The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-05

nat Jim that was TIC
Sears. You know they say, Change
the name and not the letter. change
for worse and not for better / guess
that's what she did all right when she
married Albert Shaw. But the idea Of
letting them two paupers 60 strolling
down the lane together like that. It's
Q scandal. 1t ought to be stopped.
And it would be IL had my way"
Its contemplate" said Cousin
Martha. Its immoral. It's q shame
to Piketown. l always said Uncle
Thomas was an old rascal. BY the
way, that place of his-the city estate
man took it back when Uncle Thomas
couldn't keep up the mortgage pay
ments, didn't he? wonder who's
going to buy it,"
81 suppose some city folks will take
It over" said her cousin. ITS nice
sort of place. Lord, what q fool Uncle
Thomas was, supposing Cousin Smith
would lend him the money to make
that payment. Uncle Thomas always
was CRATER. II he'd only die, so that
people couldn't throw it in our faces
that we've got a relative in the poor.
housed"
Anyway, something's got to be done
about Cousin Thomas walking out
with that Shaw woman" replied Cousin
Martha.
It was about three weeks later that
the sign To Rent" was taken out Of
the windows of the old farmhouse. All
Piketown was agog to learn who was
the lessee. The estate agent lived ten
miles away; otherwise, no doubt, he
would have been forced to render up
the secret.
IT do hope they'll be neighborly
folks" said Cousin Sadie. mot too
humble and not too stuck-up, you
know; not the kind that mind other
peoples business, and yet not too
much of the sort that keeps to them.
selves"
They're coming Friday" said
Cousin Martha II heard that there's
a lot of swell furniture coming. The
station agent told me it was waiting
at Crowbury Junction"
9TH be nice to have somebody near
that one can respect instead of old
Uncle Thomas" replied her cousin.
Mile was heartbroken to think that
the old place was to have other occu.
pants. It was the last straw; 1t was
| far worse even than Uncle Thomas
eviction to see the farmhouse in the
hands Of strangers. She told Willis
SO.
"Why, my dear, had talk with
Uncle Thomas at the poorhouse yester.
day, and he seemed pretty comfort.
able" he said. Il don't think he has
very much concerned"
| Mile looked at him reproachfully.
Uncle Thomas hides his feelings
she answered "You don't understand
him. Oh, my dear, II only we could
have rented tho place. 1t was just the
sort Of little home we wanted.
"Well, the new people may be de-
cent crowd" said Willis, smiling.
The day came-the great day. The
furniture had duly arrived and had
been installed by the new housekeepel
from the city. A housekeper, a profes
sional one who refused to answer
strangers questions, was a new thing
in Piketown. Nevertheless, although
an atmosphere decidedly unfavorablt
had been created, all the village as
sembled. casually, II you like. but de
termined to see the thing through
when the closed carriage from thu
railroad station drew up before thu
door.
It opened and out stepped-Unclt
Thomas.
He was wearing a new suit and hii
new hat was deGidedly-well, natty II
the only word. But the gasp that wen
up was nothing to the amazemen,
when he handed out, all silk and satir
and lace, and with a new lilac bonnet
Myrtle Shaw.
The old man turned and addressed
his neighbors.
Friends" he said, come in. have
something to say to you, by request o.
my wife. I didn't want to say 1t, but
she wants me to, and woman's wore
is law. Come In. Hello, Cousin Smith
Just run and fetch Mile. will you
Never mind. That you, Willis? Car
you get her? 1t amt far, and what
have to say will keep till she arrives
In awed amazement the crowd fol
lowed the old couple into the parlor
and there, again, as they looked at thu
mahogany and tapestries, they wer'
struck dumb with amazement.
Nov, neighbors," began Uncle
Thomas, you will be glad to hear tina
my affairs have taken turn for thu
better. I'm back again, and my wifi
wants me to say we'll be glad to SEE
you all any time, as before, but espe
cially Sunday nights. when we're going
to have chicken suppers. Thatll b
about all"
Outside the house the gaping GROVE
surrounded Millie and her lover.
"Well, it's about like this" admitted
Willis Carter. 1T seems that Uncle
Thomas was in love with Mrs. Shaw
1 for years, but she wouldn't have hin
because she lost all her money ant
had nothing to bring to him. So ht
pretended to have lost his and went t.
the poorhouse-and when he'd con
WINGED her he persuaded her to marry
him. They went to the minister las,
Monday and then he let out that hi
had a cool thirty thousand In hare
cash. Yes. it's strange his taking such