The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-04-16
81 lEse cARskRy.

By 4E4@leA eAHaAht
The NAN VAS hazfYins 10 tie sub
eay aAan eAllds voice called
Daddy paaa4
He iurnea at the second cain. hat
he was IA haste and had hot time
% heed ihe voice that was so Ike
THAT 0f BIS h4br
AID The Na2 down town the voice
kept ringing Sc his ears. and during
the DAY be continued TO hear it so
that az three ocioek he left the once
and came uptown in the nope Of see
ing her again.
The CiA1aE haa been divorced two
years before and he hadn't seen
IAcIA their baby since. though ha.
az wen as bis wife, had W0rshiped
her
One afternoon about dusk he sag
her on Riverside drive. she was in
mont oi him slowly be followed. She
Was with q maid Presently they
crossed the drive. and went into an
apartment house he watched them
20 in. then followed
The hall waa empty. save for the
elevator boy.
Does Mrs Thomas Clark live
heregr be asked anxlously.
Yes. sir. the boy answered. THAT
was her little girl. Miss Lucia, just
took up"
Thank you" and be hurried out.
For three days he pondered the
situation he had agreed to leave the
child entirely to his wife. but now
after two years he longed for her
as hc had never thought he could for
anything.
The next day he called. to be told
that Miss Lucia was out
The succeeding day be called half
hour later To be told the same thing.
AS be had now no lntetlon of giving
up his quest. he continued to cali each
day at the SANS hour on the tenth
DAY Miss Lucia was at home.
He was shsGn into the library.
Down on her stomach IN front Of the
fire he found Lucia. The soft glow
Of the FIRE shOne ON the little figure
turning the yellow curls 10 gold He
watched her while she talked TO
Teddy bear.
IA wonder. Teddy. Why We don't
find father2 Mothers all right, but
little girls need fathers"
The man with tears in his eyes
was kneeling when she turned and
saw him, and with a glad cry she
came to him
For several hours be he'd her tight,
an exquisite joy thrilling him. and
though the door opened and closed
twice, be never noticed ii When he
left he promised her to come again
next day.
That night . very happy little girl
asked her mother for a story about
her father, but the mother, on the plea
Of being very tired. refused.
After the child had gone to bed Mrs.
Clark sat for long time trying to de.
eide what to do regarding the father
whom she never wanted her child to
know. AT last she decided that liz she
allowed Lucia to do as she desired
perhaps the natural perverseness OF
human nature would assert itself. and
Lucia would not care for him at all.
Don't you love mother nowgv she
asked one day And when be didn't
reply, she put her little hand on his
face to find the cheek wet. She
dida't ask any more questions, only
murmured Daddy. love you"
She wag quite hearbroken when he
told her he must go away for a couple
OF weeks.
He was gone much longer than he
expected to be. and It was the week
before Christmas when he returned. /
He found Lucia in the same position
as the drst time.
Baby, dear, he said as he lifted
her UP.
They sat quietly that Mrs. Clark.
coming into the room. was halfway
across before she observed them. As
she turned to leave he looked up and
their eyes met
A conTulsive clasp Of the body made
the child look at him.
Father, when are you coming home
for alwaysT
He started and laughed harshly.
then be took the bright little face III
his two hands, and looked at It ia
tently.
Il don't know, saby girl he said
sadly, but whenever mother win let
me.
She slipped to the floor and quietly
left the room
He hardly noticed that she had
gone, her question had suggested 50
many possibilities. Clare had looked |
kindly at him
Father Two small arms were
around his neck and a dear little face
close TO his ny father deari" the
voice vas gery ios. mother says you
may come home whenever you want
to"