The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-04
The Admirable
MIR. Starkweather
BY EDWARD T. STEWART


my friend, Mrs. Swinburne, who never
returns to the city till November and
| sometimes later. I found there Miss
Edith Harley, young lady friend Of
Mrs. Swinburne. Miss Harley was
very attractive, but she seemed to be
absorbed in something. 1t was not
long before discovered that 1t was a
young man. Whenever the family car
came from the railway station she
would rush to the door, then turn
away disappointed.
| When she and l were together she
was constantly saying: THAT reminds
me of a friend of mine. who is very
clever. He does everything so well.
He was graduated at the head Of his
class In college and at the law school.
Not that he is a bookworm or grind
or anything like that; he goes in for
athletics. He has taken a lot Of cham
pion prizes at tennis and golf and is
considered the best billiard player in
his club
"An Admirable Crichton," put in.
"a what?"
did you never hear Of the Scotch
man of that name who couple Of
hundred years or so ago could out
jump, outfence, outride any other man
in the world?"
l felt much irritated at this fellow
who was standing between me and a
very pretty girl, and l suppose my
words and the tone in which they were
spoken indicated desire to make
supposititious case a real one. Miss
Harley made no further remark, and,
looking at her face, I saw a faint
smile which l interpreted as indicat-
ing something between pity and con-
tempt for one who even limited that
he might in any respect down this re-
J markable friend of hers.
There was little room in Mrs.
Swinburne's house of the dining room
| containing writing desk and mate
rails for correspondence. l went in
there one morning to write a letter,
and there on the desk was sheet Of
note paper with the following words
, ON it:
Dear Alonzo-When are you coming ?
We have no end Of things to do when you
l arrive which we are keeping till you
The note stopped here. 1t had EVIL
IDENTIFY been left by mistake. Looking
down into wastebasket beside the
desk, / saw an envelope addressed to
Alonzo L. Starkweather, 40 North
. Walnut street. This, too, was unf1n-
ished, but Miss Harley had told me
4 the city which her admirable friend
4 honored by his presence, and l was
4 thus led to believe that the unfinished
letter had been intended for him.
If she is too modest to send for her
paragon, l thought, l will help her
:, out. | wished to get sight Of one who
was fast becoming my rival, for
though l did not know 1t, l was fall
ing in love with Miss Harley. l con
D Guided to send the note to Mr.. Stark
weather, unfinished as 1t was. Doubt
- less he would understand that he was
pinned for. but the piner was too modest
to tell him so. There were some en-
velopes In the desk with the Swim
g burne address on the corner. and put
s the unfinished note in one Of them
4 addressed and mailed 1t. This was
something had no right to do, but
was mad with love and jealousy and
scarcely responsible.
A few days later, after spat witt
Miss Harley over her friends accom-
plishments, to let Off my ire.I walked
into the village While there I drop
ped into the postoffice for the mail.
was handed the letter had mailed tt
Mr.. Starkweather, returned with ,
). carriers mark on 1t, "No such person
there"
/ Slowly there came into my stupit
n noddle something that was scarcel.
n credible. Mr.. Starkweather was ,
It myth. But why had this myth beef
! conjured up? Was 1t for my benefit
and If so why had he been thus in
ficted upon me? I came to no con
70 clusion as to this, but l concluded t
u conjure up a female myth to mattel
lie him. wrote n letter to myself ant
e sent It to town to a friend to mail t
d me- When received 1t l opened 1t II
~ Miss Harley's presence, read 1t, pu
my hand to my forehead and groaned.
70 "what's happened" asked my com
70 panion anxiously.
1t "She's very ILL.,"
10 "Who? Your motherr
10 mo"
"A SISTER,
mo: very dear friend"
I cast glance out Of the corner O
~ my eye at Miss Harley and saw CON
Is bination Of emotions.
ut 81 must go to her at once" added.
of "You have not told me Of this yer
id dear friend"
n you gave me no opportunity. 70
;. were too full Of your own dear friend.
She looked at me inquiringly, the
W smiled.
1t do you take the next train?"
to "That depends upon when Mr. Starl
re weather is to arrive
al "Mr. Starkweather is not coming.
Her smile was broadening.
- n 81 ht,alr n