The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-16
A Collapsible
Method
By SADIE OLCOTT

pass the time when we are housed.
Yet they may serve another purpose.
Phillis and were In the library. We
had fixed table for pingpong, called
by some parlor tennis. The name is
an aspersion on the real tennis, which
is one Of the finest games played. Phil
lis was at one end Of the table batting
q little celluloid ball with tiny wood
en- racket, at the other doing the same
thing.
Forty love-" said Phil on making a
point.
"what did you call meT' asked.
II didn't call you anything"
"You said forty something. 1t didn't
sound like Bob, but you may have in
tended 1t for Bob"
"Dear me. how you do hear things!
You'd better get an ear trumpet"
She won the game, and we proceeded
to the next. l had gained nothing by
my attempt to introduce love scrim-
mage and had given her love game.
We each made the same number of
points and Phil cried:
"Deucew
"That's like a girl" I said. "One
moment you call me love and the next
devil"
"I've called you neitherv'
She made a point and said, Evan
tager
Its all advantage with girl" re-
marked "She can call fellow love
and not mean 1t, whereas If the fellow
does any spooning he's held to strict
accountability"
That's only when he's desirable
parti"
She enforced the words with a ball
that hit me in the face.
II have made no such pretense."
Whether it was the sting Of her
words or Of the miserable little globe,
there was some asperity in my dis
claimer.
"Who accused you Of making pre-
tense?
Though I was endeavoring to turn
the subject from the game to some
thing very near my heart, could not
seriously accuse her, so I made no
reply.
That's the end of the set" she said.
"Shall we play another"
I'D much rather sit by the fire."
She tossed her racket on the table
and, going to the fireplace, stood be-
fore 1t, rubbing her hands as II they
were cold. They were not, as l soon
learned. She knew what was coming,
and 1t ratified her bit. Rather, I
should say, she hoped for what was
coming. had worked up to the decla-
ration point a number Of times and
stuck there. It's one thing to tell a
girl you love her when she has been
struck by lightning and falls into your
arms In a critical condition; 1t is quite
another to do the deed in cold blood.
At any rate, my efforts had oil been
failures.
why did you intimate" asked, 60
ing to her and leaning against the man.
tel over the fireplace, that am not a
desirable parti?"
II didn't"
Stuck again.
I looked through the window at the
snow piling up in drifts. II one finds q
task difficult under certain circum.
stances he thinks 1t would be easier
under other circumstances. was In a
comfortable room with cheerful open
FIRE before me, but 1 thought 1 could
i get out what wanted to say out in the
snow.
Lets go out and SNOWFALL" I said.
She looked disappointed, but acceded
to my request. She donned a warm
jacket and woven hood, and we sal
lied forth.
"You stand there" said. "I'll stand
here. You throw the first ball at me-
How l was to make proposal while
pelting her l didn't know. l hoped
something would turn up to help me
: 1t did, but Phillis turned 1t up; didn't
Phil made a SNOWFALL and threw it a
me. lodged it. / threw one at Phil
1t went wide of the mark. She hit m,
on the chin. Something-perhaps 4
was the sting-put an extra amount O
force into my arm as threw the mex
ball. / couldn't see that it had hit her
but she put her hands to her eye an,
sank down on the cold snow with
moan. ran to her.
"Phillis. dear! Sweetheart! Forgiv
! me! am beast to have hurt you."
/ pulled away her hands, and sh,
! looked at me with inexpressible sweet
ness. kissed the wounded eye.
Now, that eye should have bee
either inflamed or cold or snow we,
1t was neither. A few bits Of snoy
were on her shoulder. The SNOWFALL
had thrown was squashed against tn
fence directly behind her.
"Phillis, dear. let us go back to tn
= library"
II I supported her into the house, an
we stood again before the fire.
"Oh, Phillisr' l exclaimed "Suppos
had darkened that dear eye forever!
!, She shuddered.
eff had should have devoted m