The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-02

Ao"AhS ody.
When he returned the baby had
been dead three months. The Cap
tain was dimly aware that Bob was
going to die
Nary" His voice quavered as he
put his arms about her III find a
|, ship tomorrow 10 God! wish l
had a million dollars"
The wish had broken spontaneously
from his lips, but Immediately the
scene changed. The wish had refer
; red to no period of his life; conse-
Quently the scene in which he found
himself was one which he was unable
to recognize
He was seated in the library Of Q
magnificent house in q seaport town.
The door opened and he heard girlish
laughter In an adjacent room as the
butler respectfully placed box of
cigars before him and a tray contain
ing q bottle of gin and settler water.
The man withdrew, cat-footed. Cap
tain Paul heard the voice of his
daughter Myra in the drawing-room.
YES" she was saying. of course
! papa makes me ashamed of him. II
, he hadn't made that fortune in the
| China trade and got his head turned
he would have been a very respectable
old man for his station. But he's
| we'll, Mrs. Jones-Frothingham says he
Is insufferable. And so unpresent-
able"
1T must be great trial for you,
Myra," murmured his daughters
friend.
1T keeps my heart in my throat
every time anybody comes to dine"
cooed Myra. HE eats his peas with
knife! And he tucks his napkin into
his collar! Isn't it dreadful. dear!
And Of course the best people in Free
port are not coming to visit us when
he behaves like that. wish he'd die
that's what l wish"
Her voice broke down and she be-
gan to sob. He's a disgrace and a
nuisance" she declared Il wish--I
wish-I wish he had never made that
million dollars
You can't improve his manners,
dear?" asked Myra's friend.
Improve a ours manners!" shifted
Myra, dabbing at her eyes. HE
doesn't know what manners mean.
And the worst of it, he doesn't know
he can't behave. Only the other day
he told Mr.. Jones-Frothingham that
they'd 60 out together sometime on a
oh, l can't say the vulgar word
Elsie"
Tell me. 1 may have heard it.,
said Elise" "One can't help picking
up things, you know"
"A bat, Elise. He meant drunken
amusement of some kind, l know.
And he drinks gin instead of whisky
dear! He might as well be temper
ance man, which is almost as vulgar.
The captain was at first petritied by
hearing his daughters words, but pres
emily his calm came back to him
That was not Myra. His daughter
and he had always been the best Of
friends and companions. in spite of d
little thoughtlessness on her part to
ward him.
you can't make me believe that
ma'am," he said to the fairy, who had
somehow remained in the vicinity, in
visible though she was That ISM
Myra. It's a dream you're giving
me-"
Choose your third wish, then" sale
the fairy CURLY.
In a moment, ma'am," answered
Captain Paul
why not now" asked the fairy.
Because this is mighty good liquor
ma'am," replied the captain, and
guess when you take this dream AVA,
you'll take the drink away with It,
And, chuckling over the trick which
he had played the fairy, in return TO
her own, the old man slipped his gin
highball thoughtfully, conscious Of
Tuning. baffled presence at his side.
Now, ma am," he said, when he ha,
! finished, I'm going to make my thir'
wish. But I'm going to think har'
before I make 1t, seeing as it's m!
last. I'm not going to get tucke'
away in a hole for the rest of m!
days. If was to wish what's II
my mind-mind, I'm only saying II
not wishing it'd wish to be younl
man Of twenty-five. handsome and bel
ter educated than any man I've eve
seen, with Mary at my side, just mai
ried to me. and house and land an
yacht and an automobile. and moth
. ing to do, and a dozen buffers an
servants, and Mr.. and Mrs. Jones
rockingham competing for the homo
Of filling my pipe with Latakia Grad
1, and a fine cellar Of old wine wit
cobwebs on the bottles, and-and-
: but l amt wishing those things. In
only thinking about 'em. Like as no
If I wished 'em you'd put the fly 4
the ointment somewhere. So I'm &C
ing to have q good think"
Think. then" said the fair
harshly.
I'm thinking, ma'am," replied tn
,, captain. Il wish-l wish-I wish jus
!. the thing that is best for me"
: Captain Paul opened his eyes an
: started up. He was seated upon tn
porch of the little house that ovel
looked the sea, and his pipe was still
, in his hand. though he must hav
been asleep. In the smoke coils h
= thought he saw the disintegratin
:, form of the fairy.
- Darn it, II I didn't wish myse
home again" he said thoughtful!
~ "And-and-"