The Lakeland evening telegram., 1919-11-12
"a
Misconception
BY SAIDEE E. BALCOM

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Copyright. 1919, by the Western News
paper Union.)
There's five ip the family" reported
little Ned Willis to his curious and
interested own. "There's Mr.. and Mrs.
Waldron. Fhen there's young man.
Say, Edna. he Is just as handsome as
can be-"
ANY children" inquired Mrs. Willis.
"Naw," replied Ned in an aggrieved
tone. There's two young fellows, but
ever so much older than me-"
~ understand interlarded Mr.. Will
lis, shat Mr.. Waldron is retired city
merchant, and his son is looking after
his interests there"
"They seem like very respectable
people," remarked Mrs. Willis. "Well
dressed and furniture quite the mode.
Did you notice, Edna?''
But Edna did not reply. Young, i'm
pressible, the reference to the hand
some young man had quite absorbed
her.
"You must break the ice, Mary" said
Mr.. Willis to his wife. Suppose you
get the cook to fix up a couple Of those
prairie chickens bagged yesterday. l
suppose our new neighbor has heard
Of the wonders Of this vicinity for wild
game, and a sample Of the same should
be received very gratefully"
So, four hours later and just about
dinner time Mrs. Willis crossed over
to the next house with two daintily
broiled prairie chickens, steaming hot
and ready for the table. Mrs. Waldron
was directing her maid in the kitchen
when the visitor appeared.
"No, I mustn't come in," said Mrs.
Willis, II know you must be quite up
set and I've brought you over some
game, all prepared. Won't you notify
us If we can be Of any assistance to
you7"
"Oh, dearl we are imposing upon
you, indeed" declared Mrs. Waldron,
but she accepted the proffered donation
with grateful recognition.
But the next morning Mr.. Willis
came into the house fairly boiling
over. "Well, a nice set of cads yon-
der" he blurted out wrathfully. "What
do you think? The game you went to
all that trouble to prepare they never
touched. They gave the whole batch
to their dog"
"What" almost shrieked Mrs. Will
lis. "Oh, John you must be mistaken"
"Am II" flashed out Mr.. Willis. II
fancy I know prairie chickens when I
see them, and looking over the hedge
there was the animal feasting on our
two specials from platter They're
common clay. that gang-a corn beef
and cabbage crowd, probably don't
know what the word game means. Cut
them, Mary. They certainly don't be-
long to our class"
That afternoon Mrs. Willis was
startled and disturbed when she heard
voices on the side porch. Glancing out
she observed the young man from next
door addressing Edna. who was flushed
and fluttered. He bore a covered dish.
"a couple of fish father brought from
town." he explained 81 only hope you
enjoy them as we did those wonderful
prairie chickens" and Mrs. Willis no.
ticed that Edna's eyes were centered
upon the departing visitor.
"Strange people," she observed to
Edna later "The fish look as if they
had been in a grocer's ice chest for a
week."
ayes, they're not much like the ones
Ned caught in the brook this morn
ing" admitted Edna, "but mamma,
perhaps our neighbors are not familiar
with the town ways yet?'
When Mr.. Willis came home he
snorted decisively as he looked over
the returned donation from his neigh
bors. "Not fit for the catw he pro-
nounced. "Mary, just tolerate these
people,"
Edna was seated on cushion on
the lower steps Of the porch, her father
and mother screened by vines on the
other end, when, refreshingly bold,
young Waldron crossed from the next
yard.
'You look lonesome" he said, ap-
preaching, "and am dreadfully so.
| saw you were alone-and, excuse
mew added Alan hastily as a chair
moved on the porch and he made out
Mr.. Willis.
81 am glad you are here" he added.
"Father Just found out, and he is ter.
ribly annoyed and embarrassed"
"Found out what?" almost growled
Mr.. Willis, not at all in a receptive
humOr
"About the fish, After that royal
treat you sent us he wished to make a
little acknowledgment of the same and
he bought the fish at the town store
never considering that you people prob.
ably never cook fish two hours out
of the water. The storekeeper imposed
upon us, just as he did the first day
we arrived. Father had heard so much
of the native game that nothing would
do but a test Of It, and he ordered
brace of the chickens. The maid had
them all ready when your treat was So