The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-02
A Balky Lover
By ELINOR MARSH

Mr.. and Mrs. Harkaway's daughter,
Maria, was the one being on earth who
absorbed their interest. All went well
till Maria's affections became centered
on a young man, and the young man
was 30 slow in proposing that Mrs.
Harkaway feared some other girl
would steal him away from her .daugh-
ter. The mother kept her fears to
herself as long as possible. then reveal
ed them to her husband.
II do think" said Mrs. Harkaway.
that young fellow who is coming to
see Maria should either propose to her
| or be told not to come to see her any
| MORE
"How do you know that he hasn't
| proposed to herr" asked her husband.
i Because when l went into the
parlor last evening after he had gone
I asked her, and she said he hadn't
docs she want him to propose?"
'Of course she does. Do you sup
pose she would let him come and sit
with her twice a week-sometimes
three times-unless she expected that
he would ask her to marry him?''
"Maria is good girl Do you know
whether he Is good man,"
| MARIA says he Is as steady as a
clock and has money laid up"
"What do you suppose he's waiting
for?"
maria says he's natural putter off
of things"
well, l reckon We'll have to find
some way to help her OUT
what do you mean?"
"Why. don't you remember when we
were engaged how l was waiting to
get certain sum laid up to be mar
+, ried on, and your little brother one
day fatty asked me why didn't mar
ry you or take myself Off? 1 know
very well that he had taken the words
from your fathers mouth, and 1t
brought me to the scratch. We must
lay some such plan for this Young
lover"
"That's easier said than DONE"
One evening when the usual spark
ing was going on in the parlor there
was ring at the front door bell.
Maria went to the door and reported
that an Italian was there with a par
rot he said the gentleman had asked
him to bring to him. The man was
admitted to the living room, and Mr..
Harkaway said to him:
"You think you have found bird
that will talk, eh?"
"YOu BETA I have"
"What is he worth?"
FIFTY dolla'."
"Well, let's hear what he can do"
The Italian took the parrot from his
cage and by talking to him ELECTED
many wonderful sayings. When he had
done so Mrs. Harkaway said to him:
81 wish you would let my daughter
hear him talk Come this way"
She led him out into the parlor,
where Maria's young man was sitting
beside her.
Maria" said the lady. 81 wish you
to hear this wonderful parrot. He
says such queer things"
"Yes'm." said Maria, and her young
man rose and stood in presence Of
the mother. The Italian held the
parrot on his forefinger and said a
number. of things to him, which the
bird doubtless understood, for he be-
gan to chatter Then, suddenly fixing
his attention on the lovers, he said:
Maria give me kiss"
Maria colored, and her young man
started
, Then followed some rambling talk,
during which the parrot seemed to
have forgotten the lovers. They were
recovering from his pertinent remark
when he broke forth anew:
maria, will you marry me-"
i. BY this time Mr.. IIarkaway had
come through the hall and stood In
the parlor door. evidently DESTROYS Of
satisfying himself that the parrot was
| worth the price asked for him. He
was in time to hear the last words.
? "Of course I'll marry you" We're the
, parrots last words.
Harkaway. pretending that he sup
posed the proposition and acceptance
to come from the lovers, marched up
/ to Maria and congratulated her. Then
: turning to her young man. he said:
, you've got mighty good girl, and
she'll make you mighty good wife.
The young man. instead Of looking
disgruntled, seemed pleased. He was
not much Of talker, and smile was
1 his only response to the cOngratula
. tons. 1t is quite likely he felt CRATE
, full to the bird for relieving him OF
. making a proposal.
. Mrs. IIarkaway hung back for q
time not pretending that she had mis-
4 taken the parrots voice for that of the
lovers; but, seeing that the young maj
v was disposed to avail himself of the
q birds proposal, she went to Maria ant
offered her congratulations.
The Italian was sent away with hi,
y parrot and five dollar bill to pay fol
his exhibition of vPntriloquism, for h
e had been hired and coached by Hark
away to bring about what had oc
/, Cured.
"What an absurd scene" remarked