The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-16
Three InOne
By EUNICE BLAKE

! ~ NH lllHAtlcs al AAs NAA--N ~ 49,
( and Mrs. Doncaster they were named
with facetious intent-Thomas. Rich
/ ard and Henry; in other words. Tom.
/ Dick and Harry When the brothers
came Of age they made their homes
in different localities. Three years later
| they arranged reunion.
One Of the first questions was, Are
you engaged:' though the way it was
put to Tom was. Have you got a
| girl:" To which he replied, II haven't
got a girl, but a girl has got me-"
What do you mean by that?" Well.
I'm in love with Julia Atkinson, but
she won't have me-" Doesn't she love
you?" she says she does, but claims
that have two defects, either of
which make me untitled TO be her hus-
/ band What are they?" First,
| am administrative. She doesn't want
| cold man. Second, look on the dark
side of everything. She calls me Mr..
| Dismal"
Suppose" Tom went on, you, Dick,
call on Julia, personating me. She'll
| never know the difference. Plaster her
all over with your taffy. Next time
| you go, Harry. and give her hot air.
/ She'll think I'm changed, and |
wouldn't wonder If she'll say Yes aft
er all"
But can you keep it up?" asked both
| the others.
Il tell you what you do. You, Dick,
rehearse on Harry, and you. Harry, re-
hearse on Dick. Then I'll see how 1t
is done"
Agreed"
Tom threw himself on a lounge and
| lit cigar. Dick went out of the room
and in a few minutes came in and ap-
preached Harry with cordially enough
to convict mob One would have
thought there was no one else in the
world for him. After this lesson Harry
went out, and when he returned he
ratified of optimism like mill race.
That's all right. boys said Tom.
I've received permission to call to-
night to plead for the last time, with
no hope to win. Take my place, Dick,
and make an appointment if possible
for Harry later on"
The same evening Dick appeared be.
fore the lady to be wooed. He looked
a sad, loving look out Of his eyes that
almost broke her heart But he soon
took courage and adopted a different
manner, 1t was not in what he said
affection Is not necessarily expressed In
words-it was in his pleading manner
and those other auxiliaries that are
natural to some and impossible Il
others.
! whats come over you, Tomf" asked
the girl you've always been cold a.
n stone before"
The prospect of losing you has light
ed fires In my heart that will never b,
quenched till you tell me that you viii
be mine"
IF it were not for your pessimism
would" said the lady.
TRY me on that. have been con
vinced Of my fault and will make al
t effort to rectify It."
t VERY well. l will put you on proba
ton for month. If at the end of tina
time you succeed in throwing off you
pessimism maybe I'll relent."
. Tom would have learned something
: had he seen Dicks parting kiss, thougl
perhaps it was just as well that he di,
' not. After the call Dick rejoined hi
t brothers, who were expecting him. an
i he gave them an account of his visit
all but the kiss He was to call agail
r the next evening, which prepared tn
l way for Harry's effort to supply Tom
l second deficiency. Hope sprang buoy
! ant in Toms breast
( The next evening Harry entered tn
e lady's presence. enthusiasm beamin
e all over him.
!, "Oh, sweetheart" he exclaimed, icon
| graduate met
q whats happened?"
n i've been taken in on the groun
l floor Of the Acme Gold Mining com
!. pany. For $500 investment l shall b
| rich. They are taking out ore tina
3 pays $500 to the ton"
Dick took from his pocketbook Gel
r ti1cate of stock that was not wort
: the paper 1t was printed on.
3 Upon my word, Tom, what's becem
/ Of Mr.. Dismal? I'll have to chang
your name to Mr.. Aircastle. Tomm
: Aircastle; that's a good name"
3 "You don't believe mel" reproach
: fully.
: 81 believe that you are trying to cor
/ vince me of your reformation as a pes
: simist. don't care IL you renal
something of a pessimist In dispos
: ton, but do care II you weigh dow
: others with your lugubrious views
a Since you are under probation for you
t GOODNESS, you may consider yoursel
under probation for your other faul
4 We shall see how you succeed"
e Harry returned to his brothers, an
Y when he reported that he, too, ha
: been put on probation, the three {
I them embraced and then turned the
: attention to refreshments as on tn
evening before
: "Now, Tom," said Dick, you pra,
tIce on either me or Harry every da
: during the term Of your probation
8 Well coach you; and, mind, don't 8
t to see your girl except Immediate
e after lesson from both Of u.s."
Tom took the advice and persuade
o his brothers to remain with him unit
he was "out OF the woods" At the'en
+ of the month he was accepted and b
/ came the husband OF Julia Atkinson
: After their marriage she continued b,
i husbands training. Her own demol
strative bearing became subdued, an
e Tom unconsciously relapsed into pc
kinksm. But on the whole, they g
on together as well as most couples.