The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-11

; Soldiers
Wedding
! He Was Called to the Colors
and to Matrimony With
Equal Suddenness.
By r. A. MICHEL

4-&-%-f-t-f-f-
Being ordered to join the colors for
the great worlds war donned my uni
form and took train for the rendez-
vous. On alighting at the terminal sta
ton l was passing between two lines
of persons who had come to meet ex-
pected wayfarers, when suddenly l saw
a pretty girl among them looking ra-
diant with happiness, which it was
plain, arose from seeing me. Since she
was stranger to me, thinking it was
a case of mistaken identity, l advanced
toward her to bring about an explana-
tion. AS soon as l reached her she put
up her mouth to be kissed.
Soldiers are not noted for throwing
kisses over their shoulders. l kissed
the ruby lips, and they acted like wine
to steal away my discretion. | permit
ted the young lady to continue in her
mistake
II have the car outside" she said.
And as we walked along she comment
ed on the change in my appearance
since she had seen me last, noting es-
pecially that my mustache made great
difference in my appearance and was
an improvement. When we reached the
car hesitated. Dare meet the young
ladies' relatives, who might easily de-
tect the difference between me and the
man for whom I had been mistaken
The girl got in and took the wheel.
"Well?" she said, looking at me in
surprise that did not follow her.
Il suppose l should report at the rem
devious at once," said.
II thought you had arranged to be
excused till after the
She hesitated and failed to 60 on.
"Oh, yes; forgot! ~ , said.
took the seat beside her, and we
started on. Where we were going
did not know. On the way it came out
that the young lady had not seen me
or the man I was mistaken for-for
three years, but that a love affair be-
tween them had lain dormant during
the period and had been warmed into
life by the war. The most important
point did not come out. If 1t had
should have made an immediate and in
glorious retreat.
During the ride had excellent prac-
tice in defensive skirmishing. l was
constantly on the ragged edge of ex-
pOsure, for 1t would have been an ex-
posure Of my taking advantage OF the
young lady's mistake. II when the
day Of fighting came l should act on
the defensive with as much keen per.
ceptiOn Of dangers and as much in
genuity in meeting them l would come
out Of the fray with medal of honor.
l had an advantage in the years she
and her lover had been separated, and
l made the most of 1t. My memory
proved very defective.
l formed a plan. Sooner or later
the fact that there had been a mistake
must come out Then l would pre-
tend that had made it as well as the
girl. That would let me out.
We drove several miles into the
suburbs and entered grounds in the
center Of which stood handsome
house, from the roof Of which fioated
the Stars and Stripes Supposing |
should soon meet persons who would
detect the difference between me and
the man l had been mistaken for, I
prepared to act my part. When we
brought up under a orte-cochere a
number of persons, young and old,
came out to meet us. Not one of them
looked at me with any surprise,
though middle aged lady-she turned
out to be the girls mother-when she
kissed me remarked that had she met
me casually she would not have known
me.
Evidently the time had not come for
a denouement. | regretted this. for |
felt that ! was getting deeper in the
mire every minute. We all went into
the house, and was shown to a room
where | might get the dust off nv
clothes. was long about 1t. for | was
trying to think up new plan for ex-
Treating myself. the one | had laid
having failed. could think of no
other and resolved to be guided by
circumstances. To suddenly come out
and acknowledge that had permitted
the young lady to continue in mis-.
take which knew from the first was
mistake would put me in position
did not like.
After spending half an hour In NV
room | went downstairs. Every eve
In the room was directed toward me.
The girls mother led me to a man in
clerical garb and introduced me. WHY
was he there, and why was I especially
presented to him? My valor began TO
desert me. was on the verge OF panic
The girl entered the room. and.
wonderful to say, she was in bridal cos.
tune! Everybody looked at me. and
l must have presented a startling ap-
pearance. for they all regarded me in
tently.
Then for the first time it occurred to
me that this was one Of those Quick
soldier weddings. the man being sud.
denly called to the colors. The groom
had not put in an appearance and I
had been mistaken for him.
There arc two binds of po~.a..z a.. A..