The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-11

Kitty found her accustomed seat,
and being rather short In stature she
sat down on the bundle of shirts and
so did not miss thing all evening.
The sweet romance Of ~ For Love"
was slowly reeled off TO the sentimen-
tai rapture of the very young and few
lonely souls like our own Miss Hitty.
She sat through 1t all. her round, sweet
little face uplifted to the screen, with a
look of usefulness that a newcomer
saw as he sat down nearby.
If any one had been interested It
might have been noticed that the
bronzed newcomer divided his interest
between the pictures and Hitty Nor
toms face. After awhile the seat be-
side Hitty became vacant and in the
darkened theater the stranger glided
across the aisle and occupied It Kitty
never even turned her eyes from the
screen; she was accustomed to this
change of neighbors
On the screen appeared the first Of
the travel pictures, which were Hitty's
delight.
San Francisco for japan. She felt her
self one of that group Of travellers
hurrying up the gangplank Of the great
liner.
The scene shifted to the first port Of
call, Honolulu. Dark eyed maidens
with garlands Of flowers about their
necks and other garlands for sale,
queer vehicles, a swift view Of vol
cano, then aboard the steamer. A
glimpse of the social life on board,
then the approach to the fairy islands
Of Japan.
Breathlessly Kitty watched the shift
ing scenes, fascinated by the orr
entail sights. She almost thought her
self there with Dick, as she had
dreamed. While she watched she turn
! ed a little worn ring on her engage
ment finger. Any woman in Edgewood
would have told you that 1t was Kitty
/ Morton's engagement ring.
The man beside her glimpsed the
ring, and his face grew pale.
At last the steamer approached the
yellow shore line of China. Then she
dropped anchor off Wusung. in the
mouth of the YangtZe river, and
transferred her passengers to the small
tugs which were to convey them up the
shallow tidal river called Whangpo to
the city of Shanghai
When the picture of the public wharf
at Shanghai was thrown upon the
screen Hitty leaned forward. She
wanted to scream.
There In the crowd of eager faces
watching the arriving passengers was
familiar one-the face Of Dick
Hedges, grown older, perhaps. but
Dick Hedges, nevertheless, smooth
shaven, with a captains uniform on
his broad shoulders and gold laced
cap on his handsome head.
1t was Dick-Dick Hedges. her Dicl
in PARKWAY Shanghai!
The much maligned moving picture
screen had shown her that he wa.
alive!
"Dick! Dick! oh, Dickr' she wills
pered sobbingly.
A strong, warm hand covered hers
and the man beside her looked dowI
out of Dick Hedges eyes. He wore ,
captains uniform. and in his othel
hand was a gold laced cap.
"Dickw Kitty thought she screamed
the word, but it did not leave her lips
Easy. lass; easy, lass!' he whispered
, gently, and then while the screen dis
, played further pictures of these ia
frfn
life unreeling for her greater re
nance than could be depicted on
screen? Had not the sea given up it
dead2
,, Dick whispered the meager details o
his story. He had been lost at sen an
then rescued, and when he had re
turned to civilization some one fror
: Edgewood had maliciously told hir
: that Hitty Morton had forgotten hir
!, and was married to another man.
: Only a little while ago had Die
! heard that Hitty was still unmarried
and so he had returned to Edgewoo
to ascertain IL she still cared for hin
He had dropped into the theater an
:, gllmpsed her face. He sat beside he
and saw that she wore his ring alon
upon her third finger. He had seen he
: face when his own picture-taken III
known to himself-had leaped out Q
= the crowd upon the wharf in Shangha
l. He had heard her murmured words
Il her unconscious cry of joy at seein
Z him.
Then knew that you still loved m
and that l was not too late" he viii
> pered as they followed the crowd on
g side. MY ship sails from San Fral
II cisco on the 21st, Kitty, so We must /
L married at once so that we can start Q
y our honeymoon voyage. You remen
3 Der how we planned 1t, eh?"
i OF course Kitty remembered. The
: walked along in happy conversation
j. the package OF shirts tucked undo
u Dicks free arm.
Mrs. Deacon Peddie and a group
y missionary ladies overlook Kitty Mo
or ton and brought her to a realization
y her sins.
III "Hitty Morton. Where are tho.
> missionary shirts?' demanded Mr.
le Peddie. We're holding the barrel opC
ell till morning SOS they can be put in"
Ill Kitty took the package from Dick
st grasp. but he snatched 1t back again.
IF these are shirts. mems size"
'e said genially. 81 guess I'm the missio
airy they'll about fit. want 'em f
E. my troosaw. Hitty and I'm going
re be married IN a day or 50"