The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-31
As IN THE OLD DAYS
ey MARY MARSHALL.

Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Ne"spa
per SyndicateD
ITS such a bore not to have cof-
fee."
Tom Blake drew a long pun from
his cigarette and then YEARLY
watched the smoke as it circled over
Julias head. 1t had come to be
matter of fact for Tom and Julia
Dawson to come off like this at the
Blair parties and pass an hour IN
quiet in the broad sweeping veranda
overlooking the sea.
Julia sat up erect and looked at
Tom with the frankness of old &C
| quaintance, the result of friendship
that had lasted through the days when
: Julia and Tom both left college sew
! eral years before. you are getting
to be a miserable, grumpy old bach
elor, Tom Blake
| When man is as old as / am
| he doesn't delude himself easily.
wish the Blairs would serve coffee.
Who wants an ice without coffee even
in JULY"
"And you are miserable just be-
cause they didn't happen to have 1t!
Why don't you go down to the hotel
and get some If that is the way you
feel? If anyone we're at our cottage
I'd like you to come home now. COZ
fee is very simply concocted."
II dare you, Julia" Tom tossed
his cigarette of the veranda and
stood beside her. Don't refuse q
dare, do you? double dare you to
let me go home with you now and
make it.. Remember how ! used to
dare you-dared you to kiss me once
at our junior prom, and you were too
good a sport to refuse But kissing 8
gone out of fashion now. Julia. !
triple dare you to make the coffee"
A minute later Julia, her light
evening cape thrown around her
shoulders, colo down the veranda
steps with Tom. Just as they turned
into the pathway that led into the cot
tage two neighbors passed. 1T
, Julia" one said, land that Mr. Blake
No ones in the cottage, either. Funny
r of Julia to be there alone, and that
: Blake they say used to be in love
with her once" Julia was fumbline
+ with the keys and did not hear this
but Tom caught it.
Once in the house Julia dropped
her wrap and started toward the din
: ing room.
!, "Oh, forget the coifee!" Tom callet
after her. THAT walk down here wa
: all the bracer needed. didn't reall.
!: mean that I was going to let you g
u to all that trouble
- 1t was perhaps because Julia turne'
and smiled over her shoulder as sh
: hurried on to the dining room, an
10 partly because the remark of tn
- neighbor had brought back a food Q
" old recollections, that Tom rushe
forward and caught Julia in his arms
Is But it YVES a very different Julia fror
le the Julia he had kissed in his colleg
days. She had been frightened an
AZ happy then. Now she was APPARENT
anger
a Toni" there was deep reproof
ID her tone, how could you?"
u But you used to let me. You kno
is how you protested that night whe
We left college and didn't think we
ce see each other for whole lor
IF, month afterward. But you yielde
OF and then you cried in my arms at II
ed thought of the separation. And no
lie. l am away from you a whole whit
OF at q time and you don't give me
Nv thought" He caught her again al
ce kissed her as if none of the four
he tervening years had cooled his ardc
81 Julia struggled against his arm
'e 1T is unfair" she told him. Il q
'S cepted your dare thinking that "
gave it in good faith. and now l fl
that it was just a ruse. Please
away at once. don't mind bell
ed left here alone. but l refuse to st
MS alone with you"
ter What If they did see? They cou
he only think that wanted to take y
ma OF by yourself where could kiss y
IDS and tell you that l love you
g." But how unfair of you to sugge
yes 1t just because / thought you want
I'M coffee and all the time you We
ar planning"
e,e Tom drew the girls slender f1gu
o.e toward him. Julia, didn't pl
anything. l didn't dream I'd k
'eS you. was crusty old bache
~, when was at the Blairs. COT
dio was the most important thing in |
ers at that time. Id forgotten the
inc of touching your lips to mine. But
ca. all came back in flood of recoll
aeu ton. Julia, l think that the mel
as bors will talk about US. l think
anu will be all over the place, the sc
Inis dial OF the summer In fact, l he;
sea someone starting the gossip as
var came in. Julia, you are dreadfu
compromised-that is what they s
isn't 1t? You have been very In,
Greet to let me come in this EN-
dur house with you, Julia" Tom ,
+. standing with his hands on Jul
told shoulders holding her at ar
heir length from him. Julia, the @
eter square thing for me to do now IL
'om' insist on marrying you. That is
d sort Of talk that the part requi
De- isn't it?'
You are laughing at me?" II
con- the old Julia and her cheeks v
warm and her eyes had their old
IT. nectancy as Tom drew her to