The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-08-04
HARRIET LENDS A HAND
BY CHARLES A. WILLIAMS.

have Crept into his heart. Inc streets
were blanched with snow, which came
whirling from lowering sky. The
wind blew sibilantly with vindictive
Kisses, as though determined to defeat
those who dared venture out.
1t seemed so typical of his life.
There had been SO little in it to cheer
and warm his heart His disadvan-
tages were many and stretched back
farther than memory. And when Har-
riet had come into his life it had inten-
sified the pang of knowing that, after
all, he had not succeeded in raising
his head above those Of his class
the toilers.
He glanced about the plainly fur
nished room, then his eyes turned to
the girl seated at the little table be-
fore the fire.
Her soft glance met his In flash
of understanding.
Showing hard, jimmy" she asked.
Yes he answered in tone that
revealed his mood.
He crossed to her and laid his hand
gently on her glowing black hair.
You're such G. princess, Harriet,
how can l ever give you what you
should haveg he said.
She raised her face and reached up.
Grasping his hand, she pressed 1t to
her lips. He WINGED.
1T Is SO hard DEAR" he burst out
1t seems as if we will never know
the happiness Of life together. How
can we on what am earning?"
He swept the room with a gesture.
Nothing elegant about it, he said,
but it's comfortable, and there's some
Joy here, and no care. couldn't give
you as good, and there'd be the strug-
gle to make ends meet, with never
anything for rainy day And the
rainy days do come, dear"
He sat down gloomily and leaned
forward, buried his face In his hands.
Jimmy she demonstrated softly.
you mustn't feel that way
He dropped his hands and stared
despairingly at the floor.
But cant help it, Harriet. Is
there anything in the world for me?
| am man without education or train
Ing. must drift, I'm doing what l
can to get on and improve myself,
but it's such a gamble and it almost
kills me to think that your comfort
and happiness are the stakes"
She Strengthened In her chair, and
shook a warning finger.
Stop it, Jimmy" she commanded,
Stimulating severity. Jimmy" her
tone softened, do you know what I'm
going to do? I'm going to give you a
great surprise. Wait. / won't tell
you until the time comes. And then,
how Jimmy will stare and wonder!"
She broke into infectious laughter.
1t injected momentary cheer into
his being But soon his depression
rushed back and submerged him.
They had come through the years
together, hand in hand. AS children
they had romped through the careless
days side by side,
What glorious picture the future
was then. when their knowledge Of
the world and its ways had not dimmed
the bright colors.
He had few trying moments when
he parted from her in the hall.
Her arms crept up and linked about
his neck Her fair, girlish face up
turned and velvet-perfumed lips chung
to his.
He would have given her up for her
own sake and borne in solitude the
grief Of 1t; but she loved him, and
her soul was In his keeping. A part
ing would break her heart. He must
go on, on, and try and hope.
Out Of the crucible of torment came
something-a new spirit, a more te-
nacious determination. He plunged
into his work as bookkeeper In the
railroad offices with more feeling than
he had known since the great fact
had been haunting him.
Harriet noticed the temperamental
uplift, and reminded him several times
of the great surprise that was to be
his
One morning the manager sent in
a boy with request for Jim.
Jim's hope rose with a bound that
made his heart hammer in his throat.
No doubt the boss had noticed the i'm
provement, too Perhaps he was to
receive the long-deferred increase in
wages.
When he came into the managers
presence he halted, wild-eyed, on the
threshold.
Harriet was in the room
Jim" the manager snapped, things
haven't been going we'll with US.
We've got to cut expenses all around.
This young lady has applied for po-
sition. I'm going to give her your
place"
Jim saw the color die In the girls
cheeks as she clutched at chair for
support.
Hot tears flooded his eyes, and he
tried to voice a reply, but he choked
on words that would not come.
And wanted to help, wanted to
helm" he heard her murmur hrokapIv