The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-12
How Nicholson S Court
ship Was Begun
By F. A. Mitchell

y
ne was sitting in an alcove reading
Dombey & Son. A young lady in
street costume entered and passed her
eye over the books on the shelves. On
coming to a set Of Dickens works she
began TO appear interested, scanning
the volumes more carefully. A librarian
was passing, and the girl called her.
Is this the only set of Dickens works
IN tue library" she asked.
believe it is. Yes; I'm quite sure
We haven't any other. What volume do
you want?"
fpomhey Y Son 1t seems to be
out"
Beg pardon; here is 'Dombey &
Son said Nicholson.
on. wouldn't think of depriving
You of il = said the girl.
4 have nearly finished it, but shall
mol be able t" just now. l beg you to
take it
Not on any account, so long as Won
like reading il"
well, then, | will complete it, l
snail do So i'll Il few minutes
Don't hurry | shall not get away
from the library for some time"
she lett the alcovc. and Nicholson pre-
I tended Ia resume his reading. but in
stead he followed her with his eye as
she dawdled over the shelves. now
ana again taking out a book. turning
the pages for awhile. then passing on
to another Nicholson noticed her
pose as she stood on one foot, the 9TH
er incascd i'll a slender boot showing
beneath her skirt the boa dropping on
her shoulders adding to the picture
/ Nicholson wore a tiny bunch Of for
I getmenotS in his buttonhole When he
had kept the book long enough to have
made a pretensc of finishing it he took
one of the flowers from his buttonhole
and placed it between the leaves Of
the book; then, going to where the
/ young lady was doing her literary
browsing, he handed it to her
Are you sure you have finished itY'
she asked
quite Sure-that is, for this time.
j | shall doubtless read 1t again, or rath-
er parts that are favorites of mine"
Il shall return it within week. |
am quick reader"
DO you ever note parts of books
hat especially appeal to your he ask
ed looking at the forgetmenOt that
hung without the leaves.
sometimes She replied, her eyes
directed also TO the flower. Then
thanking him for his kindness in let
ting her have the book she had come
10 the library for she bowed an adieu
and took il 10 the loan desk. where ii
was duly stamped and handed back to
her
A few DAYS later Nicholson went into
the library at that hour in the after
noon when young women go gadding.
He had not been there long when the
Young lady who had wanted "Dombey
< Son entered Nicholson retreated
into an alcove where he could be In
the shadow and look out at his charm
or who was under the skylight In the
center Of the library.
Sometimes a very big thing will fai
to move one, and sometimes very LII
tie thing will give one the emotion Of
his life A very little thing at this
iuncture set NicholSon's heart beating
wildly The girl wore faded forget
menot i'll her corSage.
Here were two persons OF opposite
sex who had met. conversed, the mar
, had offered a token in his own dell
cate way, the girl had accepted 1t, ant
il would naturally he supposed tina
This warranted Nicholson's presumins
, tbnt il involved an acquaintance.
Nevertheless he did not take advan
tarr of the situation lie considered
than situation mOmcntous Thus fa
,ha moves on both sides had beer
worth, Of a pair of thoroughbreds
Nicholsou had no idea of making
= f,Iso move Instead Of walking pas
rho Young lady, looking at her AM
giving her an opportunity to give hin
J md Of recognition, he got out 0
! rho library by the front door, VIM
yba was in the rear of the building
= ,ltorpther too much would depend
should he meet her face to face, upoI
: ,yhat she might decide to do. III sh
= did not recognize him there would be
Z fork in their paths which might neVe
!. hrino them again together At an
II 49, Nicholson decided not to hazar
a rebuit No.,
Tho next day he went to the library
u ,,nnd ..pombey & Son" in its plac
n IN. shelves, took it out, opened
u ia mace where he had inserted ID
d forgatmenot and found visiting car
2 which had apparently been lett ther
p Cow, hook mark The name engraVe
ID !, was Miss Ella Stanley Memo
e ,,ak ont Russia leather cas'
70 -, tho card in it and walked out {
re f;,,rarr like one who had achieve
u a signal victory 1T :.
n II must be admitted that TINS Is
=, ,.ar,. unsatisfactory place to close
NJ xorortbrlpSS 1t must he close