The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-05-15


hair. What beautiful thlng' nloie
wondrously beautiful than any o'hel
created object, was the curve OF 'noSe
Iittle Inns, What a warm, CHUBBY
sturdy body was this that lay IN MS
arms and against his breast.
The perspiration of summer sieep
heqap to head out upon the child
forehead and, moving as gently as Il
no feared even a breath might disturb
the harmony of this exquisite picture
the man drew his handkerchief from
his pocket and gently wiped away
the moisture.
The moment was a revelation "
this man who had fought all ms ne
Really, there seemed, after ALL sonle'
thing in the world besides business
and competitors, besides money anu
stocks and bonds, besides the struggle
for place and fame and rlches' ne
was a man who, having attained MS
pinnacle, could look back upon ln.
course over which he had come anu
view now, with trace Of compassion'
some Of the rounds Of the ladder tha'
he had broken in his ascent, Ihese
things had never bothered him mucn'
but inst now they required to him
and made him feel just little Dit as
if he we're almost unworthy to be the
bearer of this beautiful slittle burden
that seemed suddenly a holy ana
sacred thing.
A sharp, clicking sound broke IN
upon his reyerie, and then rapid
chugging. He looked around. his
chauffeur had succeeded at last IN nX-
ing his automobile and there It STOOD,
whirring and trembling, eager to dash
away. He arose and walked over to
the machine. The dog had been
asleep, but only in that light slumoer
that is permitted to those weighted
with the sense Of duty.
Huh" said the man to his chauf-
feur. ~ seem to have picked up a
responsibility here, Williams. III be
hanged if | know what to do with II!
Tell you what you do Williams,
he suggested You just drive very
slowly around the streets bordering
the park. l have no doubt that II THIS
baby is lost and belongs in the neigh
borhood, we shall find some one, II not
several people, out looking for him
Very we'll, sir" replied Williams.
Shall lay it on the back seat
mo-" replied the man decisively
II shall hold hint"
For nearly the full hour they mad
chugged about the streets radlatlng
from the park, when suddenly the big
man saw former friend-one with
whom he had not been on speaking
terms for nearly year-come iran
tically along the sidewalk. The former
friend was peering from right to lef'
as he strobe on, and nothing escaped
his eye. Suddenly he left the side
walk and came running toward the au
tomobile. He had not seen the mar
in it nod the chauffeur who drove 1t
; He had, however, seen Tyke.
stop" he cried That's my baby!
The automobile stopped yer!
promptly, but the big man In 1t neve
moved, except to fold Tyke LITTLE
more closely in his arms by way o
a reluctant goodby,
Hello, Smith" he calmly called
! Mr.. Smith looked up at the soun'
Of the vc'ce and recognized the BIZ
man.
3 Obi" he said in amazement, an
D for an instant the two looked at eac'
other as men do who have cause eac,
/ to wonder what Is in the mind Of tn
s other. Both were reluctant to brea
: the ensuing embarrassed silence. TIL
a big man, as became him, was the frs
to give in. He was the 'soulless co,
8 poration," practically
8 BY George! Smith, don't envy 70
your last hour or so" he said in tn
d tone of old. 81 was fortunate enoug
n to pick up your little one in the par
y and have been driving around tn
d neighboring streets for the past hou
hunting for the center of the fuss thu
| knew must exist somewhere. jun
I in and I'll run you both home
Q Very kind of you, Davidson, a
Il sure" replied Mr.. Smith. Il live on
j" a few blocks from here, but since IL
boy is asleep l shall take advantage
IT your offer with pleasure"
l. Mr.. Davidson, considering the COZ
81 fort of Tyke, made no move to ope
IL the door of the tonneau- Mr.. Smlt
I. opened 1t himself and clambered
ID Mr. Davidson moved over carefully
e. give him room, but he made no sta
3. toward relieving himself OF his burde
" The machine turned to q side sire
le at the direction Of Mr.. Smith. wi
then turned his attention to Robe
1t Walsingham. The paternal arms b,
lie peculiar ache in them. but he sto,
n It as long as he could-for the spa
m of possibly two or three blocks-al
Or then he suddenly held out his arr
,e with gesture SO imperative that n
OF Davidson drew long breath. |
Id 20