The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-28

OF some wealthy woman who.
There was somebody in the bed!
An old. white haired woman who lay
there, hardly breathing, fiat. with
white hands picking at the bed covers!
Graves Snatched up handful OF the
baubles and turned. Suddenly two
powerful arms caught him as In wise
and he looked up into the face Of the
mddle-aged man.
Come outside, you-you dog"
whispered the other Caught in the
act you dirty sneak-thief! Let me
look at your face. So you would rob
a dying woman, would you: I'm 60
ing to strip the hide off you before !
call the police"
Il didn't know" Graves babbled.
A feeble voice from the sick bed
made both start
John" whispered the sick woman.
John It's you, dear John. l knew
you would come home!"
The captor and the captive stood
motioniess thrilled by the pity in the
voice
John won't you come here end kiss
.oa. cd mother?' pleaded the voice.
knew that | should live to see you
a. IN
~ niddle-aged man whispered into
fht4 "a Df tho tbinP
lier son was killed in an automo-
hie accident last week. Now's your
chance III let you 60 if"
you're coming to me, aren't you.
Jcaa?"
"Ies." muttered the thief, and with
y footstepe Re staggered to-
rd tn bed. found il, and sank down
lpon a chair. ''e felt the hand of
~ old woman ' unon his.
Are you John Are you my boy?
cannot see Tell me that you are
lohn," he old woman whispered
"Ycs. am John" the convict whis-
pernd back
she said no more for while but
seemed to doze Gently, by almost
unacceptable degrees, the man in the
room lowered the eas light till it was
only little twinkling fame in the
darkness. And the thief sat motion.
less his hand held tightly In the light
clasp Of the dying woman.
ifter a long time she reused her
self Johnny" she whispered, turn
M 50 that can put my lips to your
ear" And the convict turned the
shrunker old body revcrently. and
with new and strange fearlessness.
Then the old woman spoke again, and
80 low and weak were her tones that
he could only grasp thcm by bending
his ear till her lips touched 1t.
Johnny" she said, = want you to
be good boy after | I'm gone. !
want YOU TO be good COR your old
mothers sake. Johnny There's no.
body will ever love YOU as have done
nobody in the whole world You've
been wild Johnny dear and people
have said hard things about you and
called yon hard names, but knew
that Yen were my boy Johnny, my
coed boy and that you were good at
heart Promise me you'll always run
straight Johnny"
Graves promised.
Then can so in peace. Johnny,
dear Kiss ne" The dying woman
half raised herself and Graves took
her in his arms and pressed his lips
revorently 70 her forehead And not
daring to sur. he remained thus half
through the night
Then lonner--till the gray light be.
gan TO steal through the shutters,
wing with the low glow of the gas.
The outlines Of the room became ap.
parent, the objects visible Graves
had almost fallen asleep when the
man touched him on the shoulder and
pointed
The vital fires had burned them
selves out gently and imperceptibly
The life had faded out of the old frame.
The dead woman's placid smile
seemed like benediction.
Graves rose up. I'm ready now"
he said to the man
Co" answered the man. pointing
to the door; and the ex-convict shut.
fled along the carpet. his face work.
ing. his checks stained with tears.
He halted at the door, hesitated, and
shuf1ed back again He went up to
the man
Il don't want to CO." he muttered.
Il want you to call the police. Say"
he went on, in imprisoned accents.
I've got an old mother like that in
Mapleton. and she's alive and wants
me to come home. DO YOU think II I
went that could ever become a man
again! I've been in prison three
years"
The mans hand fell on his shoulder.
just as the head warders had fallen.
He seemed sorry for him, it was odd.
to come to think of it. how kind men
were to one another.
My dear fellow, | believe that Pro
violence sent you here-Providence
which is only another name for Cod
said the man. Go back and face the
world anew in your home town"
Why. that was Just what the gov