The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-16
Learning
How

II am especially anxious for Harold
to come" read Harold's mother. Dor-
othy has never had any one u
play with except her father and me-
and she doesn't know how to play
with children of her own age. A more
angelic child never breathed and D'cA
is eager to see what bit OF well OIL
rected spice will do for her. he al
ways has felt that she should nave
been born a boy, you know. SO come
soon'
It was with timid obedience to her
parents urgent directions that Dor-
othy. aged four. went forward TWO
weeks later and gravely gave her Cous-
in Harold a welcoming kiss, saying IN
slow and awestruck tones: You can
play with my toys and the attic Is all
ready"
We'll, come on" shouted Harold.
Then. pulling her ruthlessly by the
hand. he started up the broad STAIR
way for the stories above.
THE dears." chimed the mothers IN
unison. Then the two settled down
to discuss the various merits OF their
offspring. wondering how soon they
might be called upon to explain 10
Dorothy Just what it was that Har-
old meant by his boyish actions
But there was no sudden summons
to the attic. Two hours later they
crept upstairs to call the children to
luncheon and to note Dorothy's prog
ress.
Harold was directing operations with
the air of a general. Dorothy sat near
by, her angelic eyes blazing with ex-
element, shearing wildly her best
dolls hair About her lay several
dolls of various sizes. merclessly bar
bered. and on the floor were strewn
the cur.s that had once graced the
bisque heads.
1t was not this si~ht that made her
mother start forward with a cry of
terror and catch up her child in fe-
yer of Amusement Dorothy's curis
had evidently been the first to fall
They lay interminged with the
tangled floss upon the floor
Hes been teaching me to play.
mother" cried Dort ny as she strug
gled free We're BARRIERS and he
cut eff my hair like his and we've cut
the dolls hair. too. when they had
any
During luncheon both children were
gravely admonished and though rest
less to a marked degree they promised
solemnly not to use the scissors and
not to throw anything-Harold having
suggested an imitation Of an apart
ment building fire that he had wit.
messed where all the furniture had
been thrown from the upper floors.
Further. they promised not to pound
anything. and not to paint anything
but their own paint books.
Then with sigh from Dorothy's
mother and tender smooth to Dor
othy's shorn head, the children were
allowed to seek their own amuse-
ment once more.
Harold doesn't mean to be destruc.
tive" his mother said sadly but bit
proudly as well And he does obey
We can trust them now that they have
our restrictions to go by. 1t Is his
Inventive genius for something new
to do. He never played barber he
tore In his life. II must have been
because his father had his hair
trimmed while ! was buying my new
hat yesterday perfect dream, Ma.
rion! A most extravagant willow
plume and few gold rose buds"
But such an investment dear" an.
swered her sister Nine Renova has
used my white plume. dyed green. on
high small toque"
With that the subject of fashions
was launched for the afternoon
Some hours later. because of the
silence in the attic. they went in
search Of the cherubs. They were not
In the attic, nor in the nursery nor
yet In mothers room. But there thew
found evidences of pilfering that sent
terror to the mothers hearts and set
them to calling loudly for their dar.
lings. Dorothy had rifled her motber,s
hat box The tissue paper coverings
and the box lid were strewn about
but the hat was gone.
From the guest room the cberub.
answered eagerly and innoceutly.
We're playing milliner's sbop "
called Dorothy's high treble, an eer,s
CLEAN in her usually soft eyes. "Har.
old knows such lots Of plays and I'm
learning like you said to. And YER.
going to stun some dolls pillows with
these"
On the bed lay the two hats. sborn
Of all that had made them models a,
the seasons most perfect designs Tn
right on each stood a single wiry stict
from which all the fibers of a once
lovely plume had been stripped On
the white Counterpart lay a heaped
up mass Of green and rose,
IT'S some like excelsior, only .o,,
Or" shouted Harold. and In pillow,
It viii be fine"
Then. seeing the tragedy that Law :,
his mothers eyes. he scrambled To he,
side. saying eagerly: I'VE didn't on,
mr. throw or mound - .~.-.