The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-05-11
Associated With
Lemons
GO. isss. Western Newspaper Union,
By ANTHONY REIMERT


Hawtrey, his name was. Anybody
could fool him. The first recorded
instance was in the case Of the canary
that he bought from the travelling
peddler. 1t wouldn't sing.
IL tell you. Hawtrey. that Is no
canary, that's lemon bird" said one
of the town wits.
Some days afterward the dye he
gan to wear away. At the end of n
month very ordinary sample of the
sparrow family stood revealed.
The town roared. The lemon
soubrlquet remained.
Then, of course, there was the bull
pup that turned out to be cross be-
tween a mongrel and mongrel pug.
But these incidents were cropping up
all the time. Hawtrey was so easy to
fool.
There was the letter that he re-
ceived from the Singleton corporation,
stating that they had heard he was
taking a correspondence course, and
wished to show their appreciation by
offering him position. Hawtrey
went there, flushed with hope. He
made his way to the presidents Of
fee But the president dlsclalmed
all knowledge of the offer.
"You have been hoaxed, Mr.. Haw-
trey" he said. at was a-ah!-
lemon"
For by this time Hawtrey was In
dlssolubly associated with lemons In
the mind Of every one.
Hawtrey went away. The next cpl
sode in this series Is when he went
courtlng Myra Blaine, the village
belle. 1t was just like Hawtrey to at
tempt impossible things. Myra, who
had a dozen suitors, looked on Haw.
trey with mingled annoyance and
amusement.
Myra was not altogether popular,
especially among her rejected beaux.
Two or three of them concocted lit
tie plot. One day Hawtrey, who was
not progressing with his suit, received
a letter:
"Why do you not have courage to
Is ever daunted by difficulties. Often
n girl cares most for the man whom
she treats most badly. Precious OPP
portunities, once permitted to slip,
can seldom be regained.
"'He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
Who dares not put 1t to the touch.
To win or lose II ALL"
The letter was signed NJ. and Haw-
trey went nearly mad with JOY. He
hurried round to Myra's house and
proposed to her. Two or three of
those in the secret were waiting near
the house. The window was open.
and they could hear every word that
was spoken.
"Mr. Hawtrey, what you ask me Is
absolutely impossible. I never
dreamed of such a thing. like you,
and IL respect you, but / certainly
do not care for you in any other
way"
"But-but what about that letter
that you wrote me?" stammered Haw-
trey.
II wrote you no letter. Mr.. Haw-
trey" answered Myra, with touch
of acerbity.
"It's in my pocket" said Hawtrey
miserably; and even then he didn't
understand.
"Well, suppose you let me see this
mysterious letter." Myra answered.
There was good deal Of chuckling
and suppressed mirth outside as the
watchers saw Hawtrey take the pre-
cious mssive out of his pocket and
hand II to the girl.
Myra read it and her eyes blazed.
"T wrote you no such letter." she cried
furlously. 'It's hoax. wicked
hoax. You've been handed"-she
commenced to laugh Historically
you've been handed lemon again.
And he stood there before her, feel
ing all his hopes and dreams vanish
into thin air. The iron entered into
his soul in that moment and made a
man of him. Can man change in
single moment to become something
quite other than what he has been?
Hawtrey did.
And Myra knew It as she raised her
eyes miserably to his. Her humllia-
tion was crushing her. She, tire proud
belle of the town, to be made, equally
with Hawtrey, the victim Of prac-
tical joke Of such a character!
And, whether II was desire for
revenge. or whether Mt that moment
the pathos Of the mans love entered
into her heart will never be known.
But the astounded group saw her
walk toward Hawtrey, and the next
moment she was in his arms.
How was 1t all communicated to
him? No one could say. One Of the
gang made tie mot of the night,
however.
''lf he has bought another lemon. /
guess he's squeezing It," he said