The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-17
A WOLF
ON ICE
By CLARA NEZ DEACON
tCopyrlgnt.D

,CopyngntJ
There were IL farmers around the
shores of Black lake. and the wives
of II of them were gossiping about
Miss Ally Parsons, the adopted
daughter of old Mrs. Parsons. the wild
ow. If Mrs. Parsons had also Cos
siped it would have rounded out the
dozen.
1t wasn't scandal but gossip. though
there was tinge of meanne-s in 1t.
Whenever two or three of the wives
got together a listener might have
overheard such sentences as:
Who does she think she is. any
way?"
she feels herself too good for any
one around here"
That's what comes from sending
girl on to be educated"
III l was Burt Hazleton l wouldn't
look at her twice"
What is she locking for-an an
gel?"
And whenever two or three hus-
bands got together a listener might
have overheard such sentences as:
Heard your spotted COW was ailing.
JIM"
Wish we would have about six
inches more snow"
Have you fellers read what the
New Jersey weather prophet says
about late spring."
That's the difference between the
sexes 1t has always been that way
and will be to the end of time.
Just because cousin of the widow
Parsons died and left little girl
twelve years old named Ally. there
was gossip Who was the cousin?
What did she die of? Why didn't some
one else adopt Ally? Was the child
going to be petted and pampered. and
various other things. That gossip
. died out, and then. when the girl was
sixteen and was sent away to school.
there was more of it.
She came home at eighteen, and the
talk around Black lake raised the
water foot higher in three days.
Burt Hazleton. son of county sup
ervisor, justice of the peace. chairman
of the school board and the one who
always furnished hay and straw to
every circus that came to the village
three miles away, knew Miss Ally be
fore she went away to school. and fell
in love with her after she returned
He asked her to marry him, and she
, did not Jump at the chance" as they
put it. On the contrary. 1t came to
: be understood that she felt herself
: above him She was going to marry
!, gentleman, thank you. or she
wouldn't marry at all. No making
soft soap. feeding pigs and peeing pc
:. tatoes for her
:. Was there any truth in all the COS
:. sip? Just a grain or two. Miss All,
had received fair education, but she
had not become stuck up" She har
. always liked Burt Hazleton. but sh,
: was not in love- He had not asket
for her heart. Sometimes 1t requires
! a shock to develop love in either sex
That was all there was to 1t. but thos,
IL women were having more de
y lightful time than they could have 60
y out of IL combined camp meetings.
Black lake froze up in the winter
). like all respectable and well behaved
D. lakes, and there was always fair ska,
" ing. Sometimes the skaters were Il
= crowds-in couples-or alone. Sine
o her return Miss Ally had skated wit
20 the crowd, with Burt and by her lone
some.
On this particular evening she wa
u out alone During the afternoon oil
10 Mrs Hedges. who had rheumatism 1
everything except her tongue. ha
called to pick at her and get food 70
H. further gossip One of the many mea
n things she had said was that II sh
ne had a daughter who felt herself to
~ good to black the kitchen stove she
ne lock that daughter up in the smok
IL house until she had learned that sh
&c was no better than other folks.
III Another was that the girl who ha
a few good looks and little educ,
IS ton. and who figured on marryin
at some one way above her on that a
10 count. was going to get badly taken
De and done for She might marry. b,
H. she'd find out afterwards that she ha
Oh married a lightning rod man instea
ou OF a millionaire.
w. Farmer jackson owned fool do
lis Everybody around Black lake. inclu
ng ing farmer Jackson himself. agree
as that he was a fool dog. They said
n didn't know enough to bury a bone
Sc bark at a hog. There were many TO
things that fool dog did to make tai
NV hut he went right on In his upwa
he career as If his skull contained Il
he brains of a wise old canine This 70
he dog had finished his supper and VI
,oafing about when he heard the ril
E.. of skates from the lake Witho
MT claiming any credit for acumen
inferred that some skater was abroa
ng and he went down to the shore to &
- Yes there was a girl gliding alo
Ike half a mile away She was all alo
me and must be lonesome. The compa
of fool dog was better than nothr
nm and away he sped
eli. Miss Ally had been told years
OF fore by an old woman that in phone
In! DAYS a pack of wolves had caught
ing man crossing Black lake on the
o. and pulled him down and devour
ais him. and that Just two acres OF {
ped surface we're covered with bio,
her bones. boot-legs and trousers butte