The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-12-15

Who SmlieO Inc ioo'
1.-THE stepmother.
I'm the stepmother, SAID the iao'.
Thomas turned and surveyed hei
speechlessly. .;n
He eazed at her masses OF sort TIP
,,;ro bair her tender, hazel eyes, her
delicate oval face. ,,..
..you," he said, incredulously. HIS
disappointment was obvious
The stepmother flushed.
Extraordinarily won't beat me- OF
lock me I'D. or starve me- said Thomas
in tones Of heartfelt regret
She laughed TREMENDOUSLY
NO, uo-of course not.
They said you would, he said, re-
proach.ully
How silly of them" she laughed.
But what 'zactly is stepmotner!
They never really told me. ! nao
real mother once" he said with prioe,
thu, she went to heaven. Fl APPS
with sudden inspiration, you're ner
come back"
mo, no." she said.
She knelt down as near MIN as she
dared, and put one hand timidly on MS
little brown knees.
I'm lust a stepmother, and we'll be
great friends, you and l. Well have
grand times together And-and we'll
play here in the garden, and III put
you to bed and kiss you and
But" broke in Thomas, solemnly,
I'VE can't do that if you aren't real
one. William says he'd like to see any
woman kiss him 'cept his mother
and you aren't a real mother, are
YOU
The stepmother answered eagerly:
Not real one, dear, but
We cant do it if you aren't real
one" said Thomas, decidedly.
There were some new puppies in the
stable, and a. new horse that James
said belonged to the stepmother, and
he had tea with James and James
wife IN their little cottage, and every.
thing seemed as me- and exciting as
it always does the first day Of holi.
days.
It was half past seven when he wan.
dered into the drawing room. His ia.
ther was there with the stepmother.
well, young man." said his "a
Their, this is fine hour for little boys
to be up. High time you were asleep.
Come and say good night He bent
down, and Thomas stood on tiptoe
and kissed his cheek.
Now go over and say good night to
your stepmother."
Thomas walked over to her and held
oft his hand, politely.
Good night" he said, in his quaint,
serious way.
The man frowned.
Aren't you going to kiss her, Thorn
as?" he asked.
Thomas turned to him.
Il don't think so," he said. You
see, she's not a real one"
Thomas put himself to bed. He al.
ways performed the operation alone,
although one or other of the house
maids generally volunteered their
services.
There was dull pain at his heart.
He wanted some one. He wanted
some one with soft, fluffy hair and
dark eyes like the stepmother, some
one to say good night to and kiss.
He was used to being by himself, but
now the depth of his lonely little soul
cried for her. He wanted her, he
wanted her, he wanted her. He wanted
her so much that it hurt
He sat up in bed and gazed with
flushed cheeks into the darkness. He
dug his fingers into his palms, and
bit his lip to keep it still. Surely he
was not going to cry. What would
William and the other boys say If they
knew that he had cried because-iust
because-Thomas did cry.
The stepmOther was sitting alone in
the drawing room. Thomas father had
just gone into the library to look for a
book she wanted. But she was not
thinking Of Thomas father-she was
thinking Of Thomas.
She was thinking of his blue eyes,
his untidy mop of hair. his little seri.
Gus mouth. She would so love to hold
him on her knee, to kiss his little
brown legs.
She wanted to 60 and look at him in
bed, il only she were sure he was
asleep. She dared not go unless she
were certain. A great loneliness was
in her heart, . loneliness that even
Thomas father could not satisfy. The
door opened.
Found 1t, dear?" she said, missing
her head.
But 1t was not her husband.
1t was quaint little figure IN a tiny
sleeping suit, little figure with blue
tear-flled eyes. and a tremulous baby
mouth.
Il want you," he walled. ~ wan,
you. anyway. An 1t doesn't matte,
about your not being a real one. It'll
be Just the same. An l want you x
say good night, too. and
But he got no further Somehow
or other he was there, pressed agsins
her warm. white throat, and the soft