The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-09-24


recognized the president OF one ol 'ne
largest corporations in the county.
His plan, as yet roughly formed Ma'
n on to the Grand Central stalion'
take a ticket for some distant ci'y'
and leave on the next train, frst pui'
chasing few toilet necessi'ies'
change of linen, and, Of course, SUIT
case The adventure pleased him. ne
felt a strange happiness such as nad
long been unfamiliar to him. Inere
would be no more steak Ia RENE,
more likely he would eat in rim.lco
and Harvard lunch rooms, as the nve-
cent counters are euphoniously desig'
mated. He bent his steps uptown,
walking, because he needed physical
exercise to enable him to concentrate
his actively working brain. ne nao
travelled into the Thirties before ne
realized how near he was to his oes.
tination. Then, since the haolts oi
years are not lightly overcome ne
discovered that his feet had leo hin
toward his club A little group Oh
members was gathered round the nan
porter. Coggswell fingered near. NO
body recognized him.
Eyes, gentlemen, saw him enter
with my own eyes, at the very moment
he shot himself" the man was saying
Don't tell me there amt no gnosts'
for in the future Ill know dinerent.
And Mr. Georges swears ne cooked
him a steak la refine with his own
hands"
"Ah! The old habits persist after
DEATH" sneered Barnwell, one OF MS
business rivals.
"Ill bet he's busy concerning harps
! and bulling halos," said another.
"Coggswell won't let chance slip BY
Some were too good hearted TO
speak i'll Of the dead, but none had
good word for him. The shabby man
turned away.
It was growing dark, when starting
up from a reverie, he discovered that
he was standing in front OF his house
on Madison avenue He had forgotten
all about his plans. An intense desire
to revisit his home had taken posses
sion of him.
Nobody was stirring in the street
The shades were down at all the win
dows. Coggswell let himself in noise
lessIy and slipped along the hall and
up the stairs, creeping like a guilty
man bounded by adversares. At the
head of the first flight the lone drone
of voices reached his ears. The draw
ing room door was slightly ajar and
inside he saw the coffin surrounded
with lights. and persons standing near
it.
He crept up to his den at the top of
the house. AS he reached the last
story he saw figure coming toward
| him, followed by another and shrank
back into a closet Just as they came
round the bend in the passage. They
were two serving maids. and, as they
paused, he heard one of them say:
why are you taking on so, Mary
He wasn't no good for all I've heard
tell of him. Didn't he drive that good
wife of his out of his house and spoi,
her life for herr
81 can't help it" shifted the other.
HE mayn't have been good man, but
he saved my brothers life
They passed on and something
leaped up in Coggswell's heart. He
remembered now carelessly tossed
hundred-dollar bill to the housemaid
when he had learned that her brother
was suffering from tuberculosis When
they had disappeared he went down
the steps with a frmer tread. Never.
theless, outside the drawing room door
he paused and listened Prentice. his
partner, was speaking.
Il tell you, Mrs. Coggswell." he was
saying, Charles was good man
Never you worry about his superficial
faults. | knew him more intimately
than any man Of his acquaintance, and
l know that warm heart beat under
the affectaton of seltishness. could
tell you stories"
20, | know he was" his wife sob
bed. 1T is | who have been at fault
When he was a young man, struggling
to make his way in the world, | stood
between him and success. was nc
helpmate to him. thought of nothing
but dinners and dresses o, Charles i,
you could only know, il you could only
come back to me-"
A graver voice was speaking. I,
was that of the clergyman. Coggs
well had been liberal subscriber tc
church funds, mainly for advertisins
reasons.
You must not reproach yourself
Mrs. Coggswell," he was SAYING. "Yom
husband was a good man, but he fail
ed as you say YOU failed, simply be
cause he did not always understand
the people about him He was rigid
ly good and honorable man in man,
ways-and a liberal one"
A fourth voice took up the parable
Coggswell started and clenched hi,
fists in bitter remorse The voice wa,
that of his son.
4 know father meant to do well b,
me-" he said You know. mother h,