The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-23
RAIN CHECK
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.

in baseball. Eleanor" said Robert one
morning at breakfast, a year after
their marriage Since the big leagues
got down to machine work this year,
they are doing some stunts, believe
mel"
"Just imagine any ladyiike woman
being interested In baseball" said his
wife decidedly. I've always felt sure i
that Anne Tompkins Just pretends
to like it because Jack Farley is such
a-what do you call it-fan?"
mot on your life! Baseball is about
as free from followers who merely |
pretend to like it as anything under
the SUM-"
Before Eleanor had time to reply, |
Robert was fumbling in one after an
other of his pockets Finally he |
smiled in a relieved way as he drew
out a small piece of blue cardboard
which even to Eleanor was recogniz-
able as the portion of ticket retained
by a seat holder. 81 had an anxious
moment then, for l didn't remember
where l put my rain check"
What is a rain check? Let me see
it." said Eleanor, holding out her hand.
so you got rained out yesterday,
did your"
mo; the day before, and I've just
got a bunch that there1l be some
great hurting and hitting this after
noon. I'm sorry you don't take any
interest in the game" AS an after
thought, apparently, he added, "A lot
Of women do"
4 After Robert had gone whistling out
of the front door, Eleanor stood by
the dining-room window and gazed out
at the gay nasturtiums blooming in
window boxes, but she was not even
conscious of their brilliant colors. She
was thinking that Robert left her with
the air of one who goes out to find
what he likes rather than of one who
leaves behind that which he likes
most, and she didn't relish the posi-.
bility.
; Then she picked up the morning pa
> per and went into the living room
!. | With a determined air she turned
through the paper until she found the
: sporting page.
;. After plodding through many pare
graphs of which she understood moth
e ing, she finally found q comparatively
lucid paragraph giving the place, the
|. starting time and the personnel of tn,
a players for that afternoons game. She
remembered that Roberts rain checl
had borne this inscription: BOX No
80, 81"
/" That afternoon, about the time thu
, game began Eleanor, timid but trim
I In blue serge suit and sailor hat, re
quested the ticket seller to assign he
to seat slightly in the rear Of box 81
All fear of being conspicuous in tina
crowd left Eleanor. for she soon say
II that the slouching giants out on tn
d field were the only individuals VIII
were being noticed. She discovere
Robert and three other men seate
Id directly below her few rows distan
IL Something decisive must have hal
h. pened on the diamond just then, fo
thousands of enthusiastic young me
I'd and hundreds of dignified older one
r. rose to their feet and yelled lik
Comanches, waving their arms Wild!
10 Robert was standing and cheering an
talking excitedly to his companions.
d. Presently a big fellow at the bs
knocked q ball that shot like a gres
white bullet up into the air and the
M seemed to take its own time to ia
into the eager hands of the outfieldt
at the farthest side of the ground
10 and while 1t scared the big fellow ra
W as IL life we're the stake, and th
~ crowds yelled frantically until b
stopped on third base. EleanC
=. clenched her hands and sat tense, 9
~ she felt thrilling shiver in her spin
" and realized for the first time that til
maniacs.
10 One morning at breakfast, mont
later. Eleanor was daintily pretty in
lavender negligee, and Robert locke
admiringly at her.
ST. "Will you be my beau today, sir,
et she asked, with a smile.
ty For luncheon? With pleasur
Ut madam"
Is mot for luncheon only" she reptile
"but for the whole afternoon"
m What is It? A country club blov
TO out? Couldn't we make it some oth'
ne day? There's a peach of a doubl
he header to come off this afternoon"
ne Il know 1t, and that's where l wal
'e' you to take me-"
es But. Eleanor, dear, you'd be bore
IT, I'm afraid, sitting there for two {
%. three hours when you know nothing I
eu the game"
lt but / do know something of I'll
ne game for I've been going to the game
al and posting myself on points for
ID whole month. When / saw that thine
outside my rather frivolous interest
'rs we're the things that reused your grea
est enthusiasm, / thought I'd bettt
DC investigate. SO began with baseball
II war your rain check that set me
~ thinking one morning." she explaine
why, how was that?"
8, ut had become evident that befoI
~ our game Of life together was eve
% well begun we were getting away froi
each other, and it struck me Thu
morning that we must make our we
ding ring a sort Of rain check-goo
rs. for new beginnings until the who
game of life is played. Do you unde
Do. stand dear?"
! Eyes, little philosopher" said Ro
ru- ert, as he drew her down into h
SUI arms, "and I'll not only be your bea
cry this afternoon, but I'll be your fello
'oa fan throughout the game of life"