The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-06-22

to destroy both himself and her,
About month after this occurrence
her uncle spoke to her again,
Lefty" he said, 1T has come to
this. l can't stand those figures any
longer, Why, he fills a whole waste
basket full every day and what is
on the paper he uses--my paper? Just
figures, rows and rows Of them? It's
driving me out of my mind Now it
comes to this: either he gives up
finding planets or he gives up selling
dry goods. Which is it to be-
Lefty went home crushed. The blow
was about to fall at last. And there
was a more urgent reason than ever
now why George should be in posi-
ton to take care of her and keep up
the home. She had not told him yet;
she meant it to be surprise for him.
Hut he seemed to care for nothing but
his astronomy
IL | had not spent three years CD
this perhaps | might give it up" he
had said
She watched him that night filling
sheet after sheet of paper with his in
tricate calculations. How she hated
those figures There were rows and
rows of them They meant nothing
to her. She often wondered whether
they meant anything to George, or
whether this was not some mania,
born Of a diseased mind.
He threw away dozens of sheets
daily, and he had at least four thou
sand stacked up in his desk and tied
together with string.
When at last he had gone to bed
she crept to his desk and took thom
apart and looked at them. There
] they were, just sheets of common
writing paper, with those dreadful fig
ures on them. Suppose she threw one
of them away-would George ever
find out? Anybody could write down
figures.
It had come to the issue now the
astronomy against their future. she
carried the bundle over to the CRATE
She hesitated one moment; the next
she had thrust 1t deep down beneath
the Goals. The fire licked 1t UP
greedily.
She did not sleep that night. The
next day was Sunday, but she knew
that her husband would begin those
eternal computations as soon as
breakfast was done.
She watched him narrowly. H'
seemed so happy and contented tina
morning. And when the meal was
done he took her In his arms ant
kissed her
Lefty" he said, 81 have grea
secret for you Listen, dear, cal
finish those calculations in thre
months more. | have got so near tn
discovery now that | can afford t
ignore certain mathematical possibll1
> ties which | thought would have to b.
worked out. Lefty! Why do yo'
look at me SO strangely"
81 throw your papers into the graf
last night" she answered stonily.
He stared at her speechlessly Lei
tv!" he cried. You are joking"
: Then he read the look on her fac
: and sank back in his chair like a ma
. stunned He hid his face in his hand
y and his shoulders shook conyulsiyel.
Il Lefty. you have ruined our lives
he muttered. "a little longer, an
!. what a triumph would have been ours
And now" =,
5 Lefty flung herself down at h
feet.
" George! Listen! have som
. thing to ten you" she said. An
o., she told him. But even the JOY
1 that could not console him.
y Uncle Tom said that 1t was eith'
u your work or his" Lefty pleade
ooh George, I thought your brain W;
ie giving way. I didn't believe that II
II discovery really amounted to an
u thing. George, For the sake Of u
I'd future. won't you forget your hobl
y and try to make uncle satisfied WI
- your
ID His hands fell to his sides. He u
40 darstood now that Lefty would new
40 have understood. She was the hon
IL keeper, and his task was to make u
bome-the primitive task of man. eV
II since he groveled among the slime
"a the tertiary age There was no roo
II for dreamers in life, unless they pa
rs the price in poverty and destitute
id And that could not have been-nC
}" mat Lefty had told him!
30 He bent over her and kissed her.
y! yes, dear" he said, q will g
at m NV dreams. I am going to set
work to please your uncle now a
keep our home going!"
he fcopyrlght. 1914. by ". @. Chapman