The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-12
REFORM At sEAeLIFF
BY HAROLD CARTER.

Copyright. 1915. by w. g. Chapman)
The whole trouble arose when Aunt
Lily, who'd always been q Democrat,
got the post ONCE away from Sol
Rogers, Republican.
Who'd be postmistress Of . fourth
class post office like that of Seacliff.
with nothing but the value of the post
age stamps for pay. unless there was
something higher than money in the
profession? Read the postal cards?
Open letters that aren't properly
sealed? Well, all can say is, show
me the woman who wouldn't, or the
man either. Besides, in these days.
with morals and everything else de-
caying, who's going to look after the
community unless it's some God-fear-
ing, respectable person like Aunt Lily
or me?
My name is Miss Sarah Twist, and
am thirty years old. I have always
disdained men, though having had sew.
eral suitors. and having many yet that
would like to be. say this to prove
am a respectable maiden woman.
Naturally, Aunt Lily asked me to help
in the post ONCE.
Well. had always had my suspi-
cions of that old Gregory Pratt, who
used to run down for Sundays with
the Schofields. That day when Mr..
Schofield had been called away and
Mr.. Pratt came down. pretending not
to know that Mrs. Schofield would be
alone-well, the minute I saw them
walking down the street together
voiced my suspicious to Aunt Lily.
Naturally, in view Of the bad char
acter of most city folks kept my
eyes peeled, as the saying is. So,
when a postal card came from George
Blenkinsop, who was at Harvard, an
nouncing that he was going to come
down to Seacliff for a week, was
suspicious. It was the middle of the
term. Why, then. should George
Blenkinsop leave his studies unless he
had been turned out of college?
And now ensued the most remarkable
display of corruption and debauchery
that has ever been known in Seacliff.
First was a letter from Gregory
Pratt addressed to Mrs. Schofield. Oh,
It was shameful, shameful! 1t began
my darling Anne" and 1t announced
that he was coming down the very
first time Mr.. Schofeld would not be
there, to try and persuade her to elope
with him to China, where they would
have an humble cottage among the
roses and be happy for ever more.
Next, q letter from George Blenkin.
sop to his mother-he had gone back
to Harvard-announcin that he had
left college and married a vaudeville
actress, who was going to get ID.
vorce from her third husband.
Finally, there was a letter from lit
tie Mrs. Wrenn to Mrs. Schofield, ask.
ing her advice as to the best quick
poison that would get rid of an un.
desirable husband without leaving any
trace behind it.
Aunt Lily and ! stared at the let
tiers. We didn't know what 1t was
our duty to do.
We talked It over for . long time
and 1t last decided to write anony'
nous letters to each of the parties con
cerned. The letter to Mrs. schoheld
ran like this:
"You wicked woman; I have my
eyes on you. and II you don't send that
old Pratt about his business instead Of
going to China, your husband will
hear Of IT,"
Being anonymous. I felt that could
express my real feelings better.
Then I told George Blenkinsop that
the police we're watching him, and un
less he separated from that vaudeville
actress at once. he would be arrested
| for bigamy. And wrote to little Mrs.
| Wrenn, who was intending to come
down to her cottage a little later, say
ing that II anything happened to Mr.
Wrenn all the slow poison in the
world wouldn't save her from the cleo
trio chair. And then I felt I'd done
my duty.
Well, August came along, and then
what do you suppose happened? II
was Sunday. and of course the post Of
fee was closed, Aunt Lily and had
been entertaining some Of our friends
and telling them Of the fiendish con-
trivances going on in Seacliff, when
suddenly in there walked Mrs. Blenk.
insop, Mrs. Schofield, that Wrenn
hussy and George Blenkinsop. My!
You could have knocked me down
with q feather! And all their faces
had the same satirical look I had no.
ticed before.
well, Miss Twist" said Mrs Blenk.
insop. you will be glad to hear that
Mr.. Pratt-you remember Mr.. Pratt
has gone to China to take up posi-.
ton as banker there. Yes, and he's
gone alone!"
The brazen vixen! had hardly
caught my breath to murmur some
thing when Mrs. Blenkinsop spoke up.
81 thought you'd like to be one OF
the first of our friends to know that
George is going to be married." she
said "Such q nice woman, Miss
Twist; not an actress or anything
common like that. You know George
has such an aversion for the stage"
Then little Mrs. Wrenn said: "By
the way, Miss Twist. can you recon-
mend to me really good poison for
getting rid Of the miserable rats? Our
house is overrun with them. and Mr..
Wrenn thinks you might know Of one.
seeing that the post ONCE suffers in
the same way"
And, before l had managed to an
swer word the four got up and left
me. They were outside before ! re-
allied they had been referring to me
when they spoke Of rats, or I'd have