The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-02-09

lQuL Hef tone was PLAYFUL
eNO heart ne said grizzly.
Esther watching them with flutter-
ins her, touched the bunch Of cool
violets at her waist with trembling
fingers she had heard the converse.
tion about the yioIets and understood.
The name on the florists box had been
's EE7seinz' and there was another Miss
Esther Mason for whom the blossoms
had been purchased. A stupid shop.
man and the mere difference Of east
and vest and a singular coincidence
Of names had completed the tangle.
The vi0lets we're not hers. They be.
longed to that beautifully gcwned
woman at the next table who was
drawing on her white gloves and pre-
pairing for her departure.
Esther paid the waiter and slipped
into her loose gray cloak. with g
graceful movement she crossed to the
next table and bert over her aston
ished namesake.
7 must ask your pardon" said
Esther composedly, hut could not
help overhearing your conversation
about the yiolets. NY name is Esther
Mason and / live at 81 East sixth
street Tonight I received this beau
tiful bunch Of vioIets and as there
was no card why / just thought they
came because it was my birthday It
did not occur to me there might have
been mistake the address was so
plain on the box"
AS she spoke, Esther unplnned the
flowers and laid them on the table be.
side Miss Mason, but the older woman
thrust them back into her hands.
mo, no, my dear, you must keep
them; It Is your birthday and am
very glad that you have them" She
smiled sweetly at the lovely young
face bent above her own and as she
looked, a puzzled expression came into
her eyes. she flashed q quick glance
toward the table where the girl had
been sitting, and then added. You
are alone here tonight?" Perhaps
your friends are waiting for you"
Esther flushed and drew back. Il
am all alone she said with dignity.
Il came here to dine this evening DO
cause it was my birthday and / want
ed a treat-the violets tempted me-
they seemed to lure me into spending
one delightfully."- luxurious evening II
You viii not take the vioIets. Miss
Mason, let me thank you for them and
say goodnight"
She turned away with a slight In
clinatlon Of the head, but the older
woman's hand caught hers and de-
tanned her.
wait moment, please, You did
not understand me, my dear. asked
about your friends because I thought
I might recognize among them one
whom knew-your face Is so famil-
lar It il very like someone / knew. =
Miss Mason's own face was pale now
and her dark eyes shons strangely
Esther hesItated an instant, then her
firm white chin went up never so
slightly. 4 am sure you cannot have
known my people. Miss Mason. You
see, No. 81 East is a boarding house
and I am merely working girl ny
people are all dead. Her lips Quiv-
cred slightly, and Dick Redmond sud.
denly dropped his eyes from her face
and twisted his dinner card yiciously.
Miss Mason leaned back little
YEARLY and dropped the girls hand
Il am very sorry" she said gently;
but was sure you look 80 ike Tom
Mason, he was my cousin"
MY fathers name was Tom Mason
TON Henry Mason they called him. I"
said Esther quietly. "You see we are
Maryland people. They are all dead
every one save sesne distant cousins
whom have never seen.
Miss Mason arose quickly and
slipped her arm around Esthers waist.
my dear girl, she half sobbed. "Tom
Henry Mason was my cousin-on the
other side of the house. Dick and
really believe you were named for me.
There was a misunderstanding be-
tween Us which was never cleared up.
Oh you must come with us now, let
me INTRODUCES my nephew. Dick Red.
mcnd my c0usin Esther Mason, Dick.
Is Il not delightful that you made the
nllatake about the vlolets9"
Dick hand closed around Esthsrss
and his gray eyes sought hers eagerly;
perhaps they both thought the mis-.
take about TIE violets was 4 delight.
fuI occurrences They said nothing be-
You'd che conventional words al greet.
lns
We are on our way 70 the theater.
explained Miss Mason Is they passed
into the lobby and made their way to
tbs street where handsome carriage
waited at the curb. "You must come
with usit Is your birthday. You
know. and between the acts win ask
you about an your home people and
vs. win lay plans for the future.
Dick. following them into the car.
rage. mentally decided that he. too
was very lonely and that he would
make It his business to relieve hiA
solitary condition at the earliest OBJ
poftunity
F~~t.~4~ ~ e,9t hft $500