The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-12-15
PLANTING PENNIES
BY ADA MAY ROWLAND.
Copyright, 1914, by w. G. Chapman.)

Copyright. 1914. by w. G. ChapmanJ
Hello, Hal-anything wrong?"
Nothing but what money can cure"
HIM" observed the first speaker
as he proceeded on his way. Il don't !
like that sentiment, and l 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 a pretty
severe strain at the present time.
Hope. ambition, love, seemed all about
to wither away because Of money and
Its urgent need.
Many years previous Halls father
had loaned David Eastman a large
sum Of money. Things went wrong
with Eastman. Then they went bet
ter. He was honest and he turned
over to his creditor his little mort
gagged farm at Grayton. with the pro-
. yiso that he was to be Its tenant at
q fixed rental while he lived. Finally
Eastman wrote to Halls father that
: u0 WOulu Uc dOlC W C4uoAO WV -" ~~-~
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 60 back to 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 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 COW
some chickens, and the old farm horse
' and carryall. Independently Nellie
: had worked up quite a clientele FOL
, milk and eggs in the neighboring VII
: lage.
1 Usually, Saturdays he ran down &c
the farm.
r Upon the day that he felt thai
;. money would cure a great proportion
9 of his ills, Hal was realizing how
|, slow was the process in his present
Y environment towards attaining com
t petence. Unknowingly, the vague
/. thought of being able to ask Nellie tt
become his life partner had a certain
place in his aspirations.
He was greeted at the farm by Mel
lie in her usual bright sympathetic
mood. He stayed to supper. AS 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. 1t ia strange, but she never ask
- to 20 to the village and buy sweet
y meats, like ordinary children. TIL
pennies always disappear mysterl
. ously and she never tells where the,
go to-"
> Perhaps she has a secret hoardin
placer" suggested Hal, with a smile
He left Nellie and strolled through
the orchard in quest of the truan
It child Finally he caught sight OF he
y blue frock over near a fence corner
r. why, what are you up to. Httl
l. one?" propounded Hal.
Lois looked up with a little al
swering frown.
Not very nice, being peek-a-boo O.
IT a young LADY," she chided, childishly
y III you want to know, though. II
planting pennies!"