The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-09
POOLING A
GUARDIAN
By ETHEL HOLMES


ager for her estate, for she was a
spendthrift. She was also full of high
spirits and bent on having good time.
Kate went to college, not because
she wished to learn all about the
Greeks and Romans, comic sections and
philosophy, but because she had heard
that college girls have lots of fun. and
she wished to see something Of college
life. Her guardian was willing that
she should spend an ordinary sum
while a student, but did not approve
of extravaganza. The old lady was
very fond of her niece-her sisters
child-and felt responsible for her
bringing up. She therefore limited her
ward to a list Of reasonable expendi-
lures.
But there was weak spot in Miss
Harding's efforts. Kate was twenty
years old and would come into her es-
tate when she was twenty one. This
fact enabled her to borrow at an ex-
Orbitant rate Of interest or to buy
things for much more than they were
worth.
Among these was the purchase of
$1,000 automobile, all on. credit. The
car could have been purchased for $4,-
500 cash. but Kate was charged $4,000.
and the seller kindly agreed to wait
| year for his pay, charging 6 per cent
| interest and a bonus of 5000 for the
| accommodation.
| The possession of an auto is not an
| easily kept secret. One can more read
lily own a gold mine without its being
| known, for car is Of no use except
for riding purposes, and that is exact.
| ly what Miss Phillips wanted 1t for.
She was an expert driver and fond of
taking her fellow students for spin.
| The consequence was that everybody
knew she owned the handsOmest car
in college, and the fact was reported
to her aunt
| Hates alma mater was but dozen
miles from her aunt's residence, and
the old lady resolved to 20 over and
learn If the report were true and If 1t
was how her ward had obtained the
purchase money. Miss Harding pos
sessed a mare and vehicle called a
rockaway, and in this she set forth in
quest of the truth about her niece's
extravaganza. She chose Saturday
afternoon. since Kate would not be
engaged in her studies Mt that time and
there would be no interruption to the
investigation.
That Kate did not study on Saturday
afternoon was as true as that she stud
led only enough to keep up with her
classes. And that was very little, for
she learned easily. On this especial
Saturday afternoon she invited as
many of her classmates as her car
would hold to go for a spin, and about
the time the old lady set out for the
college Kate touched the starting but.
ton in her auto.
Kate, in order to reach the road she
wanted, took one that led to point q
few miles from her home where the
two roads crossed. Shortly before
reaching the crossing she caught sight
of the familiar rockaway, every part of
which was as familiar to her as the
jog trot of Nancy, the mare.
ooh, heavens" she exclaimed. "There
comes my aunt!'
At the same time she pulled on va
rious levers with her hands and shov
ed certain brakes with her feet, ant
the car came to standstill, while ev
cry eye in 1t was fixed on the distant
face in the rockaway. lighted by thu
sun striking the glasses of pair Of
spectacles.
"What shall do?"
Here" cried girl in the seat be
hind, take my veil! The sun is shin
ing directly in the old lady's eyes, ant
she couldn't see you even without ,
\ veil"
ii Kate took the veil, or, rather, it wa!
put on by the lender; then she started
her car and whirled by her guardian
80 fast and so near the rockaway tina
Miss Harding was altogether to-
frightened to take good look at tn,
driver. Nevertheless there was sus
picion in the glance she did take. ant
1t made Kate uneasy.
I'VE must get back to college befor
she arrives" she said. "and prepar
III for her coming"
II On reaching the crossroad she turned
but instead of taking fifty mile drive
as had been intended. she went bacl
by the first road she came to LEADING
collegeward, and while the aunt wa
jogging along at seven miles an hou
her niece was doing the distance be
fore her in ten minutes. The car wa
put in the garage under lock and key
and Kate and her friends, havin
changed their costumes to innocen
white, went out on to the campus, an
when the old lady drove up to the dol
mitory where Kate roomed Kate RAJ
to meet her and, leading her to he
friends. gave her formal introduc
ton.
During the ride back to college 1t ha
: been arranged that every girl was t
show the old lady some attention, thu
taking up her time so that she woul'
have none for inquiries.
81 met an auto on the road" sal
Miss Harding to Kate, "and the driy