The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-10-21
~ w w S(NlNCNCNCN
The FLIvvER
ey +. G. HARRINGTON.
, 1920. by Mcclure Newsnansr

"neh you 90 to New York they
SHOW you the Woolworth building or
'"e brooklyn bridge, and when with
erahed neck or bulging eyes you mere.
y gasp and exclaim by heck!" then
your Manhattan friend nonchalantly
turns away with the remark "Not a
bad little building"
just so do the natives of WoodfieId
cohuuct their visiting friends to the
STAFFORD poultry farm. Strangers in
Variably admire the magnificent home
ana grounds of the millionaire owner ,yvier
ana at sight of the immense farm lust
black With viii poultry houses invariably
'heir eyes bulge, they gasp and de-
'lare, Good night" "Its certainly
sQns place,H t6es say, "but ole jtklnt
puzzles me. You say this Stafford Is
a millionaire?"
Yes, sir, Ted Stafford made his
pile all right" and Cy smiles to him
SELF as If enjoying some secret Joke.
well, why under the sun doesn't
ne buy a real automobile7 These fliv-
vers Of his are cam0uhaged with wire
wheels aud made-to-order bodies so
they almost deceive you, but still
they're only hivvers when all's said
and done"
Aha Cy knew that was coming.
He licks his chops and begins. For of
all the stories that Woodfield likes to
tell about her citizens that is the IA
vorite.
II was eight years ago in the month
Of June. Ted Stafford and his mother
lived together on their little farm do
Ing very prosperous egg business.
the nucleus of the Stafford poultry
farm, When Ted graduated from Har-
ward two years previous he was en-
flrely satisfied to settle down as a
farmer.
This June afternoon, however, Ted
was not farming. Just after dinner
he took bath and donned his "city'
clothes. When he walked into the
kitchen, straw hat in hand, his mother
appraised him with an expression of
| proud admiration.
Dear me. Ted" she joked, ITS no
| wonder Ruth likes Woodfeld GER
tainly admire her taste"
"Aw, cut 1t out, ma Say, ma. do
you like this tie?'
Of course she did. And If ma did,
then Ruth surely would
Just now he was setting out for the
station to meet the 3;45. which was
bringing Ruth from the city.
II was about uuarter-past three
when Ted alighted from the depot
wagon. He hustled into the station
and shouted a greeting TO Ira Jones,
who performed the duties of ticket
AGENT. baggage master and telegraph
operator. and whose official title was
SlUlltll uStIll, I'd Nd~ iiN bN W =
center of Woodtield, since he picked
III the doingS Of the surrounding
towns from the agents along the line.
Outside of this. the use of the tele-
graph in Woodtleld was negligible.
whats new, Iry?" queried Ted.
"Well. they got new barber down
IN Jacksonville. and there's bur
pSuup show comm inter Eastway
Thursday night. Reckon Woodfeld's
male population will be kinda de-
plpled Thursday p. m. Think you'iI
go down?
"No. guess not Ira"
Here their dialogue was interrupted
by the clicking Of the telegraph re.
ceIycr Ted sauntered over TO the gum
machine and surveyed himself as best
ne could in the little circle of mirror.
He bestowed second or two on his
tie and began TO caress his mustache.
Al least Ted claimed ii was q mus
lafDp DUl were hS bV' Si~ 'o"'N'
some Of his acquaintances might have
differed However, 1t was still very
young and like all young things, was
rather weak. with Its best days before
It,
Tied" Something In lra's voice
startled him. and he rushed to the
ticket window, CONSERVATION was
written on every line of Ira's face.
"S-say, Ted w-was there some
friend of yours on the 3:45P
what's the matter"
Its gone over the banking at Fair
field junction. Some mlx-up In sig
pss-had collision"
Ted felt the hot blood surge through
his arteries. MY God Try, do they
was anybody hurtT
Ira spent hr next few minutes fran
tjcaIly clicEmg his instrument. while
Ted waited 'en'"Iy. as pale us d stat
o. and aS r'sid.
"Nhat ,hry say, lra--what they
say"
He says they don't know for sure,
but they expect considerable injuries
an maybe some deaths" Ira was
truthful but not tactful.