The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-12


end our acquaintance. / have always |
been greatly interested in your in
struction and am indebted to you for |
having helped me through several ex-
aminations which would without your |
assistance have sent me home to finish |
my college course sitting round trying |
to look pretty. Mamma has directed
me to invite you to spend a part Of |
your vacation with US at our country |
place, and we shall look for you at an |
early date"
The invitation was followed up by
one more specific, and In July Profes-
sor Poland found himself at Morning
Glory-Belle had named the place from
flower she especially loved-a mag
nifcent place in the center Of spacious
grounds and commanding a fine view
Of distant hills and nearby lakes. While
Miss Halliday was in college she, like
other students, was under his author
ity. It seemed to him now that the
conditions were inverted. He appeared
to himself nothing more than a peda-
gogue with so little income as to be
barely able to tip the servants. while
his former pupil was arrayed In "pur-
pie and fine linen" and occupying a 30
cial position to which he could never
hope for an entree, and II he was
granted an entree he would not be able
to support 1t.
Miss Halllday's treatment OF Profes-
sor Poland was calculated to throw him
into a fever. She was not only gre
cious; she was as devoted to him as he
would have been glad to be devoted to
her were their positions reversed, Law
ishing on him such delicate attentions
as a woman will lavish on a man she
feels privileged to favor. In other
words, courtship was going on, In
which the woman was doing the court
ing. The professor sometimes drifted,
resigning himself to this delightful
spell she was throwing about him, and
sometimes suddenly came to a realiza-
| ton that he was standing on the brink
Of precipice.
Now, IL women were the privileged
| propoeers they would doubtless acquit
themselves far better than the men.
At any rate, they are by superior del
icacy far better fitted for the purpose.
| To Miss Halliday what she was en-
gagged I'm was as simple to her as the
reconstruction of the Roman forum
would have been to Professor Poland.
When she was ready for his proposal
she took him out into the garden and
began to gather bouquet Of flowers.
Are they for me?" asked the pro,
fessOr.
For your No. I'm going to be mar
ried."
The professor felt as II some one had
knocked the life out of him.
"Who is the fortunate manr hi
gasped.
I'm not going to marry man. I'm
going to marry these flowers"
Several months had passed sinc'
Professor Poland had mentioned thu
Indian custom to his class, and 1t dit
not occur to him that Miss Halliday
words referred to what he had thel
said. However, he was not afraid o
such a rival and somewhat recovere'
his equanimity.
"Ohv" was his sole reply.
Belle went on collecting flowers TO
n posy and when she had done 81
made a dumb show Of affection 10
them. There was a stable on the plac
and a well from which to draw watel
which was brought up by a pump
Belle went to the well, lifted a traI
door and threw her bouquet down int
the opening. Then, without remarf
/, she sauntered back to the garden.
Now, Professor Poland was not quit
so stupid about the art Of love
might be supposed. He attended Mis-
J Halliday on her visit to the well, an
when she led him to a vine clad reces
= and sat down on a rustic seat vagu
= connection between what she had don
:, and the Indian custom he had embot
, led in his lecture found Judgment !
= his brain. He realized that this migh
: be In lieu OF proposal. Surely It wa
not announcement for him to PR
pose. 1t was either Q proposal or
was nothing II It was q proposal
was incumbent on him to respond.
y he responded and Miss Halliday's a
meant nothing he would DO In An III
u fortunate position. II she meant whit
. he suspected and he made no respona
u he would still be In an unfortunat
= position. What should he dot
. His inclinations decided him.
o 1.-THE honor you do me IN, assul
l. you, fully appreciated. Since lo'
you and have loved you for some tin
II Is not an absence Of love that caus'
me to hesitate. It Is the disparity
our incomes"
"That, l think, can be easily Arrange
to your satisfaction. / am ready
~ settle upon YOU
Pardon me; l cannot accept q %
y Element. II marry you shall do
with the expectation Of always 7
naming self supporting. II am to
a rich woman's husband you must
% a poor professors wife,"
q az shall be very proud Of your stan
u ing in your profession and shall
10 nothing to turn you away from 1t al
y your enjoyment Of It."
40 And so It was arranged that the pI
IT, lessor should still! occupy his chair
H. the university. This he did for tin
"a Then his wife was calling on him &C
u tinually fox some duty in connects
n with her estates, and at last, fndi
Vi that such duties took up the princiI
'e' mart of his time, he resigned his p