The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-23
THEIR NEW DAUGHTER
BY EDNA G. BACHELOR.

"Bless my soul! Bless my soul"
scolded the peppery little old doctor
as he stormed up and down the dis
ordered breakfast room.
His white locks grew more and more
belligerently erect as he excitedly ran
his fingers through his usually orderly
hair: his cheeks were flushed by his
wrath and his piercing blue-gray eyes
few storm signals OF anger.
Never heard the beat of it in my
life!-never! the young cub" he
growled. Here I've worked and slav-
ed. and shaved and worked to give him
a chance and good time. and this
is my thanks. Not even a by-your.
leave! Bless me. lists madden
ing" and the old doctor blew his nose
With loud and valiant sound. which
yet somehow or other ended with a
curious pathetic little squeak that
suggested very great anger merged
Into q very decided hurt.
of course. Maria. YOU quite agree
with him, h..nw." he trumpcted
harshly IN 4 ,.n cnaeayor 70 sraIue
the treHor in rs voice Bat ! muet
s.y | I'D i !, jor oHnion Of loar
jcien.eRt thaa - call that ;Hfl Il
Elliott cleatr~a - ! her ci-.retlo puf-
lnss. 4 swoe l;'a t,i1r. am" hero
tie grna voice took on an even harsh h.
or tone. that Erie should dare to say
lie WIS bringing YOU a new daughter
to help fiji Nol.ie's rlace-our little
white. golden haired Nels!e."
But. my dear. am sure you are
mistaken. Indeed. ! know you are
JUDGING her wrongly"
Wrong nothing snapped the doc
tor testify Il hope ! have enough
solid horse sense to put two and two
together when see them. I've never
seen the creature myself and | hope
to goodness never do. but Duncan
was telling me only yesterday that she
can bet and triple ard smoke to equal
any OF thosc young fools who hang
around her Caly tempered, too, says
she leads hcr cousin who lives with
them dogs HE"
Now, father. Just knew you were
Jun ping at conclusions" spoke up the
ger tie little Dresden lady in such
spirited and re9rcHchful voice that the
doctors mouth opened in sheer amaze.
melt.
oh. of course | know nothing. alb.
sol ltely nothing; bit this | do know,
eve if am in my dotaro, that that
mannish creature With her loud voice
and her sports isn't quite the ideal
daughter Of my dreams" The old man
turned abruptly and left the room.
Late .h;t ;is,c:a,,.. &c ,n,,,a lis way
slowly and woarily towards the sun.
baked, -chokcd district called
IN town parlance the poor's acre." and
for almost the first time in his sixty
hale years he felt the wcarinees Of life
and its utter and abicct misery as 1t
is vouchsafed TO some. For years this
pcppery little doctor. whose bark was
so much worse than his bite, had
worked among these poor of great
city.
For time he had sought help In his
self-assumed task from his little Ores
den lady wife. but she had grieved so
in her gentle way over their, to her.
sordid and awful sufferings, that he
had comforted her as he might have
done child, and had left her in peace
at home.
From that day he had never men
toned his poor in her presence, and as
If to make up for her deficiencies, he
had thrown himself into his work with
rcdoublcd energy. But somehow OF
late years he had felt more and moro
Eccaly the nod oil a womanS love and
guidance among thom, and many a
time half unconscious signing wish
had crept THROUGH his troubled mind
IF only Nelsic had lived to be com
rade and a help"
With stopped shoulders and largina
stops he mounted the dark stairs oil
the first tenement house, and shrink
ing dread of his visit and Of what he
must see filed him. lie could picture
the scene cutie wildly, he assured
himself, and he sighed impatiently a
his own Impotence.
r The baby will be crying, Tomml
|, and Sue will be u little bit dirticr THAI
usual, and god deal crosser Will.
Jimmy, poor wee l2d will be a tiny bii
Quieter and just as thoughtful as ever
n II only their mother could haye som
one to take care of her, fgurativel.
and literally, she'd stand chance o.
getting better, ard If she docsn't-may
God help them all! If only Nelsie he
lived" sighed Nclcic's estfer as he re
luctantly opened the door, and theT
s suddenly his sharp gray eyes flmod
for the suns rays showed him Mel
=, sie-like golden head bent over a sleep
ing baby by the uncurtained window
while around and about peace and or
s der reigned
We'll, bless my SOUL" quoth tn
doctor in husky whisper, and he la,
his hand very tenderly upon littl,
crippled Timmy's head. whose usual,
: pale face was crimson with the SUP
pressed excitement of his present won
q derful happiness. Its Miss Delight