The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-02
THANKSGIVING DINNER
BY MARY DARLING.

Copyright, 1914, by the Mcclure, Newspa-
per Syndicate)
'N-no,' said Forest Harwood, medi-
tatively, there isn't anyone l can
think of, dear"
Il have racked my brain, too, so
guess we'll have to eat our Thanks
giving dinner without guests this
year." said his wife.
I'm sorry Bess and John couldn't
come, but they seemed to have
planned something of their own
Harwood went on.
They're going to be married in the
spring, | believer?
"Um-hu," mumbled HARDWOOD as he
became interested in his morning
paper.
On the morning Of Thanksgiving
day Mrs. llarwood announced that
she was going to church.
"All right, dear; go ahead and I'll
run down to the pond and have a try
at the ice. If find any woebegone-
looking individuals who seem not to
be expecting bite of turkey, may
bring them along?" he asked his wife
as she left for the village church.
"The bird is big and there are
plenty of trimmings, Mrs. iar-
wood replied.
Ilarwood reached the pond to find
it already black with crowds of skat-
ers. He joined them, and was about
to go home after an hours good eX-
ercise when his eyes fell upon John
Adams.
You, John? l thought you were
going out of town for Thanksgiving
dinner?" he exclaimed.
"I-yes, | had intended to, but 1T
all fell through" the young man re-
turned.
Come along up to the house then.
and have dinner with us. Where Is
Bess?" Harwood asked tactlessly.
Bless? Ah-oh, she's having din
ner with some relatives, l believe,
John Adams managed to answer.
Come on. Helen will be delight
ed. She's at church, as usual" And
Harwood fairly dragged his friend
home
When Mrs. Harwood arrived she
was smiling broadly as her husband
opened the door for her. I've found
a guest for dinner! Guess who?"
I'm not good guesser-but so
have l."
Mine is Marian Peck. She was in
church alone and we sat together.
1t seems that she was to dine at her
uncles-John's stepfather, you know,
but for some silly reason about Bess
she wouldn't go at the last minute.
So asked her to come to us"
Forrest began to look worried. He
said nothing.
whats the matter? Aren't you
pleased, DEAR" asked Helen, anx-
iously.
"Oh-ah, yes, but my guest is none
other than John Adams, so if it's din
ing with him that Marian is trying
to avoid, she's strictly in it,
Mrs. Harwood laughed. "All we
need now is Bess to make it a truly
successful dinner party, eh, dear?
Next time we'll let well enough alone
and dine alone"
The telephone rang and the young
wife ran to answer it, She returned
in moment wringing her hands.
Worse and more of it. It's Bess,
She's in tears. Says she and John
were to have had a cosy little din
ner at some romantic inn they both
knew about. Her family hadn't been
able to get home from Europe. you
know. But some way or other She
Bess-discovered that John would be
breaking up family party at home,
a party of which his stepfather's
niece, Marian, you know, was to be
member, and she refused to go with
him. They quarreled, had words about
Marian. and she's heartbroken, and
lonely and is coming to dine with US!
There. Can you beat it?"
It'll be some Thanksgiving" Har-
wood remarked in current varnacular.
Marian, the bone of contention,
Bess and John, the quarreling lovers,
Fine company" returned Mrs. Har-
wood.
When all three guests were in the
house, Bess Burleson upstairs taking
off her outer wraps, Marian Peck in
the living-room by the fire, and John
Adams scowling in the library, the
host and hostess met in the hall.
They're here" whispered Helen
in her husbands ear.
Forrest nodded. Don't I know
it,"
I'm going to let it work itself out"
explained Helen.
And at that moment Bess descend
ed the stairs, Marian stepped from
the living-room and John appeared
In the library door.
There WIS absolute silence as the
FIVE locked from enc to another.
What a jolly little party" said
Forrest, boldly.
Oh-ah-yes-very jolly, very jol-
1y!" echoed John Adams.