The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-15
Mary Jones
House Party
By RICHARD MARLEY

We'll as city IOlk.
What's a house party?" | asked.
why, a lot of people all go TO some
body's house and stay there two or
three days or week or perhaps long
er. They play games and dance. and.
well, they don't do anything but amuse
themselves Father and mother are
going over to spend a week with Aunt
Jane pretty soon, and I'm going 10
have house party. Will you Gomez"
Il suppose So"
Jim Cunningham will bc one q. us
Mary's house party came off. sure
enough. We had the house all To our
selves, and there WAS every reason
why we should expect "A good time
The first evening we were together we
had IA candy pulling. ana the next
morning the auto was brought out. and
all went for ride. except myself.
didn't feel well and concluded to stay
at home At least. this is the reason /
gave for not going, but the true rea-
son was that Sarah Flint, one of the
girls had undertaken To appropriate
Jim Cunningham To herself, and 1
didn't like it. because he didn't let her
know she couldn't do it.
While they were gone there was
rap Of the knockcr on the front door
went there and found girl who ask
ed for Mary told her that Mary had
gone on "A ride, and she looked very
much disappointed. She said she was
Marys cousin and had come all the
way from Hanover Court House to see
her. | told her to come in and make
| herself at home. She did So, and |
| went back To my room.
When | went downstairs again she
| had gone. The auto party didn't come
| back till evening. and when they did |
| failed to get an opportunity to tell
| Mary about her cousin who had been
| to see her. We had supper and in the
evening danced, l playing the piano
for the others. | didn't want to dance
| him. That's the reason l did the play
| ing.
| The next morning a change had come
over the house party. Something had
| gone wrong. Then ! noticed that the
4 girls were giving me the cold shoulder
Later on went to Mary and asked
her what was the matter. She said
that while they were gone on the ride
the day before somebody had taken
things from their rooms. | saw right
away what it meant. | was the only
one left to do the stealing. so | was the
thief.
1t was very stupid of me not To think
of Mary's cousin. but | was so broken
up by what bad occurred that | was
incapable OF anything for awhile.
1t was plain that Sarah Flint was do
ing all she could to fix the theft on
me. |. surprising that she was turning
Jim against me, didn't give him a
chance to show his faith in and SYM
patty for me. but just turned away
from him every time he approached
me suppose this made him mad, for
he kept making up to Sarah, and
when he passed me he held his nose In
the air.
The evening after the day of the
theft | said TO Mary:
Il forgot to tell you that your cousin
came 10 see YOU all the way from Han
! over Court House when you We're out
motoring"
My cousin. | haven't any cousin at
Hanover Court House
Then told her how the girl had gone
away without saying that she was go
ing or leaving any message.
why didn't you tell me that be
| forc?" said Mary The girl was tn,
| thief, of course
Il never thought of that" replied
Mary went right away to the other'
and told about the girl who had pre-
| tended To he her cousin and who hao
had the run of the house as long as sh,
wanted 10. OF course this put a new
face ON the affair. aud they came {,
me. all except Sarah Flint. and asket
my pardon for suSpecting me of theft
though some Of them said they hadn'
thought was guilty mt all But knew
better.
Jim watched for his opportunity {,
speak To me. and | purpoSely went of
by myself TO give him chance Whel
he came to me he seemed not TO know
what TO say.
why have you treated me so shah
BLY," he asked.
Il have simply treated you as yo
deserve When was wrongfully aC
cuscd. instead of standing by me yo
sided with my bitterest enemy"
Il tried 10 tell You that | believe
you innocent. but you wouldn't give m
chance"
Not while you We're listening to tn
poison of that snake.
Il was trying TO get away from he
but you threw me back TO her"
IF | threw YOU back eertainl
didn't throw you back to her lo
went 10 her of your own accord
And you won't make up?" he sal
= ruefully.
ANY man who is engaged to a 81
| and won't stand lax hpr when she