The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-13
AN INCIDENT AND
INTERESTING SEQUEL

We were all sitting on the club.
house porch enjoying the cool sea
breeze and sipping-well. one OF the
men had tea with lots of lemon in it
but the others, their favorite thirst
eradicator. OF course. all we women
had tea--Or lemonade.
We had been telling stories about
various curious experiences that had
bofallcn us, when Mrs. Preston gave
he following:
"Cno hot afternoon early in Septem'
Der was walking up Park avenue,
after Interviewing one of the most
prominent women in Society who
was in town getting together her
daueh,cr's trousscau-who was to be
Gne Of Octobcr's early brides.
= vas feeling mighty blue: the pref
IS irotks. masses OF lacy lingerie. lus-
fraus satin and priceless lace that
would be combined in the wedding
gown brought back visions Of my own
wedding. and NY neart grew bitter
with thr thonehts Of wears OF suffering
which followed .ay own great day.
",Mentally cursed the man | had
n9rri cursed him fer a weak fool,
Vito bad allowed 4 brilliant mind to
be- me 50 paraly2cd with drink that
:. BITS Wi.e. had to take the babies
a~a4 nom 'heir driniicrazod father
n, leave thon in the care of Gtrau-
~ra while | Wor,;oi all day and often
mill iaip II Ni"h' recording the DO.
in~e Of he rich ard great
What RIGHT had some pcople 10 50
much money when | had TO toll IN.
ceasingil for Just enough to feed and
clothc Us decpntly
II Nas long walk back to The
Office, and had just one nickel in my
purse Shoull spend it for carfare
and borrow from some one at the
office enough to take me home? Or
walk But it was SO hot and | was
tired. besides. | hated to borrow.
There were few people on the
street at that hour, but there ap-
preached a large. goodlooking man.
neatly dressed. who stopped In front
Of me, saying. Lady. could you lend
me nickel
81 was so surprised halted and
stared at him.
hate to ask you for 1t. lady he
continued, but want to get home to
my wife and little girl. and it will
take me hours to walk it.
II inquired If his wife was i'll. I
don't know. She wasn't well when |
left home week ago and then. be.
cause still stared at him Tiny mind
could not conceive big, strong we'll.
dressed man stopping woman in the
street and asking for cents), he told
me that he had been on a spree for a
week and had spent his last dollar
for bath so he would be at least
decent to go home. But I must got
! home, he said; I must get home to
the wife and baby and | thought YOU
would give mo carfare'
Opening my purse took out nv
one nickel. See said |. this is all !
have. When give it to You I must
walk sixteen blocks back to the off %
where work. have to work to take
care of myself and two little children
because my husband is drunkard
Because. when he had Young wife
and baby girl he went on sprees and
stayed away from home and his bust
ness for days at time. Take This
nicke! and 90 home to your wife. but
! tell her 1t was woman who caya Won
carfare. a woman who will holm he,
when she has to give up her home and
go out into the world tc work through
your intemperance.'
That was fifteen years aco yos.
terday sitting opposite me on the
train coming up here, noticed =
very handsome gray-haired man evi.
IDENTITY with his wife. a frail.lootir,
woman with silvery hair and kind
brown eyes.
several times the gentleman looked
searchingly at me- and spoke ~ b;I
wife. ard | confess | was bacop,.-o
bit annoyed. Cor they were apnarnntly
discussing me. | felt it rather Than
saw it. '''''N
presently the gentleman came ovo,
10 vacant chair next mine and b.
shs my pardon, asked NE if I remen.
bered ever seeing him before
At nv negative reply he renoo+,s
the incident that happened 50 n,anu
years ago. but before he had fnisbas
t eo,u MN that l remembered it per.
fectly' Madam do not know NM
you are but want you to meat NV
wife. She wishes to thank vo,, e.,
sending me- home to her the d,r :