The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-02-12
HEARD The CALL
Crusb Old Bachelor Who Said
He Would Never Marry Sur
renders at Last.
By JOANNA SINGLE.

And now ! suppose you'H be get.
tin married, Fordie"
Ford looked up from his paper pipe
in mouth, and scowled at the old gis-
sip. Mrs. Peters came in from the
neighborhood an hour or two daily to
do the work in the little house now
that his mother was dead. Then he
was ashamed of the scowl and an.
swered patiently:
I'm not fool. I'll leave here
when the lease is out, and board and
make something Of myself. I've had
all the care-and glad to have it-of
mother for ten years-since / was
fifteen. I've nothing but my trade,
and have just kept even with bills.
Nothing
You're a right good worker.
Fordie, and always with plenty TO
do said the old woman eand getting
married don't take much money"
Nor any sense. either, from what
notice Nothing. divided by tw0- -or
more doesn't 60 far The people
about here don't think They live
from hand to mouth They don't
look ahead They marry when the
fancy strikes them, and then it's pow
erty and worry. I'm going to get
ont of the tread-mill wouldn't have
the face to ask a girl to share moth
ing with me, to work hard for her
board and clothes-and those none
too good I'd rather let her earn her
living alone, hard as 1t is It's more
fair"
The woman, now at the door, gave
parting shot. She's the sort some
body'll get she might as we'll marry
the one she wants" Her tone was
significant, but he did not question
her T mean Evie Jordan she amt
lived two year beside you without
seein' you"
Ford was glad she had the sense to
go after that The old gossip! But
in his heart he heard the call he had
been trying TO ignore heart calling
to heart, man to maid. All spring.
With life renewing itself about him, it
had been coming, and now 1t was
hard to still For though Ford Hud-
sons boyhood had a mans responsl.
bilities. he was yet only twenty-five,
and Evie was very sweet.
His mind could not keep from Evie,
and he missed her running in and out
as she had done during his mothers
long illness. She was q gallant,
bright-eyed girl, all courage and re-
serve. She grew upright like young
tree. And never had she shown him
look beyond mere neighborly friend:
liness She sold gloves at Bentons
She came home and washed the
dishes at night, and helped Popsy
her little sister. with her lessons, and
made solid friends Ford thought Of
Frank Barker, who came occasionally
to see her-he was older than Ford;
without membranes, and owned q
little place in the edge Of town. He
could care for the girl Marrying
Frank, good enough fellow, she
would not need to think about rent
worry over doctors bill, or any ex.
tras.
Ford was almost morbid about the
daily struggle for bread he had been
brought up in. His sister, much old
er, had married very young, and was
faded, anxious, petty woman. Her
husband was discouraged Their chill
dren had no particular chance. Would
marriage turn Eyie into woman like
that? II so. he. at least. would moi
be responsible. He disliked most
married women They we're thin and
anxious and selfish; or little too fat
and a bit sioyenly. They lacked tone
the outstanding quallty-of, say
Evie, with her poise and stamina.
No, Ford decided. he would stans
alone. He had always believed a mar
could overcome any feeling, even love
II he was not ready for It. He would
work up to something like comfort
and dignity in the community. n,
wanted to study a little-he felt NJ,
lack Of mroe than common schooling
He himself had no especial parentage
no training but that Of experience
no backing" He would not found ,
family until he could give ii a bette,
. foothold for an upward climb than h
had had. If he waited, say. until h,
was thirty-four or five-ten wears
might be decent to ask a woman n
marry him. Meantime he would sim
ply suffer i out and keep away from
Evie Jordan
Ford had only himself to watch
Eyie went her own way. she did be-
work, and sometimes from his ward
or at a window, he would watch her
She was never nervous but strons
calm. There was a quiet. resth1l lool
in her dark eyes, even her plain wa,
Of wearing her hair rested him. n
himself was fair and of quick temney
She semed always serene. always ser
> timental even when Frank Barke
\ began coming oftener and sat abop
in the yard with Popsy her little as
ter ever present It was queer For,
thought, that the man never took he
anywhere Didn't he ask her !
wouldn't she go? Occasionally an
went to some amueenant ,s,4tt