The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-04-24
THEIR DAUGHTER LUCIA
BY JESSicA cARBARY.

The man was hurrying to the sub
way. when, q child's 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 80 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 it. 50
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 anxious!y
! 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. g.
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 glad cry she
| came to him.
For several hours he held her tight,
| though the door opened and closed
twice, he never noticed it. 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 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, l love YOU
She was quite hearbroken when he
| 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 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 conclusive clasp of the body made
| the child look at him.
Father. when are you coming home
for always?'
then he took the bright little face in
his two hands, and looked at it in
tently.
Il 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 SO
many possibilities. Clare had looked
kindly at him.
Father" Two small arms were
around his neck and a dear little face
close to his. MY father dear!" the
voice was very low, mother says you
may come home whenever you want
to-"
His Holiday.