The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-03

ESTHER'S PR0D|GAL
Bv cLARIsSA MAcKlE.

died and left her the llttle WnlIe Hoooo
on the corner Esther gladly left the
home of her father, where a STEP
mother ruled supreme, and went TO
live alone in the little white house.
Esther carried with her all the be-
longings of her own mother as well as
her girlish trinkets and keepsakes. In
time the little old-fashioned parlor
came to look exactly as had the parlor
of her own home, even to the ancient
square piano that filled one corner.
For lands sake, Esther, are you
going to settle down here and be a
regular old maid?" demanded Loretta
Campbell, who was prematurely gray
and sewed for living.
Esther laughed.
Il always wanted home Of my own,
and if | waited till | got married, may
be I'd never have one. can be just
as young living here as if | stayed at
home"
81 don't know, seems awful old
maidy to me-" insisted Loretta; Just
like my having white hair when I'm
only thirty-fve-seems as If had to
stop expecting to get married"
I'm thirty-nine," said Esther gent
ly; IT don't believe it's any too young
to set up housekeeping"
Loretta Campbell was thirty-nine,
too, and she knew that Esther was
aware of it. but she had CHEEKY bold
ness that carried her through very en-
barrasing situations.
I'm never going to be any Older
than thirty-f1ve, she said significantly
Now, Esther, how you going to have
this neck fixed? High or low"
After this important item had been
discussed and Loretta had returned to
the sewing machine, the little dress
maker paused in her furious pedalling
and turned her sharp face over heI
shoulder.
did you know Emmy Slocum was
going to be married?"
"Yes-some time this month. isn't
it?"
"The nineteenth" Then after per
ceptible pause Loretta added: II won
der If Ed Slocum will come hame to
the wedding?"
I'm sure | don't know"
II heard they didn't know what part
Of the world he was in" pursued Lor
eta, now that the delicate topic was
opened
''Indecd?"
Yes. | heard his father told him
he Needn't never come home until
he'd made enough money to pay back
some of that he'd ill-spent. call that
pretty hard of old jim. Slocum-Ps
says he was a limb when he was boy
and made no end of trouble for his
folks--yet old Jim is hard as nails on
poor Ed. Why, Ed can't be a boy any
longer-he must have stopped cutting
up tricks long ago.
Esther was silent
ED wasn't what you'd call bad-he
was just full of cutting up, but it
seemed to cost his father a lot OF
money. Well, they drove him from
home and | guess his ma broke her
heart over it. | blame it all on old
Jim Slocum-mean as all get-out."
81 wonder what Mr.. Slocum will dc
after Emmy's married." said Esther.
Nobody knows--Dexter won't have
him live with them-hes AS much as
said so. Keep house for himself.
guess"
why he can't do much He's real
feeble-he must be seventy years old.
protested Esther.
Don't seem to make any difference
how old one is-they get trouble just
the same" remarked Loretta.
After Loretta had gone home that
night, Esther washed up the supper
dishes and then sought her little par
lor, where she lighted the lamp with
the dangling prisms and sat down by
the marble top table.
For long time she sat lost In rev.
erie. She was thinking of old Mr. Slo.
cum so soon to be left alone. She was
thinking of the prodlgal, Ed. who had
run away from home twenty years be.
fnra Che lootod hack IN hor ou,p ~; vi
ish grief over that event as one reads
the story Of stranger.
Once she had sat in the parlor at
home, when Ed Slocum used to call
upon her three times a week, just as
she was sitting now. Then she was
waiting for him with fluttering heart
and eyes that were tell-tale. How
handsome Ed was-black-haired, black.
eyed, light-hearted-the best fellow in
the world, and 1t was this very easy.
going nature of Eds that had led him
astray. She still treasured the hasty
note in which he had taken leave OF
her. 1t seemed to be the delicate rosy
thread that held her to her youth and
hope.
Some day he might come back. Some
day he would return. He had loved
her.
Esthers brown head druoped a little
YEARLY at these sad memories, but
she was brave soldier and she lifted
her chin and took up the photograph
album and turned to Eds picture
placed there opposite that of her
mother