The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-14
THE NEEDED SPUR
BY MORRIS GRAHAM.

. mohn'o ohR7Am' 1
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES;
Five dollars looks mighty big wher
q fellows only earning eighteen 9
week. Ted figured it out after lunch
until even Uncle Chris commented on
his abstraction at the office. Where
upon Ted sat up and took notice, fol-
uncle Chris was absolute Judge and
arbiter temporarily over his actions.
He heard from sigma Lawrence that
Amy was back. sigma correspondent
with her regularly and was we'll aware
that Ted paid far more attention to
her comings and goings than he did to
the sun, moon and stars all put to.
gether.
She'll be here for at least q month,
SO you'd better be making hay, Ted.
dy." Sigma had advised. Make hay
when he only had a sure thing of
eighteen per. He wanted a good
whacking salary now, big enough so
ne could go to old ]. C. Burnham and
tell him he wanted to marry Amy and
could take care Of her.
Deep in his own musings. Ted stared
before him on his desk stool behind
one Of the bank windows and failed to
notice Putney until he had spoken
twice. Putney, just at that minute,
looked to Ted's troubled vision like
the perfect pattern Of the sort of q
man he wanted to be himself. Putney
was partner in the best automobile
concern in town.
Hello, Ted" he called geniaily.
laying down his bank book, deposit
slip and a nice full pad of yellow
backs. Just slip those away for me,
will you ? Going to the Dorrance
dance tonight"
Maybe he was, Ted said rather
gloomily He wasn't sure Then all
the morning he meditated, finally de-
Gliding to take the plunge and 90.
When he went out to lunch, he took
the five he had decided to squander,
went over to the best florists in town
and ordered the roses.
Amy was slim and dark, with ewes
"eA hASoes oCCpCol DiOWH anu SKID
like a jasmine flower. So he chose
the little, close. dark red Jacks" for
her, and had them sent with his card.
And just as he watched them being
placed in the box he heard Putney's
voice behind him order orchids
twenty-five dollars worth of lavender
orchids.
That night he went to the Dor
RANGES dance. Polly Dorrance was
specially nice to him. but he watched
for Amy. She would wear orchids,
and he would want to die on the spot.
yet some deadly spell held him. And
all at once he saw her. Put was
dancing with her. Just as they passed
where he sat with Polly she looked at
him and smiled.
Polly" he said hurriedly, was she
wearing red roses or orchids. did you
see?"
Jacks" said Polly. placidly. |
"Why?"
But Ted had excused himself and |
was moving away in a dream. He
found himself inexplicably beaming |
on people and getting ecstatically in
everybody's way until he found her.
Putney stood talking to her, and she
asked him to go and dance with poor |
Polly, left all alone.
you wore them" Ted said under
his breath. Amy, you darling!"
"Somebodyll hear you-hush! or
course wore them. why, I'm very
fond Of Jack roses, you know"
HE sent you orchids"
They were beautiful" she flushed |
ever so slightly-"but l like roses
best"
Ted drew her away from the hall
room. He knew the Dorrance house,
knew there was window seat under
the big stained-glass window in the
side hall, and he led her there out of |
sight
you know and l know" he told her
in his funny, frank, boyish way, that
I'm up against 1t with Uncle Chris.
Eve got to make good or I don't get a
sou out Of him. But I'm making good,
he says. and Just want to say this
much: I've loved you ever since we
went to High together. and it's the big.
gest hope Of my life that some day
maybe I'll be making enough to ask
you to marry me-"
Amy's lashes hid her eyes. She fin
gered the close dusky petals Of the
little red roses.
I'm not asking you to promise even :
to wait for me-" he began. IT'S Put
ney's race so far" :,
Putney's race is over" Amy inter
posed gently. Il never did prefer /
orchids He knows it now, Ted, you'll |
laugh. hut who do you suppose came !
to see father today? Your uncle, and
after he had gone father sent for me. |
What do you think they managed to |
fix up between them?"
Pass" said Ted. "What?"
He told father that every man |
needed feminine influence in his life /
in order to be real success and ne
didn't see why you failed to fall in !
love. He thought it might be the |
needed spur"
Il guess I've found the needed |
spur said Ted. Its up to Uncle
Chris now"
Copyright 1915. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
How He Won Her.
Folks will say that you are marry
ing me for my money my dear. I'm