The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-09

The second November twsnty-third
brought him no more luck In his choice
of records.
Never kick q man when he seems
to be down Perhaps you'll get 1t
next year." croaked the deep voice
from the photograph.
But the third and fourth trials were
fruitless-save for the posthumouS
jeers and jibes with which the eager
ears of the expectant heir we're annu-
ally assailed.
Horace briggs began to fret impa'
tiently. A hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, his by right. yet tied up IN
this unearthly fashion! Surely ne
must select the right record soon.
There we're but three left.
He began to spend money more
freely. He felt he could afford more
of the Injuries of life with one hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars all but
in his grasp. When he went to Wads-
worth & Barstow's for the fifth con-
secutive November twenty-third, his
little store of savings had melted quite
away.
Again he made an infelicitous
choice. The record gave no clue to
the trunks location.
The ensuing year he launched out
boldly. He mortgaged his house. He
ran in debt. But what man would wor-
ry over such trifles with one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars worth OF
negotiable bonds looming on the hori-
zon?
He purchased q thoroughbred trot-
ter and an automobile. His wife was
the best-dressed woman in town. On
the next November twenty-third. from
but two records, he managed to choose
the wrong one.
All the following year he comforted
himself with the assurance that the
strain was over. There was but one
record left, and that record gave the
location of the bonds. He had but t.
wait patiently until November twenty
third to be Independent for the RESI-
of his life.
He sold his grocery business-it'
routine had become irksome to him
for several thousand dollars. and. Will
bis wife. spent . delightful spring ant
summer touring England and the con
tinent
Upon his return he Joined the Coun
try club and gave I'VE hundred dollar
to the town library fund. In q burs
Of enthusiasm over the approach o
his good fortune. he even erected
costly granite sarcophagus over oil
Bill briggs neglected grave.
The autumn waned. November drev
to q close and on the afternoon Of tn
} twenty.third Horace briggs wende
bis leisurely way to the ONCE Of Wadi
worth & Barstow to secure the last n
naming record.
Az he made his way homeward wit
the little parcel in his pocket. he wa
: aware Of a pleasant sense Of relie
, The long. trying waiting was ovel
Tomorrow the bonds would be bill
According to the standards OF tn
) town, he would be a rich man.
. He lighted the lamp on the fbrar
table and set the photograph beside
I. Very carefully he adjusted the la'
. record, and started the machine. II
? stantly tho deep voice from the hor
filled the room.
AT last you have chosen the rigf
one. Listen to me moment before
! tell you where the trunk IL hidden"
Certainly; with all my heart" sal
t briggs under his breath, bowling t
wards the machine with exaggerate
politeness.
You made my life burden viii
I lived under your roof. You though
me a helpless pauper. You begrudge
( me the very food ate"
= Horace briggs WINGED. He migl
: have treated the old chap with mol
r decency. that was fact!
Yves now you listen eagerly. Yc
are all impotence for me to tell yo
: where the trunk lies"
"Egad, that's true enough" mu
. tered Horace.
y by strange chance the Psalmist hi
described the location Of that trun
o Turn to the one hundred and flfty-flr
Psalm-the last verse. And may yC
a enjoy the bonds as much as hate te
l. ing you where they are. Psalm OF
$ hundred and fifty-one!"
!. There was something like a gri
,. chuckle. The record was finished.
n Horace briggs caught up Bib
y and, with trembling, impatient fl
j.. gers, turned the pages. What he four
, there any one may readily learn WI
= will simply take the trouble to loo
e <ho DcolV, mentioned