The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-03
POOLING A
GUARDIAN
By ETHEL HOLMES

Kate Phillips was an orphan. and
her Aunt Rachel Harding was her
guardian. Kate surely needed a man
ager for her estate. for she was
spendthrift. She was also full Of high
spirits and bent on having a good time
Kate went to college, not because
she wished to learn all about the
Greeks and Romans. comic sections and
philosophy, but because she had heard
that college girls have lots Of fun, and
she wished to see something Of college
life. Her guardian was willing that
she should spend An ordinary sum
while a student. but did not approve
of extravagance. The old lady was
very fond Of her niece-her sisters
child-and felt responsible for her
bringing up. She therefore limited her
ward to list Of reasonable expendi-
lures.
But there was q weak spot In Miss
Hardings efforts. Kate was twenty
years old and would come into her e.
tate when she was twenty one. This
fact enabled her to borrow at an ex.
orbitant rate of interest or to buy
things for much more than they were
worth.
Among these was the purchase Of q
5000 automobile, all on credit. The
car could have been purchased for 81
500 cash. but Kate was charged $4,000.
and the seller kindly agreed to wait
year for his pay, charging per cent
interest and bonus of 5000 for the
accommodation.
The possession of an auto Is not an
easily kept secret. One can more read.
lily own a gold mine without its being
known, for a car is Of no use except
for riding purposes, and that is exact.
ly what Miss Phillips wanted 1t for.
She was an expert driver and fond of
taking her fellow students for a spin.
The consequence was that everybody
knew she owned the handsomest car
In college. and the fact was reported
to her aunt.
Hates alma mater was but a dozen
miles from her aunt's residence, and
the old lady resolved to go over and
learn If the report were true and II 1t
was how her ward had obtained the
purchase money, Miss Harding pos
sessed a mare and vehicle called
rockaway, and in this she set forth in
quest Of the truth about her niece's
extravaganza. She chose Saturday
afternoon, since Kate would not be
engaged in her studies at that time and
there would be no interruption to the
investigation.
That Kate did not study on Saturday
afternoon was as true as that she stud.
led only enough to keep up with her
classes. And that was very little, for
she learned easily On this especial
Saturday afternoon she invited as
many Of her classmates as her car
would hold to go for a spin. and about
the time the old lady set out for the
college Kate touched the starting but
ton In her auto.
Kate, In order to reach the road she
wanted, took one that led to a point a
few miles from her home where the
two roads crossed. Shortly before
reaching the crossing she caught sight
Of the familiar rockaway, every part OF
which was as familiar to her as the
jog trot of Nancy. the mare.
"Oh. heavens she exclaimed There
comes my aunt
At the same time she pulled on va
rious levers with her hands and SHOW.
ed certain brakes with her feet, and
the car came to standstill, while ev-
cry eye in it was fixed on the distant
face in the rockaway. lighted by the
sun striking the glasses of pair of
spectacles.
What shall do?''
Here" cried a girl in the seat be
hind, take my veil! The sun Is shin
ing directly in the old lady's eyes. and
she couldn't see you even without
veil"
Kate took the veil. or. rather. it was
put on by the lender; then she started
her car and whirled by her guardian
so fast and so near the rockaway that
Miss Harding was altogether too
frightened to take a good look at the
driver. Nevertheless there was sus-
picion in the glance she did take. and
it made Kate uneasy.
I'VE must get back to college before
she arrives" she said. land prepare
for her coming
On reaching the crossroad she turned,
but instead of taking a fifty mile drive.
as had been intended. she went back
by the first road she came to leading
collegeward. and while the aunt was
jogging along at seven miles an hour
her niece was doing the distance be.
fore her in ten minutes. The car was
put in the garage under lock and key.
and Kate and her friends, having
changed their costumes to innocent
white. went out on to the campus. and
when the old lady drove up to the dor
mitory where Kate roomed Kate ran
to meet her and. leading her to her
friends. gave her a formal introduc
ton.
During the ride back TO college II had
been arranged that every girl was to
show the old lady some attention. thus
taking IN her time Sn that che xro,,la