The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-16

learned where he had made several
brilliant financial moves. Hal was q
piunger. and happened to strike luck,
or thought he had At all events. he
lived pace Frank had not the means
to keep up with. so they naturally
drifted apart.
some relief from his Responding
mood was afforded from companion.
ship with bright, cratic fellow
named Ralph Davis. They roomed to-
gether. and soon got to think a good
deal OF one another. Perhaps 1t was
because pretty Kitty at home had a
leaning towards rhymsters, perhaps
the poetic instinct indicated by the
verse Virginia had written Influenced
Frank to feel lenient and friendly to-
wards Davis, for the latter thought
himself poet and made his living by
writing doggerel.
He wrote commercial poetry, that is,
rhymes for the tradesmen's advertise
ments. He got up couplets for social
parties. He devised obituaries and
choice sentiments for presentations.
I'm the last of the penny-a-l liners"
was his modest boast. and make a
living at it,"
Frank heard that Hal had made a
great financial splurge. and was back
at Hopeton parading his wealth and
success.
Il am out of the lists" he decided
dejectedly, and sat in his room one
evening looking over the one memento
ne treasured Of his lost lady love-
the little scrap of paper containing
the verse.
He must have gone to sleep, for he
was aroused by Davis, who was shak-
ing him by the shoulders vigorously.
Wake up. old fellow" he hailed
See here, what l picked up on the
floor" and he waved the scrap OF pa
per that had fallen from Franks lap.
Who wrote that? A lady. see. and
very good poetry, in a way
Frank was In tender mood. He
felt sad and lonely. 1t did him good
to tell the story Of his great disap-
pointment to true friend.
"H'm!" commented Davis, glancing
over the scrap of paper Think this
Miss Leighton is likely to take up with
the other iellcw. 4, We'll, I don't"
What do you know about it," chal.
lenged Frank
That acrostic-"
"That--what?" questioned Frank. in
a puzzled way.
That verse. It's an acrostic." ex.
planned Davis. A remarkably clever
young woman. this Miss Leighton of |
yours. See here-read the verse over
again. First letter Of first line, F; sec.
'nd letter Of second line, r; third let
Ter of third line, A; fourth letter of |
fourth line, N; fifth letter on fifth line.
k-FR-A-N-K. Eth, old fellow" and
JAWS slapped his friend on the shout
Ter heartily. why. plain az day your
lear poetess expressed her preference
~ name in that little scrap of rhyme"
Gould 1t be true? What heart of
lope poor. responding Frank took as
le reasoned, and finally believed!
Then the following week he made
great discovery in therapeutics-a
lew agent in medicine. The standard
ournals noted 1t. The great societies
auded him. He was a made man, pro-
essionally.
When Frank went back to his home
own he took Davis with him. AS
hey entered the village Hal Ferris left
lin the custody of an officer of the
aw. for enriching himself in a stock
at the cost Of his client
nvestors.
Kitty had craved a poet. She had
ound one. Two human beings never
oil In love more quickly than did that
innocent pair.
Az to Frank, he pronounced the lit.
% verse one evening when he and
irginia we're together. She blushed.
10 told his story straight and fervent .
ON an honest heart, and knew his
Ind, happy fate at last.