The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-13
His W ard
BY EMILY c. BOND


taken care of by an old woman who
had been in the family for many years
sat down to breakfast alone S"v-
eral letters that had just been broush
hy the postman lay on the table. one o.
which was from firm of lawyers. In
forming him that by the will of the
late Edward Burroughs he tWilkins'
was appointed guardian to the de
ceased's daughter. Alice.
Ned Burroughs dead exclaimed
wilkins. much affected by the news.
and for a time he gave himself UP 10
reflections upon the loss of chun q:
his younger days. Burroughs had gone
to live in n different place. They had
correspondent for awhile. but that in
evitable separator. continued absence
had come between them. and for ten
or fifteen years they had not met.
Presently the purport of the letter
his guardianship. occurred to him. He
could not think of Burroughs az any
older than when he last saw him and
assumed that his ward was little
girl.
w nat NA4l9 = btAi NAts' A+.7AAAP -
whether he was expected 10 take care
of his wards property or his ward her
self he had no idea but his mind WAS
soon set at rest upon opening another
letter. from his ward herself. which in
formed him that she was without a
relative in the world that she had ever
seen and did not know what 10 do.
1t seemed to Wilkins that he must
see the child and learn something ahou.
her property-if she had any-and how
she was to live. But just then he
found it inconvenient to get away. h
wrote her that the only thing for her
to do was to come to him. He told
her how he was situated and that Mrs
Hawkins. his housekeeper. would take
excellent care of her. a reply to this
letter informed him that Alice would
arrive in. a few days wilkins told
Mrs. Hawkins TO prepare for her re
ception
How old is she?" asked the house
keeper.
How old is she? | don't know.
She may be FIVE or six or ten or eleven
or something like that
Mrs. Hawkins asked no more ques
tons. but prepared a bedroom for the
little girl adjoining her own in case
Alice were still too young to sleep en-
drely alone Perhaps she wouldn't care
to sleep alone anyway.
On the morning of Alice's arrival Will
kins told his housekeeper that he
would have busy day and must rely
on her to meet his ward at the sta
ton. He would send a carriage to the
house at a certain hour. Mrs Haw-
kins was to bring Alice home. and be
would be on hand for a 6 o'clock din
ner.
He was so much occupied during the
day that he scarcely gave the matter a
thought. but on his way home he re
membered it and wondered what he
would do with a child in the house
| However, he could tell nothing about
the matter till he had seen his ward.
| On entering his living room be was
surprised to see young woman dress,
| ed for dinner sitting there writing. 1t
| did not occur to him that she was
| Alice Wilkins. But who was she?
| The young lady rose-She was appar-
| emily about nineteen-and advanced TO
| meet him. She seemed herself some
what taken aback at his appearance.
I'm waiting for Mr.. Wilkins" she
remarked
Beg pardon, Will you tell me-who
you are?"
! I'm MIR wilkins ward"
.,Voug Mr. VEriIl-ins, r,-,rr7g Yo-, ~
wilkins
Dear me! expected to meet a per
son the age of my father
Your father was just my age"
Papa was forty. You don't look
| much over thirty
During this brief dialogue a very
pleasurable sensation was yelling I'D
in the bosom of Mr.. wilkins. and at
the same time he was perplexed at the
result of the mistake.
Well" he said, after a welcome
grasp of the hand, you're here and
here you will have to stay till we can
settle what you're to do. Fortunately.
Mrs. Hawkins will make a very good
chaperon and will take care of YOU
admirably. Has she made you com
fortable?"
she has"
I'll be ready for dinner in a few
| minutes
i 1t seemed that evening to Mr.. vii
kins that his dining room looked diff
ferent from ever before The lights
burned brighter. the dinner tasted bet
ter the flowers on the table smelled
sweeter. Wilkins took up the subject
of his wards future, but made no
/ progress in settling it, As to her for.
tune her father had left her nothing
and she must either marry or make
her own living
After dinner the two adjourned fe
the library and continued TO seek for
a solution of. the problem About II
o'clock Wilkins said.
If I'were tenor fifteen years young
er we might find way out, a very az,
sirable way-to me-"
Miss Burroughs made no verbal re-
/ DIV to this INT cast bar o,.o., l,.,-.,