The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-25
DIPLOMACY
BY CATHERINE CRANMER.

'toit Ntio AlAG must AllbliltliAtuN AiltNC " J.
news that had reached MaySburg for L
many day. Particularly did it inter T
est the mothers OF manageable Gaugh I
terS as we'll as the daughters them +
selves Il
Practically everybody in town re
read Lewis Pennington 5 magazine ar
tcles describing the customs aud pep :
pies Of the distant parts of the world
to which his diplomatic service had |
taken him.
In all the town perhaps the only girl
| who Kept the even tenor Of her way IN
| the general fever of anticipation was
| Lydia Robb, WHO continued to enjoy
| tennis, allowing her smooth arms tc
/ become sunburned and her saucy nose
! To gather flock If Tiny brown
| frcckles. The AFTERNOON Of Lewis Farm.
!. il.gtou's arrival, when the other girls
or" either out III their smartest aft
| cmQOn toys or We're Swathed in cold
| crnum and beauty sleep as preparation
| for possible evening conquest, Lydia
was PLAYING tennis with her brother,
Mother, dear said Lewis, rs they
passed ~ lie quiet street i'll The VIII
lage buS, lets have things all 10 our
selves tins summer. I've time only for
You ana Tor my book and the fewer
functions we have 20 attend the better
ii Will suit Us both fancy
II 40 want "a make the most OF our
first opportunity III years 10 he to- t
Eether, and even he Il little selfish, I'm
afraid; but the people in town are
quite aStir with expectancy over your I,
the big dark-cYed man ut her side
flush under his tanned skin.
Invitations 10 teas, garden parties
ana dinners made Lewis Pennington
fc1r that he would either have to an
tagonize the villagers or give mp all
hope Of making any Roadway with his
book.
: Early on the morning of the Fourth
: Of July, Lewis took his portable type
writer and some blank paper and
;. camp stool and made for the wooded
banks Of the small river half mile
from town. lie found n delightful
!, spot under Il big oak tree that stood
On the river bank.
, Gee he mused. II could Shut my
a eyes and expect To open them upon the
). sight of lovely Indian maiden Gid
q Ing down thai stream in Il canoe. lie
"a closed his eyes and let the picture
g stamp itself on his mind. When he
N opened his eyes, Il moment later, ne
10 saw Il vision loVelicr than The one he
~ had been picturing 70 himself Tor
20 Lydia Robb was drifting down the
Gtream in n canoe. The beauty of the
I. face and neck that showed above the
IS open neck Of Il MILDLY blouse had not
er been dimmed by its coat of sunburn
e. and the dark brown hair that crowned
the shapely head was FURNISHED almos
10 TO bronze in the morning sunlight. ileI
Tx blue eyes looked straight before her
,e but suddenly frightened as she threw
20 her hands wide at either side. while
ae her soprano voice rang clearly out:
a My native country, thee
:. Land of the noble free,
VI Thy name ] love!
ne Lewis Pennington felt Il thrill ever
I'D more intense than any that had CONF
d. to him at sight of his countrys llai
ed in Il farawny land, and, thanking mi
er stars that he had fairly good voice
&c he joined in the song rs Lydia reached
n these lines:
I love thy rocks and riils,
Thy woods and tempted hills,
My heart with rapture thrills,
Ed Like that above.
Bravo My cOuntryW0man! caile'
I'M out Lewis, as the song ended. you
In Fourth of July celebration is WORT
while--far more 10 my liking than thu
one they're TO have on the public
,ly square tonight
rs But Thought You were going e
he make speech tonight" The word
he came abruptly from I.ydia's red lips
pt "Not I. I never speak in public un
N. less compelled to. III admit, though
he that The committee did urge me L
a speak
he "They asked me to sing, too, but
ed refused" said Lydia.
mr.. sWel I'm glad TO be the one privi
RI. legged person Who heard you sing JUS
In now but don't You think you owe M
that much FOR having been 50 nnneigh
ie- borly during ail this month. I've live,
he only a block from Won? Mother has
rai spoken Of vou Il tot but you've some
of how GUIDED us except that mOrnni
ire You brought hcr the rnspberries ana
TO half believe YOU thought then that
ter was out hiking.
wo Yes, I did, or I wouldn't have come
Cd. ? haven't meant TO be uDneighboriy
ch Int I was determined not TO join 10 tn
.ge senerut pursuit Of you.
he Both Lydia and Lewis we're momen
ere tarily embarrassed by her frankness
lie but a moment Iator they we're laughlnt
m over The whole ituation, and he wa
,rd climbing down the bank ut her invita-
cut ZION 10 lie taken aboard the canoe.
\ week later when il became known
10 Throughout he village that Lydia nat
m 4utaiStanced III be- other girls in town
OF IN Lewis Farimu2tous regard, the vi