The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-01

HiIlu-
writing. ] was rather interested in
that hand writing; if | had been un.
able to class the boy before that writ.
ing Of his would have helped me. It
was unadorned and rather smaller
than the average masculine hand
writing but 1t carried with it a sense
Of absolute reliability Foolish. per.
haps, but | have always thought that
my gift carries with 1t the ability to
read character in writing.
When Mercy recovered the spring
came on as If by signal heard the
boys voice again in the halls, and met
them going in and out again, as happy
and overjoyed as If she had come
back from the brink of the grave to
him. The sewing machine was busy
those days. could tell by the whir
It made-and once when | brought up
q letter that someone had dropped
Mercy came running to the door with
her hands filled with fluffy white stuff.
felt as happy, and yet as bereaved,
az II she were my own daughter and
getting ready to leave me. Everything
was quite as 1t should be though, and
hoped fervently that they'd be as
happy as they deserved
Then III April something happened.
heard them at the door one night,
and listened deliberately for the
Good night, Bert. DEAR" that always
came. But this time was disap-
pointed. Instead, | heard the boy say
with feigned cheerfulness:
Good night. Miss Judson," and her
answering Good night. Mr.. Carter"
/ didn't like that 1t sounded seri.
Gus beneath the banter. Then the
boy said soberly,
BE sure I'll come when you send
for me, Mercy"
And Mercy answered with gentle
stubbornness, I'll never write till
hear from you, Bert" and the door
closed slowly.
Bert didn't know. as | did, that she
! stood waiting at the door instead of
hurrying down the long passageway;
waited till the clatter of Berts feet
| on the stairs and the slam OF the door
proved to her that Bert had really
gone. Then heard her 90 back down
the passage, and after minute she
began to play the piano hut in mo-
ment more that stopped with dis
cord. and | guessed. though ! could
not hear, that Mercy was crying
waited almost as eagerly as she
for the boys step again, and the boys
voice in the hallway; but two weeks
passed, and | knew that. stubborn
young things that they were. they
stood good chance of spelling the
wonderful thing they held between
them. Mercy crept in and out OF the
fiat like pale little ghost, and one
day | spoke to her sister of 1t.
mo. she doesn't look at all well, Mr..
Bonner" her sister admitted. but |
don't know what the matter is" |
of my eye The woman meant it.
Was she blind?
Well, the long and short OF 1t 10,
that it got to be too much for me, and
put an end to it, One day when Mer-
cedes had stolen out as usual | wrote
note-in French. and in the boys
unadorned, dependable handwriting.
and tucked 1t behind their mail box
It was just sentence or two, but
ended It with the phrase that had end.
ed Mercy's note to him. had an idea
that 1t was sort OF password OF
theirs, and l was right.
From the window, | saw Mercy
come In. There was pause in the
vestibule, then the heavy door opened
and Mercy stumbled up the stairs.
| watched her through the halfopen
door. and her young face was alisht
with joy almost too great to bear A
moment later the door opened and she
flew out again. knew Bert was to
have his answer.
The next day was warm. so warm
that windows were open everywhere;
| and so 1t comes that sitting in mine, |
heard the end of the story Oh, the
sound of that young voice again. For
me and one other. there was no sound
| like It on earth Then there was a
| duet Of voices. They were evidently
sitting on the deep windowsill his
arm around her had no doubt.
After moment of silence, the cpl
sode Of the note was reached. In the
boys voice | heard incredulity, aston
ishment Then Mercys voice came
clear and convinced
But, Bert, dearest, it was In your
dear, funny writing. aud in French.
And oh, Bert. it ended-you know
how"
Then gathered that she got up and
found 1t for him. There was a mo.
ment of blank slence-then in voice
Of awe and wonder:
by jove, it is You're right"
Let's keep it always, dear" Mercy
said softly I'VE can't quarrel again
after that"
All, well Even meddlesome old
men have their uses.
| Copyright lg3. nv the Mcclure News
| paper SyndCateO