The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-09
PERFECT LOVER
BY ELIZABETH z. HoYT.

have gone on nursing peaceably for
ever had not DIR. Richard Randall
come to town.
Molly apparently did not recipro-
cate DR.. Richard Randall's devotion.
The first to speak to Molly about It
was Carrie Smith, who had been Car
RE Waters. Carries husband had had
an attack OF pneumonia, and Molly
had come to help Carrie out-and Doc
tor Randall was the doctor. One
night she told her friend Just what she
thought of her indifference to the
young doctor.
Molly, my DEAR" she said, IT am
going to speak to you plainly. Let me
tell you 1t is a great thing to have the
devotion of a man who is interested
in the same things you are. Think it
over. Molly, dear"
It was Helen Lake who spoke the
next word to Molly about Doctor Rich
ard. "You ought to be mighty thank
full, Molly Foss," Helen said, ito have
a man like Doctor Randall. He is so
exactly the right size for you" Helen
sighed.
A week or two later Molly was call
ing on Betty Arnold Wister, whose
husband, Peter had brought her much
love and a salary of SIS a week.
Molly" said Betty, "The slightest
mischance would send us both to the
poorhouse. Doctor Randall is the most
prosperous person in Easton"
Grace Mcpherson overlook Molly
few days later Molly" she said
you may think it is none Of my bust
ness and | am awfully silly, but you
know I've seen quite a lot of Tom
Sears lately, and like him very much.
But Sundays he just stays at home
and smokes, and when he takes me
home from evening meeting he al
ways waits outside the church door.
I feel so wicked. Molly! Dr. Richard
Randall comes to church every Sun
day. envy you, Molly"
Gertrude Fiske Ingraham called on
sage. 81 am going to tell you frankly"
she said, that you don't half appre-
ciate DR. Richard Randall's family con-
nections. know a girl who lives in
Rye, where his family came from,
and she said his mother had just read
a paper before the women's club on
the mistake 1t was for relatives to
come to live with young couple. !
vow I never spoke of this before, but
what with Mother Ingraham and
Grandmother Ingraham and Cousin
Sophronia and Great-aunt Dorcas all
living with Percy and me and all
wanting to run the house, from pour.
ing the tea to bringing up the baby
/ tell you sometimes it almost breaks
my heart"
Molly's dearest friend, Lou Thomp.
son, who was to be married in June,
came to Molly few weeks before the
wedding. Molly" she said, Il know
you'll understand why tell you this
for I'm doing it not to hurt John, but
for your own sake. / love John, but
he's so forgetful of little things that
sometimes he almost breaks my heart
He doesn't take off his hat as soon as
he comes into the house-and things
like that, you know. ! never dreamed
OF speaking OF this before. Until
you've had an experience like mine
you won't know that manners can be
more aggravating than anything else
in the world. And you ought to know
how important they are. Molly, for
DIR. Richard Randall has the best
manners l ever saw in any man in all
my life"
Then Molly unburdened herself
Dear Lou" she said, Richard Ran
dali is too perfect. He is interested
in the right thing, he is the right size
he has a good income, he's got the
best kind Of habits, and the best kind
of relatives, and he's eugenic, and
fatherly and generous, and he has the
best disposition in the world. And
to cap the climax, he has absolutely
flawless manners Lou, am not per.
feet myself and I'm not going to mar.
ry a man who is. II | ever did a
| thing that wasn't quite right, or &C.
cepted, you know, Richard would
never say a word, but ! would feel
his reproach to the end of my days
II l could only find one single little
human failing in him / would marry
him, but won't marry a perfect man
and IL ] were you, Lou Thompson
I'd be mighty thankful that John does
sometimes forget to take of his hat"
DIR. Richard Randall continued in
his devotion and Molly Foss continued
in her indifference until early last
July. On the Fourth they were in.
vited to dinner several miles from
Easton. That night as they were driv-
ing home in the soft summer dark.
! ness. for the seventh time Richard
! Randall asked Molly Foss to marry
him, and to his infinite surprise she
said yes without a moments hesita-
| ton.
They we're married in September
and lived even more happily than