The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-02
cOMpANIONSH|P
By DOROTHY BLAckMoRE.


knew Elsie well-that the girl was
not yet free from the effects OF that
day in the country.
You should have known, George,
that Elsie Cartright is the last girl
who would welcome sunkissed
nose. Don't you know that her beau
tiful skin is the JOY of her life?" Peg
gy had asked merrily. And you know
Elsie was crazy about you-everyone
knows it." she added.
George shifted significantly. $50
much for my best efforts at compan-
ionship with girls" he sighed.
Autumn was advancing rapidly and
the wonderful reds and yellows of
wood and meadow were drawing
Keene to Long Island. where he spent
that season He bought his monthly
ticket and began early to commute
from his office to the country.
On the occasion of his earliest
tramp into the woods he felt unusu-
ally lonely-more so than ever before,
he told himself dismally. And then,
as if to emphasize his solitariness, he
CHANGED upon three happy picnickers
building fire over which to brew
their own coffee. He observed that
the girl and her mother were dressed
in outing clothes and that they wore
low-heeled boots and looked comfort
able and happy. He thought Of those
absurd heels of Elsie and was glad
that all women were not so silly.
That's a bunch after my own
heart" he commented mentally as he
observed the father comfortably smok-
ing as he sat on a fallen tree and
watched the women of his family pre-
pairing the picnic meal.
Doesn't this beat a dinner dance
all hollow" he heard the father ask.
mo more of that regular life for
me-" the girl sang merrily as she
poked the fire. Then she stopped and
looked at her father and mother. If
l could find man | could like as we'll
as you like father and who cared for
this sort of thing, Td-well, I'd marry
him, believe" she said. But, alas,
these men I've known have cared
more for ripping foxtrot and good
lobster supper than for this simple
amusement"
/ Keene heard it all. And as he wan
dered slowly on he heard the girl
scream: "Oh, dad, chase this dog
away! hate strange dogs. He's
after our dinner!"
Here was another common interest
her dislike Of dogs and his-strange
dogs, at least. He had heard of the
companionship of CANNES, but he had
failed to see into it. He had never
yet seen the dog that knew toad
stool from violet or sunset from a
sunrise, so he had failed to be con.
WINGED of their value as human com.
panions.
Nevertheless the incident gave him
an idea. He assured himself that he
must get acquainted with that trio by
fair means or foul
His neighbor had horribly vicious
looking dog that was as gentle as a
turtle dove.
Two days later, accompanied by the
vicious-looking canine of his neigh
Dor, Keene strolled through the woods
in which he had seen the trio of pic
nickers. The dog had been carefully
starved during the entire day ant
was ravenous. All of which was ex
actly as Keene wished it to be. The
poor beast shifted under every busf
in the hope of unearthfng even an an
cient bone.
Keene's heart beat fast as he ap
preached the picnic spot A juic,
steak was being grilled. and ever
Keene's own mouth began to waite
at the fragrance of it. And how tina
fragrance affected the hungry dog wal
almost beyond description, so quickl,
did it happen.
ter him. They both landed in tn,
midst of surprised trio. He's a.
gentle as lamb" Keene kept crying
He wouldn't bite anything"
"No-he looks like it, Mr.. Nevil
managed to say as the dog made fran
tic efforts to get at the broiling meat
"Oh, I'm frightfully sorry" SAT-
Keene, almost as earnestly as If h
had not planned it all and was tickle,
immoderately at the success of hi
ruse.
The mother and daughter stoo
aside and laughed long and heartily
We really can't blame the poo
thing!" said Molly.
And then followed informal intro
ductions and, after the coveted inv
tation to dinner, Keene tied the do
to a tree and promised him the tag
and bones of the steak, with Mis-
Molly's permission.
After the embers of the fire ha
been raked out and the quartet wa
strollins aimlessly about the woods
Molly ventured a remark that please
keene more than any simple word
he had ever heard.
Il thought you would manage
know us she said.
Trust me to manage ANYTHING
want as badly as | did your comma,
ionship," he said.
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newsp:
per Syndicate)