The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-06
Phil Webster
By HAROLD JOY

tOmboy. At fourteen she was pretty
as q picture, and at seventeen she was
prettier still. But IL she outgrew some
Of her tomboy practices she retained
the tomboy spirit.
In some families all letters that come
to the house are considered lawful
prey by any member and opened at
will. One day letter came for Phillis'
brother Jack from Florida. Jack be
ing away at the time. Phillis opened
the missive. 1t was from his friend.
Egbert Farnsworth, who was running
an orange plantation In Florida, urg-
Ing Jack to make him visit. Farms
worth said that he was without asso-
ciates, having only an aunt with him
who kept house for him, and he wished
Jack would come down and make him
| Q visit.
Phillis was seized with a desire to
leave the rigorous northern winter for
the genial southern climate. If she
were only a man instead Of girl she
would contrive, If possible, to have
Jacks invitation transferred to herself
As It was, she wrote Mr.. Farnsworth
that Jack was not at home and would
not be able to accept his kind invita-
ton.
Phillis wrote hand that might cas-
lily be mistaken for mans and signed
herself "Phil Webster" BY return
mail she received reply from Farms
worth extending the invitation to Phil
This was terrible temptation for
Phillis. So far as propriety was con-
cerned, Farnsworth's aunt being with
him, Phil might visit the plantation,
though 1t would not be exactly the
thing for girl Of a retiring disposi-
ton to do.
Phil struggled with herself for some
time, then gave way.
When Egbert Farnsworth went to
the station and pretty girl accosted
him, saying that she was Phil Farms
worth, he could have been knocked
over with feather. Phil pretended
not to notice his SURPRISE but apollo
gized for making the visit, saying that,
her father and brother being both
away and she being very lonely, BE-
sides, the winter being very cold and,
knowing that he had an aunt with him
for chaperon. she had not the courage
to refuse an invitation from her broth
er's most intimate friend.
Egbert was tickled to death at hav-
ing girl visitor and took her home to
his aunt, whom he instructed to as
! sumo the direction of her movements,
as II Phil We're her daughter Phil ap-
peared as unsophisticated as q country
girl Of fifteen and convinced the aunt
that she had no idea she was doing
anything out Of the way.
Farnsworth behaved very circum-
specify. He consulted his aunt before
proposing to take Phil anywhere with
him, and whenever the good lady de-
INJURED as to the prophecies the three
went together.
Phil had affected childlike timidity
az well as simplicity. Though she had
taken prizes In swimming contests, she
went into the water shrinkingly, as
though fearing to wet her pink toes
Miss Farnsworth always accompanied
her to the shore and charged Egbert
to see that she never got beyond her
depth Phil enjoyed the play. in which
she was performing the principal part.
immensely and begged Egbert to teach
her how to swim, keeping him busy
giving her instructions.
But this kind Of bathing did not suit
Phil at ALL She longed to take a
header Off the dock twenty feet above
the water. One morning about day
break getting out Of bed she donned
her bathing dress and stealthily stole
out to the dock, which was but few
hundred yards from the house. All
! was STILL and she believed every one
! was asleep. Unfortunately for her
| Miss Farnsworth had awakened early
| and was tossing about in her bed
Thinking that to stir about her room
might enable her to go to sleep again
after returning to bed, she got up and
walked the floor. CHANGING out through
a window, she saw Phil In bathing
dress hurrying toward the dock. Sur
prised, she paused and watched. Phil
went to the far end of the dock, then
plunged of head foremost.
| Miss Farnsworth, thinking that the
| girl was either a sleepwalker or was
intending to commit suicide, gave a
shrek that awakened Egbert. Hasti-
ly putting on dressing gown, he ran
into his aunt's room. Miss Farms
worth's eyes were strained toward the
dock. Egbert followed then with his
and saw some one swimming like a
dolphin.
"Who Is it?' he asked.
i phil" cried the astonished woman.
with tone Of severity, for her eyes
were opened to the fact that she had
been made dupe.
When Phil finished her swim she re
turned to the house and stole up to her
room as warily as she had gone out.
| After breakfast Egbert held a con.
| sultation with his aunt concerning