The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-07
The PIG IN A Poke
BY KEITH KENYON.

| Its a gentleman 10 see your I'd
Their, Miss Betty. What shall l tell
him?"
Betty gave a final pat to her fresh
! ly coiffed hair, adjusted an invisible
hairpin and surveyed herself critical
ly. Tell him I'll be down right away,
Mamie"
| Il wish father wouldn't send for
! people to come when he's away,
Betty complained And particularly
when l want to go skating. The new
heating system is nuisance anyway"
How do you do" she asked politely
Of the young man who got up and
bowed as she came into the living
room. Il know you came to see
J father, but he's taken the car and
! gone to hunt a delegate for the con-
vention. But if you like I'll show you
over the house and let you look at the
what-you-may-c in the cellar-the
furnace, I suppose
Il think, if you don't mind, I'll walt
until Mr.. Bradshaw returns" He
! smiled his amusement. Does he gen.
orally go around hunting delegates as
he would a prize pig for Christmas
dinner
Betty laughed. Not exactly, al
though, after all, delegates are pigs
in pokes. You never can tell what
you are getting"
Mice lovely place for delegate to
come" commented the heater man.
I'D rather like to be one myself"
SAY wish mother wasn't away.
She's in Florida. It's such dandy
day and the ice on the lake is like
| glass. Do you skate? | could keep
an eye on you as well outside as |
can in the house. Dads so afraid
you'll get away"
Il should say / do! Love it! But
/ have no skates"
"Oh, that's all right Bobby has his
sled out this morning and his skates
are in the hall. They are adjustable,
you know
That's fine! I'm glad you suggest
ed it. If you don't think Bobby will
care, I'll use his skates gladly. 1t is
tCO lH0 udy W Wdolc oh hchlci .,
isn't it,"
1T depends said Betty demurely,
whether the term is masculine or
neuter gender. To prove that it all
depends upon the meaning of the
word, I'm going to waste little more
time on you by winding up the phono-
graph for you while get my things.
What record shall it be. Here's a
lovely waltz-'Estellita and so
dreamy and smooth you forget you're
dancing and just float There. isn't
that pretty?"
Dandy! It's fine tune! But run
along now and get your coat"
I'D better not skate with you until
I know your name" said Betty, put
ting her head through the door.
Henderson" returned the man
quickly Il get Hen usually"
"All right, Mr.. Henderson. Put on
new record if you like. I'll be ready
in a minute"
After many turns around the lake,
Betty exclaimed: my but I'm hun
cry! Let's stop long enough to GO
over to Boyd's and have a hot choc.
olate!"
THE very thing" assented the
young man. So they had hot choco.
late and Betty was presented with a
box Of candy.
Let's 60 home now and talk until
dad comes" suggested Betty. I'm
tired and, besides, want to hear
about the football you used to play
and the golf you play now, and
want to eat my candy. Really, Mr.
Henderson, you are a very interesting
man and I'm glad you came. I'm sor.
ry you don't dance. though. It's SC
easy to turn back the rugs! Fathers
home! That's the car at the door
and / do wonder what orr delegates
like"
I'm beginning to feel rather sorry
for the delegate" remarked the youne
man.
Here's the heater man, father
called Betty. Il kept him for you.
was afraid he'd be bored and leave be
fore you came home, so amused him
by taking him skating"
Il don't understand" puzzled daddy
The man from Steel and Hardman's
is downstairs now. He says the gauges
need adjusting"
Then who" began Betty IN
amazement.
But the young man interrupted
The comedy is ended" he said
! solemnly And as fitting climax
have to declare my identity. Miss
Betty, forgive me- I'm Henderson
Hewitt, delegate, the bug-a-boo of q
preacher. the pig-in.a-poke, and the
most remorseful creature in the worlt
for what I've done. You took me TO.
granted. so l allowed my mistaken
identity to be my excuse for a mos
wonderful morning"
What shall we do to him. Bettv9,
asked daddy, with a twinkle in his
eye. BE lenient-he's young daugh
ter, and human"
And he didn't mind if did play 3
waltz" conceded Betty. In fact h,
even said it was pretty. Let's leave
It to Bobby. dad. He'll know what IL
do. And so it was settled.
Copyright, 1916 by the Mcclure Newsna,