The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-06
A MONDAY ROMANCE
By ELSIE SEE.

Something's wrong with Bessie
Moore. sure as anything" said Mrs.
Terrell to herself as she removed the
breakfast dishes from the long board
ing-house table. She's eaten scarce
ly any breakfast for a week. II can't
be money, for she gets a fine salary
at the government Offices, and pays
her board regular as the months come
around So it must be worry
Reckon she amt grievin' over that
Mr.. Bartles leayin'f' asked black Mar
tina, who mistook the soliloquy for a
remark addressed to her.
mo. guess not" opined Mrs. Fer
rell.
A short time afterward. Mrs. Fer
rell darkened the dining room for the
day and was about to sit down to tele-
phone her grocer when the door bell
rang. She opened the door and was
surprised to be greeted by the very
Mr.. Bartle of whom she had been
thinking in connection with Bessie
Moore's dependency.
i've only a moment. Mrs. Terrell,
said the young man in a pleasant
voice. I'm Just in town for the day,
and l dropped in to leave your latch.
key that carried of with me. How's
everybody"
"All well, believe. though Miss
Moore does seem a bit on color since
the warm weather set In" Mrs. Fer
rell's motherly solicitude was genuine
Il think there's something on her
mind" Mrs. Terrell ventured. "She
never once mentioned her family to
me, but when Mrs. Marmaduke brought
her to me, she told me to be good to
her, for she was true blue blood and
was carrying big load and making q
brave fight"
"You can't mean Mrs. Stanley Mar
maduke, the prominent clubwoman?'
Yes, we come from the same little
town up state. and she has been a
mighty good friend to me more than
once in my life, Mr.. Bartle."
why, she and my mother were
schoolgirl chums. and she has visited
our home often. I've still got a lit
tie time on my hands today. though
and l think I'll run around to see her.
That day at luncheon time, wher
Bessie Moore came down the eleva
tor and stepped into the dingy lobby
Of the subtreasury building and Har
ry Bartle stepped from the opposite
side of the corridor and smilingly ad
vanced to greet her, the expression
that overspread her face was lik'
spring sunshine after rain.
Before she had time to frame an!
excuses, Harry gained the acquiescenc'
in a prearranged plan for tete-artet'
luncheon in one of the little sun-parlo
alcoves of q popular restaurant. Whel
they were settled at the table ant
their order had been given. he tool
small pink rose from the cluste
that filed O low bowl in the center o
their table and tossed 1t to her.
an public restaurant can't throy
myself at your feet" he began, IAN
you've forbidden me to do that any
how. but l throw you rose as
symbol, for I've something to sa
which must be said here and now.
Really. Mr.. Bartle," protested Bel
sic, please don't spoil this Lowell
day. Things that you do not dreaI
of make 1t impossible for me to liste
to what you want to say"
Bessie, do not dream OF anythin
except the happiness that will be our
II you will care for me as I've care
for you for many months, but | d
know about the things which hav
caused you to keep me from tellin
you how much care. The question 4
dear, do you care, tool"
TITS because do care that It hurt
to mention what can never be. L
you mean that you've learned abo'
my-the debts?"
Eyes. / called on my mothers o.
friend, Mrs. Marmaduke, today, ar
almost used force to drag your stoI
from her. You are a wonderful girl
Not wonderful, at all, Harry.
|, should have been inhuman had &
lowed the knowledge of those OF
standing notes to reach my mother
her depressed and broken conditiC
. after fathers sudden death, She fe
secure with the snug little life insu
, ance he left her; my brother had h
wife and babies to look after; n
. sister was more capable than to Loo
, after mothers actual physical need
and SO my only real service to h
lay in paying of those notes witho
/. ever letting her know OF their G
/. istence. That was possible becau
: old Mr.. Parker presented them to 4
when none of the others was preset
! and secured his promise to let I
= pay them off personally without l,
ting the others know. A thousand d
lars of the debt remains, and un
: all is paid l cannot consider my oV
!, happiness"
q He saw their waitress approat
!. ing a serving table with a cover
tray, and he bent forward eager
Il and said very rapidly: This is I
2 Queerest proposal Of marriage II
= ever was. Bessie. but what they sc
q me to town today for was to empl
a a private secretary to go with me In
4. the mountains where I'm to ha
charge Of the Seaman mines The
a would be no objection to my sec
tary being also my wife. and a 4
raOofha of maintain Ufa mould 40 =,
r a world Of good. In less than a We
you could pay on that thousand FRI
NJ your salary, and in the meantime I
"A world would be ours. Will you come
Is For answer, she lifted the rose
" ner lips. and smiled into his eal