The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-30

@~@1AAAp VIII WO1Au pEODaoAy EIOW
tired Of his wife inside of two months,
and not to Rex, the pharmacist, who
was very popular among the girls.
Let the girls settle IT among them
selves" suggested little ALI Peter
son, whose fathers grave had given
the name to the settlement. Ans
father had been the only man scaIped
BY Indians in the twentieth century,
and the town had celebrated its Just
distinction by raising q memorial to
him.
] Then a hideous jest was perpetrated.
Somebody put in Klaxon,s name as
that of the most popular man. And
at the end Of tie first of the four
weeks Kiaxon led the list with SOC
votes. Ransom coming second with
only 425.
Now Klaxon was q Jest. Someone
had perceived the way he looked at
Miss Lane, who treated him az the
dirt beneath her shoes. Klaxon was
too shy to open his mouth in the pres
ence of a girl. Kaxon was q good
little fellow. but popular? No, He
was everything else. but not exactly
popular.
If we don't settle on Ransom Red
Gulch will run away with the prize"
groaned the mayor, when Red Gulch
made sudden squirt and headed the
second weeks voting with Ed Sim
mons, the stenographer, counting
Its. We've got to pull together"
What was Miss Lane doing all this
time. Chatting and flirting with the
boys and having good time. She
seemed entirely heartless.
knew she wasn't. II was this way.
/ came upon her and the manager,
chatting together in the front of the
hotel, and before / had time TO get
away l heard her sobbing.
Now see here, Miss Lane" said the
manager, 'just you give me the word
and I'll can the whole business. It
only started in fun, anyway. You said
you thought it would be fine. Now II
there happens to be some other young
fellow"
There isn't one" sobbed the girl.
Il don't care whether get married or
not. One mans as good as another,
I reckon. No, I've given my word,
and I'm sport enough to see It
through"
Meanwhile, who was backing little
Klaxon5 That was. what everybody
wanted 70 know At the end of the
bird week the score ran as follows:
first, Ed Simmons, 1879; second,
Ransom, Its; third. Jennings Of
Burntover, with 1864; fourth. little
Klaxon, with 1,475.
Who was putting money into
Klaxon? Who had sunk 81 400 in the
shy little man who gazed adoringly ut
the girl and blushed and hurried away
when anybody asked him If he expect
ed to become a benedict?
The serious part of the business was
that Red Gulch had the lead on Peter
sons Monument. That was not to
be tolerated. A deputation went to
President Harding, and he gave his
ord Of honor to put enough money
Ito the fourth week to enable Peter
on's Monument to make sure of the
Jrize. Nobody asked any more. No
one suspected that It was he who was
backing Klaxon. But then, as / said
Miss Dorothy was a girl of determine
ton.
When the final votes were counted
they ran as follows: First, Klaxon,
1919; second, Ed. Simmons, 2,405;
third. Jennings. 2,27s; fourth. Ransom.
2,115.
There was q moment OF stupefac-
ton, and then our mayor threw up
his hat. Three cheers for Mr.. Klaxon
and his bride and three more for the
bride, and a tiger for Petersons Mon
ument!" he shouted.
In the silence that preceded the
cheer, Just that moment Of silence
vhen men draw in their breath, t,saw
.ansom's face 60 white. He had been
ire of Miss Lane, had joked and fiirt-
with her all the time. Then l saw
IN looking at a woman on the front
,at Of the theater where the result
as announced. II was Dorothy Ben
ett, and-then / knew who had
uoOAOu AAD boA0 Win MAbb Guu1
ane.
Where was Klaxon? Nobody knew.
he little man had left the theater,
hite and shaking, when the an
nouncement was made. The boys
went after him and caught him and
brought him back, sQuirming, and Of
fering to resign, to where Miss Edna
Lane stood. with q white, contemptu-
GUS face, waiting for him.
Once there, he squared his shout
ders like a man. And somehow there
was something dignified about little
Klaxon, 30 that invoiuntarily the girls
face softened. Before he could speak
the crowd had interviewed.
ITO the minister! To the minister
It roared.
In q thrice q guard of honor had
been formed about the couple, and,
shoulder-high, they were conveyed to
the house of Rev. James Piggott, sole
minister of Peterson's Monument
my friends" he began, but the
crowd cut him short.
Say, it's Mr.. Klaxon or Ed Sim
mons, and we don't mean to let that
lantern-jawed Red Gulcher get away
with Miss Lane" they yelled. See
the point?"
Mr.. Piggott saw, and little Klaxon,
and apparently Miss Lane; so they