The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-13


didn't feaze her. l knew something
was wrong. Pretended to be engaged
10 widow up Littlewood way, and
tnen she sailed in. Called me an old
tyrant and a deceiver and swore she'd
bring suit for breach. of promise
against me. l fired her.
Now remember, want daughter,
not a wife. Get that through your
head, Daughter Amelia, and you'll
stick, and maybe come into thousand
dollars when die. I'm sixty now, and
my father died at ninety. I'm living
on my capital, and If live to ninety
theren be just thousand left"
Yes, father" replied Miss Amelia,
taking on her hat. 'Tn 90 and fix
things in the kitchen. You can smoke
all over the house"
What d'you meant" stammered old
man Wimpole.
What l say. always mean thai"
!, replied Miss Amelia.
! He learned what she meant during
successive days. First, the cuspidor
was removed from the porch. Then,
old man Wimpole found that II he
wasn't down to breakfast by eight he
got none. Third, old man Wimpole's
grog-bottle, which he used, 1t must
be admitted, moderately, was found
on the ash heap-broken.
Between annoyance and apprecia-
ti0n az q dfaaiplf,,c xul,fot. \ =,
he needed, old man Wimpole was soon
reduced to submission. Very candidly
Amelia told him that the job was no
sinecure, that If he wasn't satisfied
he could look for somebody else, and
that if he did he wouldn't get anybody
who had her interest in him. Old man
Wimpole agreed.
But he laid traps for her. He
watched her narrowly. He spoke one
evening about the joys OF matrimony,
and when Miss Amelia cut him short
he looked half pleased and half per-
picked. 1t was plain that old man
Wimpole had met his match.
1t was about this time that the vii
lage began to note a curious change
in old man Wimpole. He, who had
held his former daughters under, had
harried and driven them, SO that II
was clear whichever one stayed, she
would have more than a servants du-
ties-he, old man Wimpole, "knuckled
under" to Miss Amelia. The climax
came when the rates collector, hap
pening in, perceived old man Wimpole
upon his knee, meekly lacing Miss
Amelia's shoe.
He'll marry her. She's got him
the mink" said the druggists wife to
her husband.
So old man Wimpole thought. Des
perately, because he knew that the
feminine sex is postmaster in wiles
he admitted defeat. He could not dc
without Miss Amelia; he could not dc
with her.
He told her so. Moreover. he told
her so one evening, when they were
in the garden, and there was a moon
That shows how far old man Wimpole
was gone.
Amelia" he said, II don't want you
for daughter any more. / want you
to be my wife,
Amelia, who had thrust her arm
through his in true daughterly fash
ion, withdrew it Indignantly.
Father, how dare you lay such 9
trap for mel" she exclaimed. "Yol
know very we'll you advertised for {
daughter not for wife. and you know
inside the house."
But this is real. love you
/ Amelia"
"You want to get rid of me. Yo'
Q think I'm going to do what the Others
. did. / don't intend to-"
Amelia! Listen to mel" shouted
' old man Wimpole, so that he was over
| heard in the street by curious pedes
}. TRANS. Il love you. Never mind wha
|. / said. want to marry you. Do yo'
s understand? / want you to be m.
q wife. / don't want a daughter an.
Q more"
Amelia looked at him with a sort o
/ affectionate glance. Then, father,
:, she said, I'm sorry to say that it Il
= impossible. In fact, am marrie'
r already"
+ What" Numbered old man Win
pole. "You have been deceiving m
g all along?"
, "In what way, father?"
90 ha n cd
" Il beg your pardon, father" returnet
I Amelia. Il have never stated whethe
k / was married or not. 1t was you VIII,
s tackled the Miss to my name. Yes,
It am married And happily married
It And how have / deceived your
n "You-you-you didn't tell me-
d stammered the disillusioned old man
r why should it be deceiving 20
" even if / didn't? Can't a daughte
e get married? In fact, my HUSBAND
e wants me back in few days, unless
8 unless you want us both to come an
2 live with you" said Amelia kindly.
o Old man Wimpole glared at hel
, What is your true name? Let m
II know who you are, anyway he said.
Il Mrs. Jim Wimpole.' said Ameli
1 softly.
q Old man Wimpole jumped a foe
n into the air. What" he yelled. y
10 was a put-up job. then-you and tina
4. scoundrel JIM"
Amelia nodded, and suddenly tw
n tears trickled down her cheeks. "Fatl
e err she pleaded. forgive US both. w
< love each other, and we both love yol
a And, if you will you-you shall hav