Smyrna times., 1881-08-03
good face, whose gray whiskers and wrin-

good face, whose gray whiskers and wrin-
kled brow invited confidence.
"My husband is very ill.," she said,
''and l have little child. 1t is hard for
me to leave them for even half an hour. "
For moment her visitor hesitated, and
looked doubtfully at the narrow stairs.
Then he took a note book from his
pocket, and after consulting it, said:
viii you tell me your maiden name,
Mrs. Laine Q"
"Ann Davis"
And your birthplace?"
"Lerton."
Did you ever know Ben Daly?"
eyes. He lived with his mother in a
cottage next to my mother's.'
Zone more question, Mrs. Laine. Do
you remember any promise he made you
the last time he sailed?"
eyes; he promised me some tropical
flowers"
Exactly. Now, Laine. | can give
you the good news / half promised you,
but there is a little explanation to be made
first"
"Whcn Ben Daily came home from the
three years cruise that he made after that
promise, he came home hopelessly Grip
pied for a sailor, having lost his right arm.
"He found his cottage empty, his
mothers grave in the village churcnyard,
and the little child he loved gone away,
no one knew where.
He had never been saving man. but
he owned the cottage and few acres of
ground around it.
After he settled down, he remembered
Il collection of roots and seeds he had
brought home to keep his promise to the
child who seems to have divided his love
with his old mother
He was simple fellow. without much
knowledge of the world, except as a sailor
sees it, and he considered these roots and
seed as yours, not his own.
He planted them, succeeded in raising
many plants new and rare in this country,
and in a short time he had applications
AAOAAA lAOA 1918 lOl pS, SCCNlS IOOlS.
Then he seems to have given his
whole energy to the cultivation of his
garden, hiring man to help him, but
carefully saving every penny over his
personal expenses, limited to the most
simple wants.
Less than year ago he made his will,
and three months ago he died.
Since that time have been seeking
you, following up several vain traces, only
to-day hitting upon the right one.
Ben Daily considered his property as
held in trust for you, the flowers as yours,
and as he had no living relative he left
you his cottage at Lerton, the garden cul-
tivated most carefully, and in a good bus
iness at this moment for we have put a
man there to execute orders, and Ben has
left twenty-five thousand dollars in the
bank"
You say he has left all this to me?
Yes; you have only to prove your
identity, and l find you are well known
in this vicinity, and you can move to Ler-
ton to take possession of your house and
property"
Then the lawyer threw his arm out sud
denly to catch the little figure that swayed
dizzily as if falling.
Don't faint" he said, gently. "Were
matters so bad with you?"
81 think | looked death in the face to-
day." she said, in low tone, ''your news
will save the lives of my husband and
child
The story of AIMS fortune is told.
Careful hands helped to carry David
Laine to the home where pure air and rest
were life giving tonics, and where, as he
was restored to health, he could still con-
troll the profitable business Ben DAILY had
started
Mamie and Ann soon found roses and
health, and to-day there are many dainty
danes carrying choice exotics raised from
the seeds and roots that Ben brought home
from the tropics to please the golden
haired child he loved.