The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-30
The ORANGE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

on her way home and bought a dozen
oranges. II was raining, and besides
two other packages she had an UNI
brella to manage against a strong
wind
Gradually the bag softened with the
dampness and chung like plaster to
the round. yellow spheres within. A
tiny crack appeared. widened, length
ened, and the whole dozen oranges cat
apulted into the street as though shot
out of a machine gun.
Mike Kubelik. carter for Sellem &
Hatch. was hauling a wagonload of
| oranges from the Bay street market
to a West end branch. Crossing South
avenue. a rear wheel caught in car
| track and came of And Immediately
| there was an avalanche of oranges in
all directions.
| Now when Lucia's bag broke, she.
too, was crossing South avenue, and,
moreover, it was at the same instant
that Mike lost wheel. So she looked
down to see. not dozen, but hundreds
of dozens of oranges roll about her |
feet.
Already half a dozen urchins had |
gathered around and were filling |
jacket pockets as fast as they could |
Mike, with fist, whip and many ours
ings. was doing the best he could to
defend his treasure but 1t was futile.
Lucia, seeing no chance of reviving
her bag into a semblance of use. de-
cided to use her umbrella as a recep-
tacle and closed it. Then she stopped
and started deliberately to count
dozen oranges into it's silk recesses.
Hi there!" Mike came up bellig-
erently Aourishing his weapon, you
putta dem down.
Mike reached for the umbrella just
as a man stepped between them and
put out a restraining hand.
Let the lady alone" he said quietly,
At the tone of authority Mike stepped
back without another word and his
whip fell.
: Go and attend to those boys and I'll
1 get policeman to help you" the new
! conner said, and to Lucia, Have you
/, got all your property? If SO, I'll help
/ you out of this"
Q 81 think have 1t was hard count
h ing with that man shaking his fist un-
l. der my nose" she laughed. The or.
anges are all here in my umbrella"
e but it's raining hard You'll get
r soaked"
e I've no other place to put them"
d What's the matter with these deep
o pockets in my coat?"
But you mustn't go home with me.
O. I live-oh. ever so far"
so much the better. There, and
1t there. and there and there! | guess
v, I've got them ALL" raising the UNI
10 brella.
~ At the door the oranges had to be
transferred Won't you come in?'
n asked Lucia. I'll get a dish fol
N them" So the man went in and they
81 emptied the fruit into a black-and
" white china bowl
q "Thirteen" he exclaimed. by Jove
40 we've cheated the dago"
The man divided the odd orange
carefully in two parts and gave he
~ half
~ On movies" he remarked, they tea
xt-I
= a piece. A sort of kismet, you know
-, for each of the two contracting par
ties. Now why not an orange skin
See!"-ftting two pieces together
"You take one and I'll take the other
=, To keep as long as we live!" solemnly
- When her gallant defender had dc
parted, 1t suddenly occurred to Luci
that she did not even know his name
- A week passed Busy days for III
''' cia as all days were, but not too bus
for many thoughts of her recent az
o. Quaintance and his identity. But sh
!" was 10 have shock One evening sh
opened the paper, and there on tn
ou first mage was the picture OF the man
Oh Below 1t she read, One of the SUI
poets arrested in connection with tn
l. Alison Jewel case. The man, VIII
ilo gives his name as John Emerson, wa
seen coming out of the alley in tn
lth rear of the residence at 80 Thursda
ne evening, and he could not explain h
he presence there, although it was do
ny, en- blocks away from his lodgings an
ca place of business
| Tuesday! That was the night b
m had taken her home! And $50 We
ap about the time he had left her. tt
alley in question was between hi
set street and the Allisons He had pro
'pt ably been taking a short cut home
up But why had he not told them h
ed errand?
A Lucia thought over all the detail
eet and the orange skin popped into h
VS. head She would send it to him an
of he would not refuse to see her. st
knew
Kit An hour later. among grim surroun
!. ings Lucia was shown into hit
to white room and John Emerson can
The in moment later
BUT WHY didn't YOU tell them wher
it'll YOU were last Tuesday," was he
tin breathless greeting This is terrible
i'm. y COULDN'T without bringing you
name into it and I thought I'd rattle
he be convicted than have your nam
,ea breathed here You shouldn't hav
tIe cuuc-uuless there is something | ca
tie do for you"
There isl Tell them all about it
,ed Il won't"
NV Then 7 will"
Nh The district attorney heard tn
story. Mike was sent for and adde
TOD his share to the testimony. Then job
Emerson was allowed to depart.
,ar And that was only the beginning {
80 the end for John and Lucia were ma
ried the 1ther day.