The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-03-21
THEIR DAUGHTER LUCIA
BY JEssIcA .cAR6ARY.

Daddy! Daddy"
he was in haste, and had not tim
to heed the voice that was so iik
that of his baby.
All the way down town the vote,
kept ringing in his ears, and during
the day he continued to hear it, 81
that at three o'clock he left the offict
and came uptown in the hope of see
ing her again.
The Clarks had been divorced two
years before and he hadn't seer
Lucia, their baby, since, though he
as well as his wife, had worshipet
| her.
One afternoon about dusk he saw
her on Riverside drive. She was in
front of him; slowly he followed. She
was with a maid. Presently they
crossed the drive, and went into an
apartment house. He watched them
go in, then followed.
The hall was empty, save for the
elevator boy.
Does Mrs. Thomas Clark live
here?" he asked anxiously.
Eyes, sir" the boy answered. THAT
was her little girl, Miss Lucia, just
took up"
Thank you" And he 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 he had never thought he could for
anything.
The next day he called, to be told
that Miss Lucia was out.
The succeeding day he called half
hour later to be told the same thing.
As he had now no iltetion of giving
up his quest, he continued to call each
day at the same hour. On the tenth
day Miss Lucia was at home.
He was shown 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 to gold. He
watched her while she talked to a
Teddy bear.
Il wonder, Teddy, why we don't
find father? 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 he held her tight,
an exquisite joy thrilling him, and
though the door opened and closed
twice, he never noticed it. When he
left he promised her to come again
next day.
That night a very happy little girl
asked her mother for q 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 if 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 now?" she
asked one day. And when he didn't
reply, she put her little hand on his |
face to find the cheek wet. She
didn't ask any more questions, only
Daddy, I love you"
She was quite hearbroken when he
told her he must go away for couple
If weeks.
He was gone much longer than he
expected to be, and it was the week
before Christmas when he returned.
lie found Lucia in the same position
Is the first time.
Baby, DEAR he said as he lifted
Ter up.
They sat quietly that Mrs. Clark
coming into the room, was halfway
lcross before she observed them. AS
he turned to leave he looked up and
heir eyes met.
A conyulsiye clasp of the body made
he child look at him.
Father, when are you coming home
or always?
He started and laughed harshly;
hen he took the bright little face in
us two hands, and looked at it in.
emily.
Il don't know, baby girl" he said,
adly but whenever mother will let
ne"
She slipped to the floor and quietly
eft the ROOM
He hardly noticed that she had
one, her question had suggested so
lany possibilities. Glare had looked
indy at him.
Father Two small arms were
round his neck and dear little face
lose to his. My father dear!" the
dice was very low, mother says you
lay come home whenever you want
J."