The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-03
TALE Of WHITE PAINT
sy CARL kILooRE.

ey CARL kiLooRE q
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Nov. for the love Of Mfks." said
Slater in . resigned tone. 1rsmsnber
it's white paint-And keep out Of Ill"
He glared 1t the three young Stat
ters and included Mr.. Slater IN his
general glance. "Yoa know" be added
In her direction . little denantly. that
you are just q impetuoas and thought
less - the children! Some q you win
be sure to fall against the woodwork
or try to absorb . bucket q stun b.
fore the woodwork Is finished! I don't
see why the painters had to choose
Saturday, when the children aze homo
from SCHOOL,"
Wen b careful. John" promised
Mrs.. Slater. "Oh-wait tin I get
some turpentine and take 1t OIL"
Slater, clad in his broad-shouldered.
fuzzy winter overcoat, had attempted
to pass through the den door to the
hall and the door jamb affectionately
brushed his right arm. leaving white
smudge. "Tee heel" mistakenly said
Sally Slater. aged nine.
"Sally!" barked her father. For
that you get no dessert tonight! It Is
time you learned to exercise q little
respect toward your elders! Marcia,
should think you would endeavor to
bring up your children in q manner
that"
ITS all OF. now. john" interrupted
Mrs. Slater. II think II you will 60
through the front door sideways-good
gracious. you've whisked the tails Of
your coat against the parlor door!"
"Yeow!" yelled Johnny Slater. Jr..
and dived for the swing door into the
kitchen.
Look 1t that" cried Slater. point.
ing majestically toward Johnny's exit.
IT that door had been white instead
Of oak and II 1t had Just been painted
Johnny would have struck 1t with both
hands just the same! That's what I
mean by your carelessness! I expect
that when I get home tonight the
whole place will be marked up with
smears!"
II hope not" said Mr.. Slater. anx.
iously. Good-by, dear-o-h!"
In turning to kiss her Slater had
rested his gloved hand on the front
door jamb. The glove that Slater
tore from his hand and hurled violent.
~ ~ he went down tho front e.eps
hit one Of the parlor windows and left
. smear.
With the exception Of the baby's feat
Of licking OF one Of tho freshly done
spindles Of the staircase and the catas.
trophs which befell Johnny. Jr.. Who
lost his balance and grabbed the door
70 save himself. the painting was .
triumphant success. Mr.. Slater vel.
coined her husbands early return
from the once with q tolerably clear
conscience. He was restrainedly calm
about the episode Of the baby and the
kind painter had painted out the evil
dences Of Johnny's misdeed and no
body had stepped into . bucket OF
paint, ~ he had prophesisd.
II will say that I am surprised, ~
Slater confded kindly. You must
have tied up the children all day and
had extra good luck yourself. Well.
you see what little forethousht will
dol"
A little later there came yell from
the bathroom. whittier Slater had
gone 10 shave before he and his wife
should start for the card club. why
didn't you tell me they had painted
up here?" he demanded. II hadn't any
idea they had got upstairs yet! II
wont wash OF my hands!"
Mrs. Slater secured most Of the
paint from Skaters hands and soothed
him % best she could. He was still
mutinous when they departed and his
fingers showed grimy gray which re.
fused to come OF.
Lovely looking mitts for playing
cards!" said Slater with reproach.
IT you'd only use your head . little
and warn people!"
Thsy got homo late and Slater was
tired. ITS Sood - sst homsi" he
groassA. I'm dead 70 the vorldi"
Win . long sigh Of relied. b tossed
Als 0vsro0a4 over ~ stair fallinS.
whsse 4 eluAG a1set3saatsly - the
splnd1ss. H hinsek saAk Gown a
~ seat 1ai1G n q ~ ~ q che
0tAaro. Mn. 0A4AArs Ah93ek WAon che
turned asssAA an ssw ~ Szossssed
nnenn 49, ~ A0rn suoAaeAnn ~
S0sA 11aE1R pallsl ~ lsess ut
palafaa6 lesse Ae0 ~ sealf saa4 cd
0ahee1 ~ esaL whisA Also s1nak.
tn 0olng - tsnA - - AasaAes
- - - ~" - Usv1sd. md
stalks1 Aowa into tAe baseosn4 49,
eifally sparsA IL tragedy q seeing
The rear visw q III sveaAnG elokAas.
He was abeeot some tine aAd ~hea
b cane Up ~ was n - stockias