The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-31
N THE TRENCHES
Nv DOROTHY elAckMoRE.

Ssssssssss44RssRRRRRHRssRsS
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per syndicate.)
The enemy 10 In your trenches
again, SIS" cried Teddy Herbert to
his sister, who had not yet come down
to breakfast
Dear, dear!" he heard her exclaim,
and then he heard hurried footsteps
and saw Matte run downstairs, PICK
NJ q coat that was lying on . chair
In the hall, and slam the front door
after her.
-Four sixty-foot trenches lay open |
at the side Of the Herbert home. ana |
Matte was running back and forth |
! chasing away the neighbour chickens.
The fresh fertilizer which had been
! placed 80 carefully in each OF the
trenches was scattered everywhere.
and dismay was written all over the
Girls face when she turned to come
into the house
ITS . shame!" she said, as she
took her place at the table. breathing
hard, but looking a. fresh as a rose
after her exercise In the invigorating
March air. And this one year when
l had counted 80 much on my sweet
peas and have followed directions SO
carefully. What shall l do, mother?
"Shoot the chickens" suggested
Teddy.
This isn't the war. Teddy" his
sister said, squelchingly. These are
, sweet pea trenches"
, Il pass" said Teddy, getting up
J from the table. "It's not my funeral,
a Mat. So long!" And with that he
{ was gone.
. Matte and her mother were finish
!. ing breakfast in silence when they
heard the knocker on the front door
z "Tu GO" said Matte, as her mother
= started to rise.
I'm George Davis-next door
you know. just saw you chasing
q my chickens out Of your garden
|? -
u Come in, please" said Matte
opening wide the door to the yount
le man who was introducing himself.
You see. I've come to stay witt
my brother, next door, for while
1t since my firm saw At to cut dow
n. expenses by letting me out of jot
ne He's never at home and my sister !
busy with the baby, so the chicken
!" have been in your trenches owing
nv folly. / apologize and Will Sc
that it does not happen again"
"Oh, don't worry" Matte hastene
to say. "Of course. well. l hav
worked 80 hard this spring, and 1t he
do been rather disconcerting-"
ut "Disconcerting!" interrupted Dav'
Nc THAT is polite. II had been IN yo'
l place think would have blessed Il
Mt whole houseful of neighbors. u
0u' your he laughed.
Matte Joined him. Perhaps y
I'M would call 1t . blessing. ! hadl
NJ thought Of it in that light. But nc
80. you won't worry. will you? Ill 9
T. out this morning and try to plant :
~ seeds, and then"
uss "Then II my chickens dig them
mo | needn't show my face again In Il
~. neighborhood?"
tns Matte nodded, laughing. tina
est ~ ,,,,.S o., moro words Of apolo
''' George Davis left. and Matte Hero
knew that she liked him and was q
"e- that he was to be . neighbor.
That morning, when she was Oh
IT, out of doors, trying to repair
'n damage done to her trenches. Geol
~. Davis looked over the hedge wn
separated the gardens. 1T Is l v
should be doing that he ventured
,ee You may help" Matte 81
-. quickly.
A few hours work with her assn
man him that Matte Herbert was not c
ventional, that she was the most o
inal and charming girl he had me-
Spring came and went. ana u
asts brought the looked-for blossoms
ader the Herberts' garden. The four 81
Feet foot trenches were q riot OF do
Ms and some stems held four blosss
70 OF gigantic proportions.
Matte and her mother and
TIM Teddy picked sweet peas night
81 morning, and Matte herself atten
rage to the shipping. It was then that
nose tie called upon her. neighbor Tor
rom ~ can't offer you much In ret
the for your help, which ! need bad
1srs the girl said, frankly, but thin
2" Won are still out Of . position you
w ~ I could do a small business toge'
- with your chickens and our ground
Nv 81 don't need any pay for nell
run YOU" Davis said earnestly. i sn'
love to do It"
l0 Later they worked out . schem
!, - successive raising Of table comm
= - ties for which they knew Of. n
~, and accessible markets. And Y
c.'oa thew worked on this scheme they
'HA' In love with each other.
One day he told her Of bis love
ny. Of what he had hoped her an
n. might be.
my answer Is yes. OF course
tie said. But we must continu
;. be partners in business % well
our home. I-well I'm glad the
~; brought to you and to me the n
90 sity for earning our living toge
49, For II was the exigencies OF the
49, situation that brought NJ toge
!, ,ot wasn't IT." she asked.
o.. Eyes, it was the enemy In
"a trenches, DEAR he said, laughin
'1' PLACING the Responsibility.