The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-02-18
THEIR DAUGHTER LUCIA
BY JEssicA cAReARv.


way. when a child's voice called:
Daddy! Daddy"
He turned at the second call. but
he was in haste. and had not tlmo
TO heed the voice that was SO IKE
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, SO
that at three o'clock he left the Office
and came uptown in the hope of see
Ing her again.
Tho Clarhs had been divorce two
years before and he hadn't seen
Lucia. their baby. since, though he.
as N,!l rs his vile, had Morshiped
h'r.
Ono afternoon about or he saw
her q Rivers de Ggivr Sha VAS ~
trent II him: slovl, h followed she
vas rta = wa'd Pr it'y thy
cra a ,''a Grsp, onl vest into "a
ar.4.s. htr ne w.t,acd them
- i. t,q followed
Iae h,l Was 4. y, save for the
oloya Or L,'y.
ices Mrs. Thomas Clark live
her, >" he asked anNiously.
"Yrs. sir" the hoy answered. THAT
was her little girl. Miss Lucia. just
tool, up"
Thank you" And he hurried out.
For three days he pondcred 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 infection 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 tho little figure.
turning the yellow curls to gold lie
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 q 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 HI
left he promised her to come agair
next day.
That night . very happy little CIR
asked her mother for story abou
her father, but the mother. on the ple'
Of being very tired. refused.
After the child had gone to bed Mra
Clark sat for long time trying to de
eide what to do regarding the fathe
whom she never wanted her child t
know. At last she decided that II sh'
allowed Lucia to do as she desire'
perhaps the natural perverseness
human nature would assert itself. an
Lucia would not care for him at al
Don't you love mother now!" sh
asked one day. And when he didn'
reply, she put her little hand on hi
face to find the cheek wet. Sh
didn't ask any more questions. onl
murmured: Daddy. l love you"
She was quite hearbroken when h
told her he must 60 away for coupl
Of weeks.
lie was gone much longer than b
expected to be, and It was the wee
before Christmas when he returned
He found Lucia In the same pOsitiO
as the first time.
Baby. DEAR" he said as he LITE
her Up.
They sat quietly that Mrs. Clarl
coming into the room, was halfwa
across before she observed them. A
she turned to leave he looked up an
4 their eyes met.
I A convulsive clasp of the body mad
the child look at him.
Father. when are you coming HON
2 for always"
He started and laughed harshly
U then he took the bright little face
!, his two hands, and looked at it Il
!: tcntly.
I Il don't know, baby girl" he sail
sadly. but whenever mother will |,
me-
d She slipped to the floor and quietl
left the room.
He hardly noticed that she ha
4 gone, her question had suggested S
many possibilities. Clare had locke
kindly at him.
Father" Two small arms wer
around his neck and dear little fac
close to his. "My father dear." til
voice was very low, mother says yo
may come home whenever you wal