The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-07-31
you have come back" she whis-

heard child calling from one OF the
rooms. He hurried in. Upon little
cot the boy was seated, and, as the
father entered, he looked up at him
and smiled. Something seemed to
burst in the mans heart. He snatched
the child in his arms and covered him
with kisses.
Put down my child" exclaimed
his wife's voice at his side, and Smith
turned to see fury confronting him.
"You-murderer! the woman
gasped How dare you come here
and pollute my child with your touch?"
Your child?" the man stammered.
Yes, mine. The court gave me the
custody Of him. You have no part
with him any more. You have no right
here. Leave this house and never let
me see you again."
This was the woman who had chung
to him so lovingly when the guard led
him away to begin his sentence The
man looked helpless, and the woman,
seeing his distress, softened little.
Il don't want to hurt you more
than you have hurt yourself" she
said. Don't you see that you must
not come into my life again?"
No. said the man stupidity.
For the boys sake" she answered.
What do you think his life will be II
he grows up to discover that his ia
Their was convict"
I'VE can go somewhere" the man
pleaded. 1--WE can begin life anew"
And live lie? No, she answered.
"The court has set me free, and given
me the child. | am sorry for you,
but you must 60. 1t is for his sake"
Smith put on his hat and went out
without a word. He had hardly set
his foot outside the door before 1t
| closed.
From that moment he had set to
work desperately to retrieve himself.
He had taken position, through the
kindness Of the governor who saw to
1t that his past should never come
to light among his associates. He
had saved money, had gone into poll.
tics. He was elected congressman.
Then, the record of his unfiinching in.
tegrity aided him, and he had been
swept into the governors chair by q
large majority Of the voters Of his
state. And the secret of his past died
when the old governor, his friend,
died. leaving him legacy sufficient to
insure him against all future want. It
was the supreme act of the old gov
ernor's life that he, who had not been
all he had dreamed of being, should
have raised this convict out of the
| dust.
Mrs. Winthrop, sir" said the secre-
, tary.
A black-garbed woman hurried into
/ the room and sank down into the chair
which the governor had courteously
accorded her.
Il got your letter. madam" said the
governor.
You will pardon him. the mother
pleaded. HE never had chance. He
was a convict's SON.
The governor was looking into her
face. She did not know him. But he
would have known her anywhere.
Tell me what happened to the ia.
Their" he requested.
He was murderer" sobbed the
woman. When he came out of prison
cast him off. could not let the boy
grow up to know that his father had
killed man. But 1t was In the blood.
Still, Henry struck In moment of
anger. He had no intention to kill"
But the father, madam" persisted
the governor. What became of him."
How should know" answered the
woman. He went to the bad, sup
pose. He was worthless man.
could not let Harry know that his ia
Their was murderer"
You have never regretted your de-
cision, madam? 1t did not occur to
you that you had some responsibility
for the fathers future?"
Mo-" she cried wildly. Don't let
us talk of that scoundrel; tell me that
you will pardon my son."
She raised her eyes for the first
time and looked into the governors
face. Something there seemed to ter
rify her, for the moment, for she
looked hard at him, and the governor
met her gaze patiently. If she recog.
nized him-but she did not recognize
him. Her eyes fell, then she sank to
the floor and kneeling before the gov
ernor, with her hands clasped In ap-
peal.
You must pardon him." she said.
You, who are SO upright, to whom
temptation has never come, cannot un.
derstand the temptations and passions
of boy bereft of a fathers love and
protection. l did everything l could
for him. l changed my name moved
to another city, But it was hard to
give him the proper environments,
and in spite of all he turned out wild.
But he will never do wrong again. /"
Get up, madam" said the governor.
Il have decided to pardon the boy