The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-01
CUPID
AT SEA
, By OSCAR COX

ed to leave the paternal nest instead
of remaining In the city Of his birth
or going elsewhere In the United
States be decided to take longer
flight He sailed for South America
and. not content with remaining on
the eastern coast. passed southwark.
through the strait and up to Chile.
There he became ensaeed u business
and there was every prospect that be
would make that country bis perma
nent home.
A man settling in far distant land
Ia not likely to feel At h se with the
people there and natur longs for
his old associated After sojourn 0f
a few years IN Chile WILLARD thought
that II be bad q wife-One from his
native Iand-he would be better con
tented He remembered ene Leona
Andrews. a very pretty girl that be
had formerly been ''sweet' on. and II
occurred to him to begin correspond
ence with her with view to marriage
Miss Andrews replied to his letter.
and be wrote again. the correspond.
ence growing sweeter and sweeter till
be made a proposal BY letter, which
was accepted. The young lady realiz.
ed that it would be difncult as well as
inconvenient for him to return to
America to marry her and consented
to 60 to Chile for the wedding This
was a very satisfactory arrangement,
and Willard was happy over the pros.
pect He bought house. furnished It
and made all essential arrangements
for his brides reception.
Miss Andrews wrote him of the
Chile. the date Of her departure and
the date Of her probable arrival. VIII
lard counted the days dill she should
come and bis loneliness would be end
ed. He had made a number Of good
friends among the Chileans. and they
had volunteered to do all in their
power to make the lady's residence
among them a happy one.
One Monday afternoon the ship on
which Miss Andrews was coming was
announced to arrive the next morn.
Ing willard made arrangements for
a simple noon wedding to take place
on the day Of bis brides arrival. to
which few friends were invited.
When the steamer arrived Willard
was on the dock. looking up to see his
6ancee. He saw her standing beside
gentleman. and when she caught bis
eye. instead Of greeting him with a
happy smile, she looked embarrassed
Running aboard. among the first to do
so. he Joined the lady. who introduced
him to the gentleman beside her:
my husband"
The voyage bad been q long one.
She had met a fascinating man. and
the two had concluded that the most
satisfactory solution Of the problem
would be for them to be married be-
fore their arrival In Chile Willard
would accept the inevitable without
unnecessary prolonged torture.
Thus ends the first part of this
story. The second part is in this wise:
Willard in order to recover from the
shock bethought himself OF another
girl at home who might like hus-
band even If he did bring her to dis,
tant land and entered upon another
correspondence with marriage in view.
He was equally successful in this case
as the other, and 1t was not six
months after his mishap before he
was engaged again.
A great deal Of sympathy had been
enlisted for him in his disapp0int-
ment. and bis friends were much
pleased to hear that after all. he was
to be made happy. He announced
that this time he would 60 for his
bride and bring her back with him.
A sea voyage was poor place for con-
stancy when there was temptation at
hand He had suffered once from this
cause. and be did not propose to take
the rub a second time.
Willard In order to get away for 90
long q time was obliged to take In q
partner. This he did And when al
was running smoothly he Get sail for
the United States With the blessings Of
many friends showered upon him. The
women said nothing as to hia former
matrimonial experience, but the men
shouted to him from the dock. "Don't
trust her on deck without you" BE
ware of the captain II he II good look
ing" and other such innuendoes upon
the constancy Of woman.
In due time willard returned with
his bride. Now that be was married
innuendoes would be In bad taste, and
1t was agreed that they should not be
made But owing to the groom's IRE
vious Notifying episode every effort
was made by the Chileans to give him
and bis bride q good sendo6. When
the ship came in willard was seen
standing on deck beside aChilean young
lady who had sailed for the United
States on the same vessel that willard
had taken when be went to be married
He was the color Of a boiled lobster.
He descended the gangway with the
Chilean lady and. on being greeted
somewhat wonderinsiy. introduced her
az his wife.
my friends" he said. Il met Mrs
willard on our voyage out and we
were married before landog In New
York"
"Oh. my goody graciousr' exclaimed
the women.
why couldn't you have courted her
here" asked the men, without going
all the way round the horn and mp the
AtlantdcY'
Gentlemen" said the groom. If any
Of You doubt Cupid's power on an ocean
voyage Try It and zee for yourselves"