The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-18
The Finding
of Adelia
By ALBtt<T biGELOw pArx

RRsAXgSEawEv~,

we discovered one morning that wa
N-us' Iepiace our household assistance
anu mat We had but a brief time in
which 70 readjust matters Fortunate
~ sunday was at hand and SECURING
hrs, nis' EDITIONS and an early train-tbe
later by scratch set out for New
oih 10 PICK up any desirable domes.
eini worm that might not already no
caught and that would agree NOT m
turn under the pink heeled tyranny NJ
childhood. any u
oh the way in | read feverisblv
any columns that seemed PROMISING
ana arranged sequence of investi.
| cations.
RODE ten blocks and climbed four
nights OF very gloomy. smelly stairs
INTO Sweden, ! had been hopeful of
sweden ! had heard that swedish
| girls were good girls. and even when
square-built muscular maiden came
out into the hall. closing the door
hrmly behind her, was only vaguely
, alarmed. Through the odorons dark
l Dabbled to her of green fields and
Wooed her with promises of several
dollars per week and Sunday out She
listened until | was quite empty
| then
You Law in country9"
Well, yes. il is called country. II is
really part of the city. Won know with
trans every few minutes nearer in
TACT, than many points Of Harlem
| We"
| l tank not go to country"
| But what's the matter with tba
| asked.
She refe i'i''e' oeioie
replying
Il tank | get sack dere."
SICK? Why, the countrys the place
to get well in. How do you get
sick"
| Ihls required still more reflection
she had to think up Something-some.
thing good and hard that would close
the interview.
Il tank have pains" She an.
nounced, at last and there was a note
Ia her accent that caused me to edge
bit closer to the head of the
stairs
"Ah, pains. And would Won
would you mind telling me where YOU
have these pains? | have some med
ical knowledge-I-"
Il tank ! have pains in my lags.
tank know have my pains. tank
know what do | tank not go to
country
But ! was halfway down the ton
flight by this time acquiring speed
as | descended into the mystery of
blackness below
Maid OF Sweden, when W. Fart,
Give me, pleas, running start.
| murmured as | touched the bottom
and escaped into the soiled misery of
the Jangling street That these be.
nighted creatures should prefer the
wretched, soulless round and wrangle
OF their present existence to the clean
bed and outlook | offered them was
not easy to understand But | was
in no mood to philosopher made
my way to West Forty-third street
for an expedition into the Congo coun.
try.
Pickaninnies with twisted bobbets of
hair infested the entrance to the
kraals, and round black eyes shone
and lured me along dark passages and
up winding stairs. Ring Rev Med
ders' bell was the instruction on one
advertisement, and was presently
ushered into the Medders parlor Then
the lady ! had called to see entered
and gasped She was of the gold
spectacle, chocolate variety, and
stylish no name could not at
once state my errand for admiring her
clothes When did so she regarded
me with compassion but with no sign
Of favor. She spoke with drawl
oh no, sah' couldn't go to tn
country. sah,"
"Ah. see. You prefer the city
| life"
Yes. sah-always wuk in town
'ceptin when goes 10 the country to
boahd, sab.
Vacation. | suppose
Yes, sab When it's wahm. sab.
goes to the seashoah then, sab
You wouldn't h-care to board
with us awhile now. | suppose"
"Oh, no, sab Too cold, sab. Much
too cold this time o yeah, sab. !"
Nv wish was to tell her that there
was one place where it was warm
enough in all seasons, and that she
might 90 there She volunteered pres
emily 70 introduce me to some friends
3 belowstairs who might be willing to
consider my needs
There was a sound OF revelry as we
drew near the dim doorway below II
ceased at our knock and a moment
later the door opened 70 such an as
sortment Of colOred society as IL had
been never my privilege 10 enter My
expedition had reached darkest Africa
al a step When she of the gold spec
tacIes announced my mission they
crowded about to listen and to re
gard curiously the stranger from Sc
far a cline only one OF them had
any definite knowledge of our place on
the map She was jolly tat old
soul to whom my heart warmed
"Oh, yes. sab knows da' pla r.
sab. | been out once on trolley-to a
picnic
Don't you want 70 60 TO another
picnic." ! said. and not come back
This resulted in huge merriment al
around. and general good feeling pre-
.1 yoirc in tho hack Of the