The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

never know the story of your birth.
I've often thought" the poor lady went
On sadly. III 10 children Of his own hao
come. he would have been fond Of you. Id
was main good TO you At hrst, but when
Tfsva and the rest came II was different
he 4 % set upon them he N bear tha'
anyone else should have . place In their
mothers heart"
If only my own father had lived" said
Lattice with q sigh. II should have hao
someone to love me-"
Il h love you always. darling Lettuce.
I don't know II it's foolish to tell you. but
In my own heart I have never quite be-
lieved your father was dead. You see
dear. to be faithful to the dead Is not a
mans nature. He may have married again
in Australia. and be so full Of his second
family that he had no time to think OF
you"
"Mother-let me call you SO this once
I'd rather think he was dead than that he
had forgotten my very existence"
Mrs.. Linden hesitated.
When l frst came to Bennerton-bsfore
there were SO many children-I used to 20
up to London sometimes on . Saturday aft
ernoon. to meet my husband. We'd 80 for
q stroll In the park II It was summer. or.
maybe. as q treat. to some cheap concert In
winter. One day. can remember 1t 30
well: you were Just ! years old-Georse and
1 were sitting in the park watching the
carriages 20 BY, and in one I saw . man
! felt certain was your father.
Il did what 1 could. Lettuce. I went down.
nknow to my husband. to the little coun-
try place where we'd lived. and I spoke to
the doctor who had attended Harcourt Bell
when he broke his leg. I told him every
thing. a asked II It would be possible to
nnd out something about your father.
MI. Smith was very kin to me; he knew
. few theatrical people. and the manager
Of the company Harcourt was with when
he came to Allerton. He said he'd make
inquiries: he wal up in London now and
again: when he'd anything to tell me he'd
try to run down to Bennerton.
H came q few months after. Lettics. He
had found out the very man who was Har-
courts chum. and he told him he never
heard anything about the Australian plan.
Bell had gone from bad to worse.
was in the very last extremity Of pow
had lost sight Of him for months. he ap-
eAG Vh0 oay WGh 0ICSoCu duu IoOhIIfB
like . nobleman. He paid his old comrade
trine hs'd lent him. told him he'd come
Into q fortune and turned his back on the
stage forever.
n Smith gathered that this man had
always felt that Bell was an assumed
name. though he thought the Harcourt was
He said he fancied his old chum
the son Of some great folks. and that.
Quarreled with his family. he went
o the stage IL q ut Of pique."
Lettuce shivered.
Il o want to know my fathe-." she
said slowly. III he is 20 cruel and heart
less. But. oh, I would like to know his
name. o you see. II Bell was only an
assumed name. I don't know what I have
! right to call myself"
Il should use Bell said Mrs. Linden
''unless you like to remain Lettuce
Linden. which IL the name you've always
been known by. 1t seems to me-. child, that
Il you call yourself Bell it would be n clew
you should ever meet our ather.~
Il don't wish to meet him"
They had to turn their thoughts from the
past. for Lettice's future was an urgent
matter. The two women were 20 lonely and
70 destitute Of kindred that the problem was
ar more dificult to them than II might
have been to those with a large circle. Mrs.
Linden had 30 few interests outside OF her
that she knew very little OF the new
nodes Of earning money which have opened
'or women Of late years. That Lettuce
be invaluable to n mother need
ng help with her children the poor lady
sure. But then. how should she ind
'uch at q minutes notice1
An Inspiration came to her. Suddenly she
that her sister Violet had OBJ
q situation through q s~emi-charita-
DE institution at the West End, and had
IN Q home attached to the latter
or . whole month while seeking the APP
continent. At this distance OF time poor
Ars. Linden could not remember how much
Ter sister paid for food and lodging, but
Iursly % would last some time.
II shall tell George he must give you
hres dayS grace. Lattice. Before they are
Ixpired I shall have had time to arrange
or you 10 30 to Ashley Square. 1t 10 all I
think Of"