The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-29
JUMPING JASPER
BY CLAIRE RICHIE.

Jenifer slipped on grape and fell.
The cream pitcher poised high in one
hand and plate of hard golden but
ter in the other, flew in opposite d.
rectionS.
! She felt carefully. then got up and
wiggled both feet around in turn.
Jenifer returned to the kitchen and
looked around. It's just my luck to
have to stay home from the circus and
cook while all the family enjoy them
! selves"
She sighed. Nothing remarkable
ever happens to me. If | were to feed
a charming prince, | could cook all
day, but just because father ran
across prosy old judge at the Pan
anna exposition, ] have to-Gracious.
| believe something's burning"
A few minutes later she heard a
violent commotion among the chick
ems near the barn She raised her
/ eyes. High in the air was a balloon
with something hanging to it.
"a parachute man of all things"
she cried He must be from the cir
/ GUS"
The man showed some signs of ami
nation as he neared terra firma. He
landed on the barn.
Wait minute-I'll get LADDER"
she cried.
"Never mind" he shouted. There's
straw stack. I'll jump" Which he
did before she could protest.
"Will you tell me, please, where I
am?"
Our name is Jordan My father is
Abner Jordan and that is our house
over there,"
will you please excuse my get-up
Miss Jordan? Will you please tell me
how far it is back to town."
About four miles,"
Great Caesar. Did | come so far?
And | must get back right away Is
there rig or horse / could borrow"
Il don't think you could scare up
so much as a donkey for miles around
The whole country has gone to see
you"
Except you! Why"
Il had to stay home and cook din
ner. There's Judge coming
That's too bad, really"
Thanks, but not so bad as it was.
1t was kind of you to-to-what do
you call it?-foat over this way and
land on our barn like-who was it,
Ali Baba or Sindbad or somebody like
that"
He laughed. "The man with the fly
ing trunk. Like me, he had no name"
Like YOU" wide eyed
I'm incognito for the present
known only to the world as Jasper
the Jumper"
you can have rig when the fam
lily returns, of course"
THANK you. It's little late, but"
He glanced at her sideways. Can l
help you if l waltz"
"Well-you aren't dressed exactly
like chef, l should say-but | can
lend you big apron and a cap. I've
a pink one that would look cute"
"You are making fun of me- I've
a good notion to go out to that straw
stack and sulk for the remainder of
the Afternoon"
Il spilled all the cream" irrelevant.
ly. "for the ice cream. Now we can't
have it. l don't know what to do"
I'll bet the judge hates it anyway.
l have bunch he'd like apple tapioca
instead"
Il don't know how to make it."
"Oh, don't you? Well, l do. Trot
out the tapioca and milk and apples
and stuff. | told you | knew how to
cook"
The preparations in the kitchen
progressed wonderfully. and when the
Jordans returned the house was full
of delicious odors.
Its the queerest thing we couldn't
find the judge" Abner was exclaiming
stentoriously on the front veranda
while his spouse rustled kitchenward
to reconnoiter
"Good-gracious!" she gasped, stop.
ping in the doorway For there was
an apparition in green tights, only
partially covered by Bingham apron,
trying to spread white icing on a
chocolate cake
Its going to run" he was say.
ing when Mrs. Jordan's exclamation
cut him short
'Oh, mother, are you home? This
is Mr.-Jasper the Jumper. didn't you
say? He came in balloon and he's
helping me with dinner"
But Mrs. Jordan had fled. Her face
was enough to make Abner himself
fly to the kitchen to investigate the
trouble. What's wrong-whats
wrong?"
He stood for an instant as had his
Then, "Whoo-ee! If
1t amt the Judge. What's happened
and what in time are you doing?"
Helping to get my own dinner.
You see-plague take this icing. II
won't stick! ! came Unexpectedly.
The parachute man got sick and. nv
room being next to his in the hotel,
l did what | could for him and offered
to I'LL his contract today He needed
the money and it's cinch to do it |
came of a family of athletes, you
know. If you'll be so kind as to lend
me horse I'll get to town and change
to company clothes, an perhaps when
l return I'll get a chance to show
Miss Jenifer that I'm not all buffoon.
l really do know that Homer past was
poet and Homer PR sent is grand
opera singer. Miss Jordan"