The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-15
4 GAME OF HEARTS
Nv clARlSSA MACkIE.

striped awnings ana V0rauuAS Set
with many little tables. and a great
room inside all done in blue and white,
with q border OF willow-pattern plates.
The growing purr Of a high-powered
motor came through the open case
ment window. It slowed down and
stopped at the gate Of the Willow
Plate Tea Room.
"Oh, bother!" pouted Elsie. rs she
went into the little kitchen and re-
turned to the room to discover Q soil
tary man seated at one Of the white
enameled tables. He was far from
being an ill.looking specimen Of mas
culinity. although his clean-cut fea-
lures were sternly set. He did not
glance up when Ellis placed glass OF
water hafore him. |
you may bring me-" he said de.
liberately, - poached egg on toast"
and, turning away his head, he looked ,
out Of the window.
Elsie hesitated and then marched
stifiy on to the kitchen Once there !!
she shook her fist at the back Of the i
unoffending stranger.
"Poached egg! And it's the one par
ticular thing that can't make!" she
| groaned.
Three trips she made into the tea
room-once to set tempting pats of
| butter and the pot of tea before the
patron. again to serve him with the
burned bit of toast on which was
sprawled the yellow, leathery-looking
egg. The third trip was in answer to
his summons.
please bring me another egg" he
said in tone of polite WEAKNESS.
This one seems-er-er-rather over
done"
Elsie Wayne always remembered
that August afternoon as perfect
nightmare of eggs that refused to be
poached and of endless trips into the
tea room to present her trophies to
the grim-visaged young man at the
table.
Invariably he waved her offerings
away, always with that look of bored
patience.
From a distant table Elsie brought
the plate Of pink-and-white heart
: shaped cakes. These delectable NOR
sells were favorites with Mrs. Burton s
. patrons.
, "Those look very tempting" he said
ION the contrary did make them"
she affirmed spiritedly.
"Indeed?" His tone was amused
He picked up the top cake and broke
J. 1t in two.
: "a broken heart" he said in mus
+ ing tone. Easy to break, but impos
sible to mend"
!. 1T is not worth mending-hearts
are all alike she said, and. gather
J. ing up his dishes, she disappeared
r kitchenward
& She cleared a place on the table
set the egg poacher in its receptacle
of boiling water, broke an egg init
It. closed the lid and carefully toasted
u q slice OF bread.
She almost shrieked with Joy whei
~ she laid the buttered toast on thu
little blue platter and slipped tn
pinky, white-nlmed poached cyl
flecked with pepper onto the toast.
"a She had achieved q triumph. !
"a was even more beautiful than any
IA thing Susanna had ever accomplished
D. The kitchen door swung behin'
n her little young form; in her out
"a stretched hands she carried the silve
In tray and set before him the perfec
g. poached egg
,e 81 think I've discovered the knac
e. of doing it, she said.
" That's good" he said.
"a Hadn't you better eat it while it
ir hot?" she suggested.
or He proceeded to eat slowly, Elsi
IN watching each morsel as it vanishe
a. between his wellcut lips.
"a rs it good?" she would ask, an
n always he nodded. When the blu
platter was cleared he looked up SUI
~ denly.
er Once upon a time I was engage
,o to marry a girl She was studyin
Of domestic science, and ] thought
N knew something about cookery; Nv
no camped a lot She couldn't manae
nv a poached egg, though. We qua
IN relied"
be All" cried Elsie, pulling the cal
an plate away from his restless finger
you have broken another heart!"
81 Are hearts so precious?" he aske
AZ A tear fell from her eyes an
rs splashed on the cracked heart cak
b Tears will mend a broken heart
"A he said, taking Elsie's hand and hol
no ing it closely.
"a "Oh-Dick," she sobbed softly.
ho I'm sorry we quarreled," he viii
90 pered; that's why ! came. MI
-, Burton telephoned she was goir
a. away and you were to keep shop f
h. her-ani | couldn't stay away"
"a But the motor races"
~ "Pshaw," Taking her other hand
90 Il believe ! can make a perfe
"a poached egg now, Dick" she smile
a. through her tears. You shall ha'
a.. them every morning for breakfast"
.. Heaven Forbid" he groaned ira
-. icalfy
-. Why"
Il loath 'em! Don't ask me wi
I sent you back with your dreadf
samples, darling! just wanted 4
-, exquisite pleasure of ordering "
- around-because-" He paused
kiss her.
-, Why" she asked again.