The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-17
THE LITTLE
LACEMAKER
By SADIE oLcoTT

Il Wish my son would marry ana
settle down."
These words were spoken by Mrs
Mainwaring OF Baltimore to Mrs. Stet-
son Of Providence while the two ladies
were listening to the orchestra at the
Casino at Luzerne, Switzerland.
my Alice" replied Mrs. Stetson,
twill be out Of school within a few
days, and I shall have the matrimoni-
al problem for her on my hands,"
"How I WISH" rejoined Mrs. Main
waring. that I could get her for
Dick"
81 should be very happy at the alli-
ance. assure you; but, from what you
say, your son win not marry"
HE will fall In love with some inno-
cent country girl, unsophisticated and
uncultivated."
The result Of this dialogue when con-
cluded was a scheme to throw together
Alice Stetson as a Swiss lacemaker
and Dick MainwaEing. When Miss
Alice returned from school the plan
was proposed to her not as one to make
a match for her, but as o lark She
was by no means averse to 1t Dick
was on the way from Italy to join his
mother, and when he arrived he found
domesticated with her a very pretty
girl dressed In the attractive costume
Of the country, filing an order for lace.
Alice, who took the name Of Gretchen
and was supposed to speak only Ger
MANTLE language Of eastern Switzer-
land-sat In chair before q board On
which she worked the threads. A
real lacemaker had taught her to dc
the simplest kind of work, which was
ali that was needed.
Upon his arrival, seeing the little
lacemaker at work In his mothers
boudoir, he went up behind her and
watched her work. Believing her to
be unconscious Of his presence, he said;
"Fraulein, your delicate fingers sre
well adapted to such fine work"
Gretchen turned and, seeing a young
man bending over her. appeared to be
very much disconnected and made no
reply, proceeding with her work.
Mainwafng, thinking that the girl did
not understand English, repeated what
he had said In German.
Zach, herr" she replied, "you fiatter
me-"
Dick heard his mother approaching
and, not caring to be caught chatting
with her employee. walked away. But
Gretchen was always there-that Is
when Dick was there-and It was as
impossible for him to keep away from
| her as for a bee to ignore a flower
AAce may have Just LETT school but
she had a woman's natural spiderls
instinct 10 catching fly. She waited
till Dick began to say tender things tc
her. then mildly reproved him for talk
ing thus to one so far beneath him
The next stage was that she listened
to him, but reminded him that II his
mother came to suspect that he was
saying them she would discharge hel
employee at once. Here forbidden
fruit came in to make 1t all the more
interesting for the young Lothario, and
1t was not long before he endeavored
to steal kiss.
The lacemaker put him away witt
a look so reproachful that 1t made hin
feel as IL he had been stealing pennies
from Salvation Army children's frest
air fund. He stammered an apology
but she cold him that IL he respected
himself and wished her to respect hin
he must not speak to her again unless
In the presence OF his mother. How
ever, on his promise not to try to stea
any more kisses he might occasionally
say a very few words.
It must be admitted that Dick wa
at disadvantage. Miss Stetson wal
a lady, quite a beauty, with a yer,
soft voice and softer eyes, and t,
| crown all she was dressed In one O
the prettiest national costumes in tn,
world Within three days she begaI
to interfere with Dicks day dreams
and as for his night dreams he wa
unable to sleep. BE tossed about u
bed, lamenting the fact that the lace
maker was only 6 poor Swiss girl wit
whom an alliance would be impossi
bic. Now and again he would res0el
to throw common sense to the win0s
then would bring himself up with
round turn. wondering II he had be
come insane.
One morning he entered his mother
boudoir, expecting to ind the lace
maker, but instead found the room We
cant. 1t seemed as IL some one ha,
turned or a thousand candle powe
electric light Mrs. Mainwaring cam
into the room, and Dick asked:
"M-m-mother, what's become OF you
little lacemakecf"
"0h, she finished the work gave he
to do and has gone homer
Dick said nothing further, but hi
mother watched his woebegone e1
pressien with satisfaction.
The next evening at the Casino Mr.
Mainvsring introduced her son to be
friend, Miss Stetson. Miss Stetson [
propria persona was chatting with
handsome American gentleman. Whe
Dick was introduced she bowed grs
ciously. Dick was dumfounded.
soon as he could speak to his mothe
without being overhead he asked whs
It all meant. He was told that Mis-
Stetson was a girl Of the new We
man order and had learned to sur
WUka