The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-22
PREPAREDNESS
BY EARL REED sILvERs.


In the library he was greeted by his
older brother who, In the manner
which older brothers have, nodded
/ briefly.
"Where're you going?"
ITO Edythe's."
You're engaged, aren't your"
Yes, but 1t isn't announced"
"What'n she say about your trip to
Westfield?"
Nothing. What can she say?"
You lived in the same house with
Mildred Merritt, didn't your"
YES"
The older brother stretched Ian
guidly. well. take this advice from
someone who knows. Edythe doesn't
like the idea of your having been SO
much with the other girl. She's go
ing to ask you to give an account of
every minute you spent in her COM
pany, and IL you make one break
you're goner. And whatever you do,
don't forget where you are and call
Edythe Mildred"
"Oh, that's all right. ! believe in
preparedness"
Jim patted his wallet and departed.
The girl met him at the door.
JIM" she said softly.
AS no one was in sight, he awaited
himself of the usual prerogative of
engaged couples.
"You look great" he announced en-
Enthusiastically.
She smiled and led him to the big
leather sofa.
Now, tell me about your trip"
What do you want to known"
Everything"
well, tried to get old man Smith
to sell those B. and H. bonds for ten
whole days, but he got stubborn and
wouldn't do a thing"
But what did you do all the rest
of the timer"
"Oh. just hung around"
"How?"
"Well, l went skating quite lot"
did you skate with Mildred Mer-
ritz"
Let me see. think perhaps l did"
How many times?"
az didn't count OF course, / had
to skate with her sometimes. We
lived in the same house."
Eyes, and you saw her every night,
didn't your"
mot every night"
'How many?"
"Edythe, dear, let's not talk about
that. I'd rather hear what you were
doing"
She stamped her foot,
"Tell me-"
Every night but one"
Edythe arose.
"Oh! Do you want to go to the
movies?" she asked.
What? And this the first time I've
: seen you in two weeks"
: "You don't seem to care much. Ever
since you've been here, you've been
talking about another girl"
| He crossed the floor to where
Edythe was standing, and took her
hands. "You know. dear. that there's
! only one girl in all the world"
Are you sure?"
Positive"
She smiled into his eyes.
"All right, we'll forget about your
trip. Now, let's talk of something
else"
II So they talked of other things for
an hour or so. Then Edythe started
. to talk about her dresses. Jim lis
tened for q time before protesting
but finally he could bear 1t no longer
Listen, Mildred" he said uncon
sciously. II don't care about the old
dresses. Let's talk"
He paused, wide eyed.
Edythe had sprung from the couch
righteous indignation in her coal-black
eyes.
you called me Mildred"
"What?"
"You called me Mildred. Now
know that you were with her all the
time-that you were thinking of her
when you spoke to me-"
But l wasn't"
"You were. You called me MIL
! dred."
! He smiled indulgently.
81 was only fooling."
"You weren't. I'm going upstairs. .
You're not. Edythe, dear"
why don't you call me Mildred
, again?"
81 was only fooling. You know ]
was"
You weren't fooling."
Don't you believe me?"
mo"
"All right" He smiled, and then
slowly and deliberately took his wal
let from his pocket From the wallet
he extracted sheet of paper. Read
this"
She took the paper reluctantly.
81 don't see what this has to do with
IT,"
Then she read:
Some time during the night I'm go
, ing TO make Edythe angry by calling
/, her Mildred. and this note is to show
! that | did it on purpose, and only to
, tease her"
The girl smiled and crossed the
room to where he was sitting.
so you were only fooling-after
ALL"
"Of course | was"
y The exponent of preparedness
I reached out his arms and Edythe &C
/ cepted their invitation.
"You darling" she said.
5 copyright. 1916 by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate)