The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-12-23
PLANTING PENNIES
BY ADA MAY ROWLAND,

copyright. 1914 by w. G. Chapman.)
Hello, Hal-anything wrong?"
Nothing but what money can cure"
"H'm!" observed the first speaker
a. he proceeded on his way. Il don't
like that sentiment, and I always
thought that Hal Sturges was the last
man in the world to entertain such .
fallacy."
The soliloquizer however, did not
know that his usually busting. hope
full young friend was under q pretty
severe strain at the present time.
Hope. ambition. love, seemed all about
70 wither away because Of money and
It's urgent need.
Many years previous Halls father
had loaned David Eastman q large
Sum Of money. Things went wrong
with Eastman. Then they went bet.
ter. He was hopest and he turned
over to his creditor his little mort
gagged farm at Grayton, with the pro-
viso that he was to be its tenant at
q fixed rental while he lived. Finally
Eastman wrote to Halls father that
he would be able to square the whole
debt, some ten thousand dollars, with
in a year.
Halls father died before the year
was up. Hal wrote to Mr.. Eastman,
asking what the prospects as to the
promised money might be. He re-
ceived a speedy reply, stating that II
he would come down to Grayton the
old account would be settled In cold
cash.
Hal arrived at Grayton to find that
Mr.. Eastman had died the day before.
A search was made for will. None
was found. For money. There was
none at bank nor in the house. Only
the old farmhouse was in evidence as
. tangible property.
1t was a great disappointment to
Hal, all this. He had confidently
counted on the money to start IN
business. He had already invested IN
that direction. This became dead
loss. He had to go back to a poor
paying position in the adjoining town
! Then, too, a situation evolved at the
! little farm that distressed him. Dur
ing the last year Of his life Mr.. East
; man had given a home to an orphan
girl and her little sister-Nellie and
Lois Blynn. The young lady had been
housekeeper and nurse for her old
almoner. He had given her a COW
some chickens, and the old farm horse
and carryall. Independently Nellie
had worked up quite clientele fol
milk and eggs in the neighboring vii
lage.
Usually. Saturdays he ran down Il
the farm.
Upon the day that he felt that
money would cure q great proportion
of his ills, Hal was realizing how
slow was the process In his present
environment towards attaining . com
petence. Unknowingly, the vague
thought of being able to ask Nellie t.
become his life partner had q certain
place in his aspirations.
He was greeted at the farm by Mel
lie in her usual bright sympathetic
mood. He stayed to supper. AZ usua
he gave to little big-eyed, wistful Lois
the few pennies he never begrudget
her.
"You mustn't do that, Mr.. Sturges.
chided Nellie Gently, as the little on'
scampered away.
"Why not?" challenged Hal. pleas
antly.
Because she seems to lose then
all. It Is strange. but she never ask
to go to the village and buy sweet
| meats, like ordinary children. Tn
pennies always disappear mysterI
ously and she never tells where the,
go to-"
perhaps she has a secret boarding.
placer" suggested Hal, with smile
He left Nellie and strolled through
the orchard in quest Of the truan
child. Finally he caught sight Of he
blue frock over near a fence corner
why, what are you up to. littl
one? propounded Hal.
Lois looked up with a little al
swering frown.
mot very nice, being peek-a.boo o
q young LADY," she chided, childish!
III you want to know. though. II
planting pennies!"
planting pennies!" calculated tn
baffled Hal.
Il Yes, sir. All you give me-
here" and she patted the groun'
when they grows, Use going to pic
whole baskusfuls off'n the bushes
Whatever put that In your hea'
| child?' demanded Hal.
"Gran'pa;" 30 she had been taugl
to designate Mr.. Eastman.
How is that?" pressed Hal.
saw him do 1t, watched him." wa
the blunt explanation. pagan
they chinked. And jew'lry, and p
pers. He didn't know was watchin
b him. Never growed. though. Cues
a l onot moo tno ehodvn