The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-07
LANDING A
DANCLER
By SADIE OLcOTT

"Bess, how long are you going to
keep Ben Hustled dangling about you?
I think it is girls duty either to &C.
cept sutton or send him away"
"Aunt Martha, it's not who am keep
ing Ben dangling; it's Ben who is keep
ing me dangling"
"In that case haven't any sympa-
thy for you. A girl who can't bring
q man to the point deserves to remain
an old maid"
"What can I do?"
"What can you do? There are hun
dreds Of things you can do. The only
thing you can't do and win is to let Ben
presume that any time he makes up his
mind he wants you he can get you.
There are many reasons why a young
man assumes that he doesn't wish to
marry and very few that induce him
to take wife. He's not likely to look
to the loneliness Of old age without
wife or children. He's having good
time in his youth spending all his mon
ey on himself, and 1t looks to him like
halving his blessings and doubling his
cares to we'd"
"What course would you propose to
me, Aunt Martha?"
"Man is q selfish creature, and you
must attack him through his selfish
ness. First create desire to possess
you, then let him understand that he
Is liable to lose you. Give him certain
privileges, but not too many. Don't
sit on one end of the sofa while he
sits on the other. Remember always
that he is the fly, you the spider"
"Never mind that. How shall I
bring him to the point?"
"By means of a rival"
"But know no one that l can use
for that purpose"
II do"
"WhomY"
Myself"
The girl laughed.
what is hidden Is more terrifying
than what is revealed. II you used a
man openly quite likely Ben would be
smart enough to see that he was a
fool. Use concealed lover. I will be
that imaginary youth who is pleading
with you to change his misery into
happiness. When you see Ben again
appear to have something on your
mind. If he offers to caress you put
him away, but gently, as though you
were In doubt as to whether you wish
his caresses or not. Keep this up till
he has gone, and If he expects a part
ing kiss don't respond"
Then what?"
leave that to me-"
Bess that same evening played the
part her aunt had laid down for her
and sent her lover away puzzled. He
did not call again for q week, and
Bess was perturbed. But her aunt
braced her up and when the dangler
came again told her to go to her room,
Aunt Martha went down to receive the
caller and announced that her niece
was quite indisposed and must give
up the pleasure Of seeing Mr. Hustled
this evening"" He manifested an alb
normal curiosity as to the cause of the
lndisposition. whereupon Aunt Martha
said that her niece was in state Of
mental indecision upon an important
question that had arisen and required
an early answer.
rs that the answerY asked the
young man looking hard at a letter
the good lady held in her hand, the
superscription on which Mr.. Hustled
recognized as Bess' handwriting. Aunt
Martha looked down at the letter, Of
which she was apparently not con-
scious, looked confused and stammer-
cd something about the missive not
being final answer. As yet her niece
mad not reached a decision.
HAS any old friend turned up re.
cently?" asked Ben.
odd friend!' exclaimed Aunt Mar.
tina. What put that into your headY ~
Inc question was asked in a tone and
manner to indicate that the guess had
nit the mark. Then the lady began
to talk about the weather, and Mr..
Hustled made irrelevant replies.
cant see Bess for just a few mo.
nentsT he asked presently, breaking
lway from the weather.
I don't think So" replied Aunt Mar
ina, but will see. The truth Is she's
going away tomorrow and is very busy
packing"
Leaving Mr.. Hustled pacing the floor.
aunt Martha pretended to go up to
her niece's room. Instead she went to
ner own room, where she remained
ten minutes-they were very long min.
utes to the waiting lover-then went
down to him and told him that her
niece had disrobed for the night and
was ever SO sorry that she would be
unable to see him again till her return.