The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-23
| MISS CHUFFY'S
! COWARDICE
By KATE CLEvES

&&&2&&& &2&2H2&8R
Melinda Chuffy fastened the last
window and locked the door leading
to the side porch Then she took her
lamp and tiptoed softly upstairs very
much as If she were afraid of awak-
Ing somebody-all of which was quite
unnecessary as she was all alone in
the big house.
She scurried down the dark hall.
her lamp f1aring wildly in a draught
from some unexpected quarter and
sne darted into the big north cham
Der which she occupied in summer
and slammed the door and locked it.
She placed the lamp on the tall
chest of drawers and it cast a small
oasis OF light in the big room. Me-
linda looked under the white-draped
oed and arose relieved at the spick
ana span vacancy beneath the hand
some mahogany structure; she peep
ed fearfully in the clothes press and
screamed little because a black
shadowy something leaped out Of
the darkness and brushed her cheek
then 1t drifted back against the
wall and proved to be nothing more
than her best black china silk gown
winch had been drawn forward by
the draught from the opening door.
All her fears being quelled for the
moment. Melinda Chuffy proceeded to
60 to bed although the CLOCK on the
mantel piece pointed only to half.
past eight. That was the way Me-
linda had done ever since her moth.
ers death year ago. She mad al
ways been timid little thing and in
spite OF her better sense and the re-
proofs and admonitions Of her par.
ents and friends, Melinda went right
on being as timid as a little white
rabbit.
II she walked in the woods every
cracking twig, every furry OF dead
leaves. every rush Of bird wings sent
terror to her heart She was afraid
OF cows and horses and mice and
snakes and she like parrots and cats
and flowers and everybody said Me.
linda Chuhy was cut out for an old
maid and Melinda really believed
them and became more timid and
shrinking than ever.
One or two intrepid youths had ven
tured to call upon Melinda prelimin-
airy to more serious attentions for Me-
linda was sweet and pretty, but their
visits had not exceeded a half dozen
before they decided that Melinda
Chuffy was either "stuck-up" or too
shy even to be amusing. so they
stayed away and Melinda was much
relieved and back to her cats
and her canaries and her flowers.
quite contented to be an old maid.
So the years had passed peacefully
on until Melinda was now thirty-five.
Ernest Bruce did not count in the
list OF suitors; he had merely been
Melinda's pla, Re and next-door
neighbor. 1t was Ernest who shield
ed her from gigantic cows and heller
SHELTER horses and wrigging snakes
and creeping mice: Ernest never
laughed at her fears and when they
went through the wood, and he was
beside her. he would hold her hand
In his and reassure her terrified lit
tie mind until at the end Of the wood
she could look back and bid a ouav-
ering defiance to all the bogies she
had left behind.
The Bruces had moved out to Ohio
while Melinda Vas small and so she
| had never sr old playmate
since but she always thought Of him
with grateful tendencies
She opened her = "a ~. =.
ing secure in the h.
shutters we're firmly
| stills, and she looked VI. zee
upon the newly-installed telephone
that was beside her bed That was
Melinda's concession to living alone.
With that instrument at hand she
could call for assistance at any hour
of the day or night
So far. she had had no occasion to
use the telephone except to speak to
| some friend or to transact her mar
keting on q rainy day, and now she
was startled to hear the sharp. incis-
i've summons OF the bell at her elbow
Melinda paused in the act of blow.
ing out the candle and looked at the
| telephone as II It was some mani
mate thing suddenly come to life
For goodness sake" she breathed
hopelessly.
| Again and again the bell tangled
before Melinda went softly over to
the instrument and responded
"Hello!" she said in a weak voice
rs this Miss Chuffy-Miss Melinda
Chuffy?" asked woman's impatient
voice.
'Yes-what do you want?" Melin
da was treasured.
| 81 am Mrs. Peterson of Woodside
| there has been an automobile acci
dent in front OF my house and one
| Of the injured men has mentioned
that he was on the way to your house
The doctor says his injuries may
prove fatal and it would be Just as
well for you to come at once
Immediately II you want to see hin
| alive"
Melinda was gasping. But ! DOM
know any such man." she protested
II certainly don't know man who
owns an automobile. You've made