The herald., 1913-02-20
THEIR DAUGHTER LUCIA
BY JESSIcA CARBARY.

way, when a childs voice called:
Daddy! Daddy"
He turned at the second call, but
he was in haste, and had not time
to heed the voice that was so like
that Of his baby.
All the way down town the voice
kept ringing in his ears, and during
the day he continued to hear 1t, 80
that at three o'clock he left the office
and came uptown in the hope of see
! ing her again.
The Clarks had been divorced two
years before and he hadn't seen
Lucia, their baby, since, though he,
as well as his wife, had worshiped
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
60 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 intetion 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
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 1t. When he
left he promised her to come again
next day.
That night a very happy little girl
asked her mother for 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 IL 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
murmured: Daddy, love YOU"
She was quite hearbroken when he
told her he must 60 away for a couple
of weeks.
He was gone much longer than he
expected to be, and 1t was the week
before Christmas when he returned.
He found Lucia in the same position
as the first 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 convulsive clasp of the body made
the child look at him.
Father, when are you coming homo
for always?'
He started and laughed harshly;
then ne took the bright little race In
his two hands, and looked at It In
tently.
II don't know, baby GIRL" he said.
sadly, but whenever mother will let
me-"
She slipped to the floor and quietly
left the room.
He hardly noticed that she had
gone, her question had suggested 80
many possibilities. Glare had looked
kindly at him.
Father" Two small arms were
around his neck and dear little face
close to his. my father dear!" the
voice was very low, mother says you
may come home whenever you want
to-"
HE Holiday.