The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-15
HOW UR!AH QUALIFIED
BY c. c. JOHNSON.

W personally COnduCt the cows an(
such Of their near relatives as accom-
panied them to the barnyard drinking
trough at milking time, back to pas
ture.
Uriah was known as one of the
mast patient, inoffensive of mortals
This in itself was a serious fault in
the eyes of Lucy's father, old Sylves
ter Graham.
i amt got no complaint cause
you're poor, Uriah," the old man had
said the evening before; you're in.
dustrious, and would be just the kind
OF a Teller to take hold O. my little
place, but I'm 'fraid to risk you as a
son-in-law. Somehow you don't strike
me as bein' just human; you're too
good"
Uriah had taken his way home to
the neighboring farm. where he
worked. in sadness OF soul. Even had
he understood &ylyester's philosophy,
he would have been at loss how to
put it into practice. Unconsciously,
however, he bad been Influenced. He
had been pondering the old mans
words all day, and tonight for the
first time, he felt an Impotence with
the tameness of his existence. 1t af-
fected his usual gentleness. Letting
down only the upper bars, he seized a
club, and with some homely exple-
tives foreign to his lips, caioled the
cattle into hurdling the gap. Uriah re-
placed the bars and started for the
house. His mind was made up.
Midnight found him well on toward
the city. He had walked fifteen miles.
A haystack served him as bed, and
a pocketful of cakes supplied his
breakfast, after which he caught
friendly farmers wagon.
Uriah had never been in the city
before. Its rushing. life and strange
sights both bewildered and Intoxicated
him. In his pocket was forty dollars,
his entire savings. To his mind this
sum presented limtless possibilities.
lie was ready to part with the last
penny of it in his mad determination
to turn himself loose. The only prob
lem with him now was how to begin
In the course of a few minutes
spruce-looking young man spied him
from across the street. lie hurried
over, as though he WIS afraid Criah
might get away before he reached
him.
Up at the Forks the whereabouts
If Uriah caused much anxiety for a
week or two, until jeff Blaine, the
1uckster, who had paid visit to the
city, brought back word that he had
seen Uriah as play-actor in thea
.er; that he looked just like he al
ways did, and people were making a
great fuss over him. 1t was conceded
hat Jeff had run cross Uriah some.
where In town, but as for the rest
left had been drinking again--until
he Forks saw the newspaper which
aid:
1T is interesting to learn that the
plendid piece of character work in
Up the State which has brought
anne to that talented young actor, Mr..
Wallace Kcene, is taken from actual
life. Mr.. Kccne accidentally met on
he street one day the prototype Of
is creation in the person of young
Uriah Hope and has
made him his constant companion.
he countryman had come to the city
0 see the sights. If he has missed
ny 1t has not been the fault of Mr..
>eene, who, being anxious to study
i'm thoroughly. has spared no ex.
ense in his entertainment 1t is
Understood that the pace has proved
20 swift for the young man, and that
e Is anxious to return home. He will
robably carry back with him the
leasing memory Of more different
inds of headaches than he ever be.
IRE experienced
Yes, it was true, Uriah wanted to
0 home. He wanted to see Lucy
gain and have a talk with her ia
Ter. He, somehow, had the feeling,
! he readiusted the towel on his fore.
cad. that h had qualified.
Lucy recognized him when he reach
| the front gate, in spite of his styl-