The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-15
WILD BARBARA BAasToW
BY AilSA LEE.

to his fiancee.
Tanning Barbara, indeed" he
snorted angrily. What man could
ask for a sweeter, meeker little soul
than Barbara Barstow, whom an
obliging relative had suggested that
he marry if he expected any of said
relatives golden ducats.
Hang it all, Uncle Moses Blake
, had stormed. do you mean to say
that you'll cut off Barbara Barstow if
don't marry herr"
I've said my say said Uncle Moses
grimly. Then one day Blake had gone
over to see the Barstows and so I'M
pressed was he by their evident pow
erty and shabby gentility that he paid
! assiduous court to pretty, darkeyed
Barbara, the youngest of the flock of
! five girls.
! He found it easier to love Barbara
! than he expected and one day they
became engaged.
Blake believed that when they were
! married Barbara would give up climb
| ing trees after birds nests, or scaling
fences and fishing. or any other of the
boyish sports in which she INDUCED.
But their wedding day came and went
and Barbara did not lose her love for
the woods and fields.
Blake admitted that his household
affairs were administered with great
system-all the Barstow girls were
famous housekeepers.
Uncle Moses gave them handsome
present and promptly neglected St
Johns.
Blake did not care for his own sake,
because he had sufficient to live on
comfortably. but he worried about
Barbara's people. There were so
many girls and their future independ
ence had hung on Barbaras marriage
in accordance with Uncle Moses
wish
One day Blake had a taste of Bar
bara's fiery temper. He had come be-
hind her chair and softly kissed the
curls in the nape of her pretty neck
How dare you?" she stormed.
looking like an angry kitten.
but, my dear. l am your husband"
, expostulated the abashed young man.
. II don't care If you're my grand
, father" declared Barbara. 81 don't
want you to kiss me-yet!"
r mot YETI" echoed Blake. Pray.
, when may I-when?"
But Barbara relapsed into a cool 81.
l lence which Flake, offended, would
not be the first to break.
1t was a pretty state of affairs, he
? told himself holly. pretty state OF
l affairs when man couldn't kiss his
/. own wife.
! The more Blake revolved the cpl
l sode of the stolen kiss the more he
became interested in Barbara.
! How could he tame Barbara?
t That problem confronted him morn
3 ing and night. Barbara did not ap
pear to be worried about her husband
She treated him with an airy in
souciance that sometimes provoked
him to bitterness.
+. Suddenly Uncle Moses died, ant
e when his affairs were settled up Il
n was found that he had made will II
l, favor of the Barstows long before Bar
g bara's marriage, and, so far as any
n one could see, the marriage Of Blake
d and Barbara was an unnecessary sac
/. rifice to Mammon.
Aunt Prissy told all this to Barbara
d "My dear, It seems such pity tina
x Moses tied Blake st. John down t.
It such a promise. l heard he was en-
n gagged to that tall Miss Petit from
t. Lanesboro. 1t serves him right
d though, for making a mercenar.
II marriage"
9 Barbara was very pale when sh,
q. went into the house, after seeing
e Aunt Prissy drive off in her ancien
10 phaeton. She donned her ridin,
4. clothes and went out to the stable aft
D. er Ponto.
It For several hours she rode like
e. mad woman. up hill and down dale
r and when Blake, returning from tow
e in his little motor car, met her a
d the crossroads, she looked like
n small scared brownie.
n What Is the matter, Barbara" h
g asked. alarmed at her appearance
n Nothing! I'll race you to tn
IS gate" she challenged. So Ponto an,
q the runabout sped briskly along tn
q road until they reached home.
n Before dinner, Blake seeking hi
q, wife, found her curled on the rug be
d fore the library fire. All the daint
little ringlets were inviting his lips, 8
IL he coolly knelt beside her and kisse
u her.
Barbara sat very still He stole
look at her face. It was turned wis
fully toward him.
" "That is because I love you and
d have the right" he said proudly.
"But-you married me 30 that 20
would not lose Uncle Moses money,
n she reminded him.
The day before our wedding Uncl
Moses confessed to me that he ha
8, already transferred their share {
W your people, but had learned to low
you. and would not give you up, a
t though Uncle Moses had conscienc,
9 stricken notion that l would.
But you, Barbara-you married m
"a man you didn't love-just to kee
' your family from poverty" ne col
Guided.
8 THE night before our wedding,
? confessed Barbara, Uncle Moses toll
V me all and said it was not too late {
;. withdraw"
And you chose to marry newly?
"Oh, Blake. Can't you guess?" sh
whispered