The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-18
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| MISS CHUFFYS
! COWARDlCE'
By KATE CLEVES

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
she 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-
hnda looked under the white-draped
ped 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 black
shadowy something leaped out of
the darkness and brushed her cheek
then it drifted back against the
wall and proved to be nothing more
than her best black china silk gown
which had been drawn forward by
the draught from the opening door.
All her fears being quelled for the
moment. Melinda Chuffy proceeded to
go 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 had al.
ways been a 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 fowers and everybody said Me.
linda Chuffy 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 10 be amusing, so they
stayed away and Melinda was much
relieved and went 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 thrty-five.
Ernest Bruce did not count in the
list of suitors; he had merely been
Melinda's playmate and next-door
neighbor. 1t was Ernest who shield.
ed her from gigantic cows and helter-
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 quav.
ering defiance to all the bogies she
had left behind
The Bruces had moved out to Ohio
while Melinda was small and so she
had never seen her old playmate
since but she always thought of him
with grateful tendencies
She opened her windows wide. feel.
Ing secure in the knowledge that her
shutters were firmly nailed TO the
stills. and she looked with confidence
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 rainy day, and now she
was startled to hear the sharp, incis-
W.
Melinda paused in the act of blow
ing out the candle and looked al the
telephone as If ii 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
is this Miss Chuffy-Miss Melinda
Chuffy?" asked a woman's impatient
voice.
"Yes-what do you want?" Melin-
da was treasured
Il am Mrs Peterson of Woodside;
there has been an automobile acct
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 II would be Just as
well for you to come at once
Immediately II you want to see him
alive"
Melinda was gasping But ! don't
know any such man." she protested
II certainly Son't know a man who