Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, December 22, 1911, Page 8

PAGE EIGHT THE EVENING TELEGRAM LAK ELAND, FLA., DBCEMBER 22, 1911 Not on the Calendar By Kate Cleves Peter Barton caught a glimpse of Nancy Gage just as the tail of her eream-colored pony whisked around the shoulder of the hill and he was riding after her in an instant. But when she turned and suw him coming down the trail and he saw the sparkle of ber blue eyes and the sunny gleam of her bright hair he pulled his gray Yorse down to a walk for his heart was filled with apprehension. Sup- pose—just suppose Nancy Gage pre- ferred to be alone this glorious May morning when all the ranges shim- mered with the fresh green of young grass and the melting blue of the sky seemed to tint the gray rocks to a warmer, softer hue. With the fluctu- ating mood of an undeclared lover, Peter felt a sudden coldness about his beart. Of course she didn't want him! “Good morning Peter Barton,” greet- ed Nancy in her sweei, iricndly way *1 thought you had started for Honey Creek.” “I've been there, and I'm on my way home now,” responded Peter, “It's a long way around then be- cause this trail leads to the Spouting Springs.” Nancy glanced up at him from beneath thick fringing eyelashes. He decided that turquoise blue eyes seen through this alluring screen were more dangerous than when turned di- tectly on a chap. “What is the matter? You haven't heard a word I've uttered!" scolded Nancy over her shoulder. “Heh? Why, you said you were going to Spouting Spring,” stammered Peter, reddening, “l am—and you said you were on your way home and I remarked that you were taking the long way around,” shie said demurely. “You mean—that | better be going home?" Peter pulled his horse and swung around on the back trail. *I beg your pardon, Miss Nan; [ ought not to have butted in on your ride without asking leave.” “Ol, bother, 1 didn't mean anything of the sort, Peter Barion,” returned Naney crossly. “Why are you so thin- out such little matters?” e I'm in love with you,” biurted Peter. Instantly he was hor rified at his own temerity. So long as the words were unspoken there was a chance—a chance that Nancy might say * ;" but now that they were away from his lips the postponed an- swer must come—and he would have nothing left to dream about during those long nights on the open plains when he was In camp with the boys, “Peter Dartog!” Was there a catch in Nancy's voice or did he imag- Ine it? “You're not surprised, are you?" He was emboldened to continue. *Most anybody could sce how it is with me!"” “Could they?” There was no doubt about it—Nancy's voice was cool, “Yes," sald Peter recklessly. I sus- pect the whole camp knows what a fool I am!” “Do you believe so?" asked Nancy trigidly. “Yes—you wouldn’t marry me, would you, Miss Nan?" Peter's hand rested on the satin flank of the cream- colored pony, and the broad brim of his hat brushed Nancy's shoulder. There was a flick of Nancy's whip and the cream-colored pony dashed forward. “Of course I'd marry you,” retorted Nancy over her shoulder, and anyone but a man deeply in love would have recognized the mockery in her volce. “When?" demanded Peter ardently, urging his own horse in pursuit. “Will you go home now if I tell you?" was Nancy's odd reply, as she balted her pony and faced him. , “Yes—T'll go anywhere, if you want me t0," sald Peter dazedly, for as yet Be could not believe that it was he who was boldly asking lovely Nancy Gage, his boss’ daughter, to share the bumble lot of a cattleman. “I'll marry you—of course!” called Naney, lightly though her eyes looked dark gow. “I'll marry you sare, the Ahirty-first of September!” The white ‘pony flashed about and dashed down the trall, while Peter Barton sat like a statue gazing after his sweetheart— gbat's what she was—his promised weetheart! Had she not just sald so b her sweet lips, and then fled away from him with girlish shymess? Pe- per removed his hat and watched her until the pony and rider had disappear- ed around the rocky entrance te Spout- 4ng Spring canon. Peter Barton entered the bunk house dwo hours late that evening, and the ‘blg package of mail matter that he tossed on the table before his com- rades did not allay their just indigna- tion at his tardiness on the eventful day of the week. His face was transfigured with joy | and they knew that something had | happened to lift the cloud from his | brow. It was Ben Holcomb whose careless dart found the Bullseye. ! “You look as if the lady has just said yes,’ " he drawled, unfolding a newspaper that was his share of the mail, “She has!” responded Peter reck- lessly happy, as he flung his hat on its accustomed peg. “And named the day in the Yergaint” ventured Latlin from his| ‘corner. {*The thirty-first of September!” “The thirty-first of what?" demand - Hn.-qnleny. | «She has'™ repeated Peter dlxxny.! right here on the calendar!" Peter flapped the leaves of the big calendar until he disclosed the September sheet, and he ran his brown finger rapidly over the days, finally paused at the thirtieth, hesitating, and turning a white face 10 his friends, “It isn't on the calendar,” said in a shocked voice. “It isn't on this calendar—has anybody got an- other one?” “It isn't on any calendar, you ga- loot!™ shouted Crangle noisily. “Haven’t you ever heard that old rhyme about ‘Thirty days hath September, April, June and November? Why, the lady was joshing you!" Crangle was the only one who laughed in the white agonized face of Peter Barton. He looked from one to another of his mates and saw only pity in their glances. He reached up and swung his hat to his head again, “l guess it was a mistake—she was playing a joke on me,"” he sald thick- Iy and was gone. After a few moments of tense silence they heard the clatter of the hoofs of the gray horse. “I wouldn't believe it of her,” mut tered Ben Holcomb to Latling under cover of a newspaper. They had seen how il was with Peter and Hoss Gage's daughter. “You don’t suppose—-you don't sup pose she's still hankering after that fellow from down Tucson way?" whis- pered Latlin, “Dentman, you mean?" The other nodded. “Miss Nan was some took with him, and when he went away so sudden and we heard he was married, she looked mighty —peaked for awhile.” “I'm afrald maybe she did mind, though we ought not to put it into words,” said Ben chivalrously., “Seme- how, I'm sorry she took it into her head to traat Peter that way.” “"Tisn't like her to do it—not it she knew it was going to hurt him,” was Latlin’s reply. Dw.ing the months that followed Peter's proposal, he carefully avoided approaching Nancy Gage. On the big ranch that was an easy matter, and the few times they met each other un- expectedly Peter Barton's eyes were turned steadily away, while he bared his head belore the girl who had flout- ed him, Naney, at first merciless in the sting of her own love affair, sumed that he had understood and accepted her rude rejection of him. But when she wet him thne after time and saw the set gravity of hLis feq ind the sombern ol his gray eyves, she grew a little fearful of what she ad done. After awhile she found herself think- ing oiten of the stern-faced cowboy who avoided her whenever possible. After awhile her remorseful thoughts of Peter Barton quite crowded out her fleeting fancy for the brilllant Dent- man from Tueson, and she found her- self longing for an opportunity to apol- ognize to Peter for the wrong she had done him. Once she rode out delib- erately with the intention of throwing herself in his way that she might have a chance to ask his forgive- ness. It was the last day of September, and the parched grass lay flat on the plains. She had heard her father tell Peter to ride over to Honey Creek post- office for the weekly mail, and from her window she had seen his well- knit figure on the gray horse sweep away from the corral and out of sight. She dressed herself in a becoming rid- ing dress of llnen that matched her eyes, and without a hat on her sunny head, she mounted the cream-colored pony and was away. That was how it happened that Pe- ter came across her on the shoulder of a hill as he had on that May day when he had asked her to marry him. He had been whistling softly as he rode, and she had been watching his face with a strange wistfulness in her own when he suddenly looked up and saw her. Then the sound died on his lips and his face stiffened like a grave mask and he lifted his hat. Nancy Burton put forth a band and caught the bridle of the gray horse. “Peter! Peter Barton—don't look like that!"” she half sobbed. Gently Peter disengaged her fingers, “You needn’t worry yourself about me, Miss Nan,” he sald kindly. “I'm all right, although—I ought to be larruped good for going around with a long face.” He smiled cheerfully, but Nancy Gage was not to be consoled in that wdy. With a little cry she dropped her head on the pony's neck and sobbed bitterly. Peter Barton was frightened. “Miss Nan, what is it?” he stammered ex- citedly. “If it's that Dentman chap— "II—I'll bave him—" “It's yourself, Peter Barton—I don't want anyone but you and I neverdid!” sobbed Nancy. “What I sald to you be- fore was spoken when I was feeling unitappy and what | say today I mean every—word—I1 do!” Peter slipped from his horse and came to her side. “Miss Nan—Nan,” he whispered fearfully. “Do you really mean {t—that you want me—that you'll marry me?” Nancy lifted a tear-wet face and smiled down at him. “I do mean fit, Peter,” she said simply. “T'll marry you téday if you want mé to—it’s the’ last ddy of Septembet,” sfie added as she slipped into his waiting arms, “I'm honored, honey,” he whispered, “but we’ll do it right and proper as soon as may be—and that day—when we are married, won't be on any cal- endar on earth—I'm mighty sure that day’ll be made in heaven.” Her Qualifications. “l call my wife the real telephome paradox.” “Why so? “Because she calls me up, caly to : call me down.” “Of September—three months off— he | AUNT MARY QUITS | editur floridy grower: | truth is sed tu be stronger ez | { fischun, but elleck abramz californy | cunspeeracy iz stronger ez both uv em. Sheep hev sum senc, but most | uv it cunsists in follerin the lede uv | sum old fule wether. the green frut- erz wuz overtrained by abrahamz and i hev gone stale on the public mind. the cuntinude rejecshun uv green or- | enges in the eastern marketz showz | ez how the green frute conveshun | rezolushunz hazzent accomplisht what was expecterd uv em from the abundenc uv the mouth abrahamz speeketh, hunny and hot bisket air gud eatin, but most uv the green fruterz think | tha air tu swete, Bill Beevil sez a gud menny uv ellick abrahamz slobberin remarkz soundz like spit fryin dn a stove. undersized men allerz talk loud, and.vociferuz ez i suppoze tha hev tu, tu bg considered ez men at all. i havent much use for little men, | or men ez air mostly stummick, but | thare iz allerz sum woman ez takez |tu em fur sum onknown caus, W 1 men az a rule air more perticler ez | men, and ez a uther rule more onest. | most men air proud uv thare children, but the muthers hev tn gide and raize {em, and the wurst trubbel tha hev {tu cumtend with iz the inheritenser | tha git frum thare fatherz i give ! burth tu and raized nine uv em and dun my best by em ez evry mnther shud, and i am proud tu say i hevent a black sheep ur green orenge sellin | wun amune em, i stick ta the old home nest fram which tha hey all flown and air now doin well but i| hey gud naberz, and Bill Beevil iz | |even better ez the guud samariten menshund in the bibel. he duzzent luk afteur the betherin and sellin uy my frute ez a charity, because i pay | him fur it. he iz onselfish and hard- wurkin, and hiz wife and childern doetz on him ez the best and most cheerfulest man ez evur lived in the nalfirhud uv oveedy, he sez he dont mind rattel snakez and polecats, but hippereritz vilez him in a most on- acountabel way, he sez he noze the savyer put up with judas, and he sup- | pozes he shidd not git rawt up ez he | duz with the green frate hippereritz, hut when tha hire a lawyer tu try tu ! hambuzel the peepul, and denounc | [ men hooz shu stringz tha air onwur- | [thy tu ti, he thinkz it iz time for | onest, fair minded peepul tu spit ont thave disapproval in emfattic lang- | | widg, and yit he sez tha remind him; {uy a lot nyv bawlin cavz more ez en- | nything elg, and he hez tu laff every time he seeze Saur Orenge go by, he sez when Tempel sent up that green frute rocket that the hole cun- try seed it, and the fire cracker the green frute crowd tuched off wuzzent | seed by ennybody but tharselves so fur ez rezult hro. sence riting the abuv i hev seed in the paperz ez how Tempel hez extend- ed his furgiveness tu sum uv the vio- laterz uv the green frute law and Bill Beevil sez he dun jest rite in duen it, ez tu furgiv iz devine, and Tempel ken afford tu du it ez he hez wun the fite, and iz now showin the magnani- mous side uv his nacher, reasonin frum this nobel exampel i feel liow it wud not be hecomin in me tu speek even the onkind truth ez hez not yit bin all sed by me uyv theze misguided unfortunitz, and heving allerz made it a rule never tu speak ill uv the ded, i shell put away my pen in the burow drawer, and leeve em tu rest in peece ez long ez tha dont show signz uv eoming back tu life and thare old wayz. Sour Orenge iz my distant na- bur, and but fur the habutz he fell intu wud be a gud man in most uther wayz. ellick abrahamz and josh chase live in Jacksonville and cant be sed tu be naburz, but i shel let the tale go with the hids. and giv em all sur- cees uv sorro ez long ez tha air tryin tu bhe gud, iz the furgiving opinyun uv Aunt Mary uv oveedy. IF FOR NO OTHER REASON Than that of economy this store should appeal to every man and woman Cut Glass and Hand Painted China Nothing has ever been found that just takes the place for the dinning room. Our cut glass depart- ment embraces all the best cutting from the largest factories. In hand painted china we have a large as- sortment from three of the best sutdios. Silverware This department is full and complete, both in sterling silver and plated ware. The line is excep- tionally good in sterling goods, such as knives and forks and spoons of all kinds. A large variety of old pieces. A fine line of Dressing (‘ases, Manicure Sets. Clothes Brushes., Hat Brushes; in fact, everything that you could desire, You should see this line to appreciate it, SOOCOOOVOVOIOVDOCC OISOV IOIDOOOIOO SO0 Jewelry department is full to overflowing; we carry a large enough stock for a city of 25,000, Its out of the guestion to enumerate the different articles, It there iz anything that you want in this line, come in We surely have it, Leather Goods The line is full and complete. You should see our line of Hand Bags, both ip alligator, leather and cloth at prices that can’t be beat, Fountain Pens We carry three makes Waterman, Parker and Simplofiller. Theso miake nice presents for gentlemen., Come in and give your eyes a feast. A PLEASURE TO SHOW GOODS G. N. FUNK & CO. Kentucky Avenue Opposite Park Lakeland, Elorida This and ask for it, DOODOOC EXE SO0 p NS OO e e Dl S e T S b0 228288 FOR THE Christmas Table Cranberries Tll rkeys and Celery SWEET PICKLE, PEARS AND PEACHES, OLIVES AND OTHER DELICACIES THAT YOUR EYES SPARKLE AND YOUR LIPS SMACK AT THE SIGHT. Use Burnett’s Extracts Lemon, Vanilla, Rose, Banana, Pineapple and Strawberry Use Burnett’s Color Extracts For Cakes, Cream and Desserts OO 812 R o0 i I Have Fruit Cakes, and Other Cakes and Crackers, in quantity. “White Rose” Plum Pudding, Good for Kings and Queens. 1,000 Ibs. of fresh candy, Including a50 Ib. stc Fresh Nuts, Raisins, Apples, Chestnuts, Grapes, All Fruits and Chlistmas Luxuries D. B. DICKSON, Danger in Pride. No man had ever a point of pride that was not injnrious to him.=— Burke THE PLACE 0 Better Things ‘ BOOOO 4_0;;,04_»»_4_0‘9’~'f'¢»_4~_ IODOOOSODOE