The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-14

no,I,. -, - cried Linda. Poor
pona shali 80 in this nice dars Corner
enu tomorrow viii have hook nlacod
ior her in tie window. II wos -.
'uoushttul Of You, Mr. Pottar,. ch.
TIaneed I up at Ben's embarrassed face
s o.ue eyes looked at her wistfnlIr
anu MS ilpS trembled as if words wora
e"ser 10 betray his love; bur he w.s -
'ei! dllhdent. she thought rearatfnn,
When he finally turned away ana LII
door. 'i 'he 'front.'
- tne sale shadow of the yard Nhere
ue had mounted his horse Ron caIloa
pack the important message he b.d -
less. "'eis 'dre-
Ds Tue way, Mrs. Day he aun,-
over MS shoulder. that parrot can
speak few words. and what sba sars
is-s-JuSt what think. only I can,t
ma words To say it-you understand ("
ne could not see Linda's tender smile
as she closed the door and went hac,,
to the living room.
As II goose couldn't understand ="
she murmured gleefully. .You praat
DIG brave baShful little boy This
iaSt remark was addressed 10 ,be small
Snapshot picture Of Potter which she
hept hidden in her needework II Ron
o''er mad known about that picture
ne would have expired from very iov
lie had left it there one eyonin,. ana
wheh he inquired for it the widow had
peeh unable TO find it-eyen while She
iumbled with trembling fingers in hcr
work basket
"Polly-Polly Potter" laughed thc
widow joyously. You've got 70 wake
up and tell me that story tonight-un-
derstandf can't wait another min.
Ute And she gently Withdrew the
covering from Polly's cage and brought
1t into the bright light Of the evening
lamp
1t was i've minutes before Polly
awakened sufficiently to exercise hcr
vocal powers.
Polly" whispered Linda. her soft
eyes shining and her sweet face aglow
'lolly, dear what have you got to say
to me-"
Folly. disgruntled because of this
rude awakening from her sumbers.
was in diabolical temper
Want to say-eh? Want To say
eh: You're a busybody there's only
one girl in the world for me and her
name is-her name is-gr- gr-grrrrr,'
wheezed Polly.
What is her name-tell il 10 me. Pol.
ly, dear" eoaXed Linda. eager to hear
the sweetest story ever told. even
through the medium Of the strange
proxy Ben Potter had chosen. Tell
me the name Of the girl he loves"
Her name is-ha. ha. ha. Her name
is Maud-there. Lead me to my little
bed" choked Polly. wrathfully. Maud,
love YOU dearly-Maud- Maud w
Maud. Where are you, dearie? I'm
waiting for you-it's a great Joke
joke-ha."
Linda's eyes were full of tears.
You horrid thing" she cried. "Fl!
not have YOU in the house thought he
had taught you some-something else"
"Oh the deuce" cried the parrot. i'm
patiently Trouble all the time"
Linda threw the blanket over the
cage, blew out the light and went up
to bed The next morning she got up
and wrote a note to Ben Potter
Please come aud get your parrot"
she wrote. crisply. it is impossible
for me to keep it."
1t was very much abashed and dis
concerted cowpuncher who rode up to
Linda's door the next evening
Linda Day stood in the sitting room
staring reSentfully at the form of Pol
ly. who was swinging in her cage.
I'm sorry you don't like the bird"
said Ben awkwardly What seems
TO be the matter;"
Every everything" cried Linda.
very near TO tears.
II guess | made mistake" said
Ben slowly. his heart sinking down
and down in bitter despair "You
didn't like the message | sent you!'
Linda flashed an indignant glance at
him.
"Of course il is "A matter Of perfect
Indifference TO me whether you love
a girl named Maud" she said coldly.
MAUD. Maud whoi" be demanded
dazedly.
"Oh. Maudie." shrilled Polly airily.
II forgot to kiss you goodby. You're
the girl for me! | love your
There cried Linda Day haughtily.
"I'll kill Dawson for this" said Ben
Potter in cold. deadly tone.
what do you meanT she breathed
hurriedly. You'll not kill any one.
Ben Potter Where did you get that
parrot"
II bought her from Dawson a few
hours before | brought her here" said
Ben grimly. she repeated some
words-that | wanted to tell you-and
7 thought-I never thought that she