The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-01
Love On
Ice
BY Donald Allen

Der two was at the head Plum lake
was three miles long Justice of the
Peace Flemming was moderator of
number one, and Farmer Davis of the
other. The moderator is the chair
man of the school board in a country
district. and what he says is law.
There was time when the two
schools dwelled together in unity. but
now there is war between them. 1t
started with an outside thing that
should not have been dragged into the
schools at all One day Farmer Davis
met up with the justice in the village
and challenged him TO horse trade
in the following language
Judge. how much boot will you
give me between this boss and your
gray mare"
You are moderator of school dis
trict number one. | believer" replied
the judge in judicial tones.
"Of course"
"And it's your duty to push the
cause of education along?"
1T is
1T is hoss.'"
ANY child five years old knows
better"
Look ahere, judge. I'm fifty years
old, and I've always said boss and no
one has had the impudence to say
that was wrong. Where do you get
your authority?"
In the dictionary"
SHOW me-"
Farmer Davis was taken into the
Office and the word pointed out It
was spelled and pronounced horse"
That's all right said the farmer
THAT probably means a bay horse,
but I'm talking about black boss.
I've been charged with hindering the
cause of education. Let's see wheth-
er I have or not
The word couldn't be found, but
Farmer Davis owned the only windmill
In the township and had the biggest
barn, and it was not for him to give
up. Other people interfered and one
school district became hess and the
other horse district There had been
spelling contests in the winter, and
now these We're abolished There had
been sleighrides, but they were given
up. Both had always hired men
teachers, but now Farmer Davis said
to the others on the board
What we want here is a female
teacher, and the best looking one in
four counties-one to take the rag
right off the bush"
But she can't lick the big boys
was objected.
''She won't have to. Well be the
licking committee ourselves
But gal can't wade through snow
drifts"
Some of us will drive her te
school and back in a sleigh"
But II they have a young man II
the other district and we have a ga
In this won't they fall in lover"
mot by forty ring-tailed coons!
replied the moderator as he smashed
his fist down on the desk "Our ga
has got to be told in advance tina
there's got to be nothing of the sor
going on. The minute she falls II
love away she goes. We amt goin,
to run a matrimonial bureau at thi
end of the lake"
When the winter term came on on
school district had Mr. Edward Cars
ton for teacher. and the other ha
Miss Mary Burton. Mr.. Carston wa
about twenty-four and Miss Burto
three years younger. 1t was agreed O
all sides that both had style Whe
contracted with, both received plat
warning as to what would be expecte
of them. They were to look upon eac
other as enemies, and If they hal
pened to meet on the highway the
were to pass each other with tn
most supreme Indifference
Mr. Carston was a fine skater S
was Miss Burton. On Saturdays,
the weather permitted. they were O
the ice, also, on moonlight night
and after school hours. A line wa
drawn across the center of Plum lax
each district kept to its half.
One night. when skating alone, M
Carston crossed the boundary an
went on a scout into the enemy
country. He saw girl dodge into
little bay He paused for momen
Her movements on the steel runner
were so graceful that he knew
must be "the gal teacher" They wei
alone on the lake. but they must n,
come within ten rods of each othe
Mr.. Carston went his way, but at da
light next morning he was skatir
into that bay. The Ice there was
smooth as glass Only one pair
skates had left marks there Aft
look around he wrote this MESA,
on the ice with the heel of his skate
Greeting To You"
That night, after the lake was W,
clear of skaters, he secuted down
the bay again. His message had be,
scratched out and another left.
read:
And The Same To You"
That was the beginning. She h
known who left that greeting, and S
had answered. They must not Gro
that line by day or even bow to ca
other. They must be careful not
be seen at night. The fight was
more bitter than ever. The judge h
said of Farmer Davis:
Think of a moderator who sa
boss for 'horse!' Is it any wond
that some of the greatest men in {