The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-08
THE PIG IN A Poke
By KEITH KENYON.

Its a gentleman to see your IA
Their, Miss Betty. What shall | tell
him."
Betty gave a final pat to her fresh
ly coiffed hair, adjusted an invisible
hairpin and surveyed herself critical
ly. Tell him I'll be down right away,
Mamie"
81 wish father wouldn't send for
people to come when he's away,
Betty complained. And particularly
when / want to go skating. The new
heating system is a nuisance anyway"
How do you d." she asked politely
Of the young man who got up and
bowed as she came into the living
room. Il know you came to see
father, but he's taken the car and
gone to hunt a delegate for the con-
vention. But if you like I'll show you
over the house and let you look at the
INTERCHANGEABLE in the cellar-the
furnace, suppose.
81 think, if you don't mind, I'll wait
until Mr. Bradshaw returns" He
smiled his amusement Does he gen.
orally go around hunting delegates as
he would a prize pig for Christmas
dinner"
Betty laughed. Not exactly, al
though, after all, delegates are pigs
in pokes You never can tell what
you are getting"
Nice lovely place for a delegate to
COME commented the heater man.
I'D rather like to be one myself"
SAY wish mother wasn't away.
She's in Florida. It's such dandy
day and the ice on the lake is like
| glass Do you skate? l could keep
an eye on you as well outside as |
can in the house. Dads so afraid
you'll get away"
Il should say l do! Love it! But
| have no skates"
"Oh, that's all right. Bobby has his
sled out this morning and his skates
are in the hall. They are adjustable,
you know"
That's fine. I'm glad you suggest
ed it. If you don't think Bobby will
care, I'll use his skates gladly. 1t is
too fine a day to waste on heaters,
isn't it,"
1T depends" said Betty demurely,
whether the term is masculine OF
neuter gender. To prove that it all
depends upon the meaning of the
word, I'm going to waste little more
time on you by winding up the phono.
graph for you while l get my things.
What record shall it be- Here's a
lovely waltz-Estellita and so
dreamy and smooth you forget you're
dancing and just float. There, isn't
that pretty?"
Dandy! It's fine tune! But run
along now and get your coat"
I'D better not skate with you until
know your name" said Betty, put.
ting her head through the door.
Henderson" returned the man
quickly. Il get Hen usually"
"All right, Mr.. Henderson. Put on
a new record If you like. I'll be ready
in a minute"
After many turns around the lake,
Betty exclaimed: my but I'm hun.
cry! Let's stop long enough to go
, over to Boyd's and have a hot choc.
| olate!"
THE very thing!" assented the
young man. So they had hot choco-
late and Betty was presented with a
box Of candy.
| Lets 60 home now and talk until
dad comes" suggested Betty. I'm
tired and, besides, l want to hear
about the football you used to play
and the golf you play now, and l
want to eat my candy. Really, Mr..
Henderson. you are a very interesting
man and I'm glad you came. I'm sor.
ry you don't dance, though. It's 30
easy to turn back the rugs! Fathers
home! That's the car at the door,
and I do wonder what or DELEGATES
like"
I'm beginning to feel rather sorry
for the delegate" remarked the young
| man.
Here's the heater man, father"
called Betty. Il kept him for you.
was afraid he'd be bored and leave be.
| lore you came home, so l amused him
by taking him skating"
Il don't understand" puzzled daddy
The man from Steel and Hardman's
! is downstairs now. He says the gauges
need adjusting"
Then who" began Betty in
amazement.
But the young man INTERRUPTED
The comedy is ended" he said
soiemnly. And as fitting climax I
nave TO declare my identity. Miss
Betty, forgive me! I'm Henderson
| Hewitt, delegate, the bug.a-boo of a
preacher, the pig-in-a-poke, and the
most remorseful creature in the world
Tor what I've done You took me TO-,
granted, so l allowed my mistaken
identity to be my excuse for a most
wonderful morning."
What shall we do to him. Bettv9v
asked daddy, with a twinkle in his
eye BE lenient-he's young daueh.
ter, and human"
And he didn't mind if did NAV a
waltz. conceded Betty. In fact he
even said it was pretty. Let's leave
II 10 Bobby, dad. He'll know what TO
90. And so it was settled.
s|opSright' 1916. by the Mcclure Newsna-
Der SyndlCltpl