her pink kimono.
"Your tea. MISS" said Honorable
Bobs. and put the cup into the
girls hand. He could not remember
having seen anyone who seemed so
naturally born to rob a man of his
liberty as did Leona Martin as she
stood there in her pink kimono and
with a smile Of thanks on her lips.
Hoco:c:.hle .Bohs began: TO feel that
he wished he had never seen Lord
Henry nor any of the majors friends
who were responsible for his present
position. However, he was a sport
In every sense of the word and con-
tinued to take tea to sleepy board
ers. stand behind their chairs at din
ner and open the door like any full.
fiedged butler.
Leona talked. with American free
dom. to him. When she found out he
had been fighting her sympathy was
Wonderful. ard Honorable Bobs was
guilty of conversing longer than he
had any right to as a servant In the
house. II his blue blood flowed even
under the buffers uniform and II Le-
ona blushed when his eyes looked
straight into her own, no one was the
wiser. Leona marveled at the blue
blood. but remembered that all good
English servants possessed refine
ment and beautiful voices.
1t did not occur to the American
girl until after he had left the house,
that her interest was other than SYM
pathetic. When she knew that the
butler had taken away her heart with
him she shrank from the knowledge,
but with American pluck determined
to fight his delightful image from her
mind.
The further result Of Major Ora.
hams bachelor dinner was the meet.
ing again Of Leona and Hon. Robert
Ingraham.
Leona, standing beside her hostess
at great dance in the Long Island
home. started violently and her head
went straight into the air.
And Who she asked with tilted
nose. lis the gentleman next to
Dickey?"
That said Mrs Chutney, '"is the
adorable British hero whom | have
selected as BETTING mate for my
loveliest American bud. He is Hon.
Robert Ingraham, commonly known
as Honorable Bobs."
"Humph." Leona was guilty of a
sniff.
When explanations had been made
1t was Leona herself who made a
quick way back to Mrs. Chutney.
Please don't fling your loveIiest
bud at his head" she said, plaintively.
Men are SO susceptible"
Il am sorry" her hostess told her
with q short laugh, but have al.
ready introduced them. Run along
back to him"
Honorable Bobs was waiting impa.
tiently. The loveliest bud smiled.
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure No..
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