The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-02
Fred Bowers
Scheme
It Worked In a Way He Had
Not Counted On
By ETHEL HOLMES

have stories Of men who have COM
mitted this paradoxical folly, one only
giving an account of what kind Of
life the husband lived after marriage.
PetruchiO in Shakespeare's play of
Tanning of Shrew" brought his
wife Katherine to subsection by SIM
ply out-Heroding Herod, but this is
not realism; it is rather extravaganza
Shakespeare wrote the play during the
period that shrews in England were
brought to terms by the ducking stool.
and it is questionable if they remain
ed conquered even after promising to
be good.
Ward Stanley was young man of
independent means. He had nothing
to do but amuse himself This he did
from May till November in his yacht,
the Eaglet. Stanley was at home on
the water, his own sailing master and
never gave up the command to any
one else Had he been thrown on his
own resources he could have secured
berth as master of a vessel. Fortu-
nately, he possessed the means to run
| his own ship.
1t would have been better for Ward
Stanley had he kept his yacht in com
mission all winter. for in that case he
would probably have been removed
from the temptation of falling in love
with shrew. AS it was, during the
festivities attending the ice season he
met Sophia Wartrace. and in a very
short time she was leading him about
with hook. turning now and again
to give him cut with her sharp
tongue.
Nor was it with her tongue alone
that she abused him Skating with
him. she led him across an air hole
and when he scrambled out dripping
with cold water laughed at him. Sail
ing with him in an iceboat, she pur-
posely upset it. shooting herself and
him hundred yards over the smooth
surface. Rather than forego the de-
light Of risking his life. she risked her
own
There Is no denying that Sophia was
very pretty girl. She possessed a
trim figure. swapping black eyes and
rosy cheeks, which latter fairly glowed
when she was enjoying winter sports.
But whether or no she would have
dominated Stanley had she been as
ugly as her tongue was vicious is a
question. Many homely women have
dominated men. Yet Miss MARRIAGES
beauty was doubtless an important ele-
ment in her influence over Stanley.
1t was said that she accepted him
because a betrothal would enable her
to prod him more virulently This was
the opinion of her sister Gwen, who
was supposed to know her better than
any one else. Certain it is that as
soon as the engagement took place
Stanley's misery was greatly enhanced.
Doubtless Sophia occasionally whisked
about and coddled him, but she was
never seen by others to treat him even
with forbearance
Now and again the poor man turned
like the worm. During the first month
OF their engagement he broke It five
times. After the fifth he found so
much misery In his endeavors to re-
new 1t that he gave up this method
Of asserting himself and settled down
to the abject position of slave.
Wards chum, Fred Bowers. aware
of his friends suffering, tried in vain
to inject into him a spirit of resistance
After continual failure Bowers advised
Stanley TO be married and, having once
got his fiancee In his power. to try the
Petruchio game. The infatuated man
assented to the first part of the nron-
osltion. though he expressed no conf
dence in the second. When he asked
Sophia to fix day for the wedding she
did SO without any urging. but just
DeIore the final preparations were 10
De made she cancelled the agreement
several times she named a dav ONLY
to ignore it. This was the hardest nart
of all that Stanley was forced 70 on.
dure Bowers tried to induce him 70
go abroad, leaving the shrew to TO-
peht her treatment of him and doubt
less to be more kind to him on his rc-
turn. But this was entirely beyond
wards power to achieve. Several
months Of such naturalization passed
and the poor fellow began to show
signs OF nervous breakdown.
IN tell you what you do. Ward"
said Fred The Eaglet is in commits
sion. Invite your fiancee TO take
cruise. and. having her out at sea.
some method will suggest itself of get.
ting grip on her. Once without pro.
lection, she'll have to give in"
u can't invite her without inviting
other women. can II"
! have it. Ask my sister, Helen"
We must have chaperon."
My aunt, Mary Campbell. She's
only five years older than 1, and we're
quite chummy. l can let both Mary
and Helen into the secret, and they'll
play into our hands beautifully"
well, said Ward after some
hought. ''y"ur scheme is well enough
md the party is all right. but have
10 confidence in its success. Rather
han bend the knee the little devil
will blow up the yacht and send her
'elf as well as the rest of US sky high.
Don't you believe it. I'm think!i.y