The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-25
tukE. AND his LEGACY
q = ls Sssse T;sef
Sessr e. TIN -.
BY MERTON LEE DANFORTH.

, whole future happiness!
Vera" spoke her lover gravely, I'll
, you measure love and happiness with
, dollars, l am afraid you will never
/ find much in life. My uncle left me
, five hundred dollars There was a
poor consumptive cousin who had
come to the reading of the will expect
ing q legacy. lie was left nothing
His doctor had told him that only a
change to another climate would save
his life. Vera, if you'd seen the tears
run down his cheeks at his disappoint'
ment, you'd feel sorry. as did"
Vera tossed her head angrily.
Anyhow, l got talking with him.
He was an honest, truthful man. 1t
seems that he had been for years liv-
ing on small ter-aere place in a
town called Benham 1t lad pretty
good cottage On it, but h said that
his i'll health and lack Of capital had
prevented him from working the place.
He eked out mere existence working
as fagTan for railroad He told
me frankly that the place was scarcely
salable at any price. rs 1t was located
near an old abandoned c9lliery. Well,
bought it, That's al"
"And l supcose," fared up Vera.
you exrect me - go and i've in that
outlandish placer"
"Or rent it." rer,:ed Luke guie 'ly
He left the house OF his sweetheart
that night pretty well disillusioned az
to the amiabe qualities of Miss Vera
Moore. She had treated him coolly.
He doubted if she had ever really
| loved him. The next time he called,
her sister Norma informed him that
| Vera was not at bcme She made it
pleasant for him the brief time he
stayed. Luke could not but notice
that she was trying to apologize for
her high-tempered sister and cheer
him up at the same time.
She was Older than Vera, but for the
first time he observed her gentle, SYM
pathetic face. She talked to him about
the little home he had bought, and
said wistfully:
II do hope Vera will come around
to finding love in cottage Il real hap
piness,' but Luke doubted that.
He heard later tlat Vera had been
out promenadirg with two young men
OF the town. She was insolently neg.
lectful of him at times. Then came
bad news. The little cottage at Ben
ham had burned down. No insurance.
Two days later Luke received brief
note. 1t was from Vera, and it ran:
Il ask to be released from our en-.
gagement
Luke Maydwell read the note with
satisfaction and was ashamed Of him
self-further. with a sense of relief,
and was surprised. He made a gen
tlemanly reply to the note in ha rmony !.
with the wishes Of his imperious lady /
love Of the past He called unon Vera |
ard in frank manly fashion tried TO
make her feel that he did not blame
her.
I'm pretty poor, that's a fact" he
told her, but would have worked
for you my hardest"
A young man called Just then to
take Vera out driving. She put on her
things and left Luke with a heartless
nod.
Norma will entertain you. Luke"
she said. ard. turning to the sister in
question. Lu.:e saw shining in her
tender eyes = trace Of tears.
Il am ash med Of her, Luke she
spoke quite Indignantly. "You are too
good for her"
It was wonderful how wei they got
on. A natural sequence resulted.
Within month Luke Maydwell was
the happiest man in the world He
had found real love at last. Vera had
become engaged to a new flame. Six
months later Luke and Norma were
for their wedding
She had induced him to 60 Down In
Benham and arrange to build a new
cottage.
Norma met him at the door when
he returned from his visit to Renham
His honest heart warmed as; he con-
trasted the g.ad welcome she gave
him with that past. forgotten ana for
Tiven reception awarded him hy he-
sister on . previous occasion.
Well. dear?" she chirped happily
the cottage!"
Can't be built" reported Luke.
shaking bis head positively.
oh. how you disappoint me.- muir.
INJURED Norma. Il had so set my heart
IN day by day working to make one
small beginning task OF pleasant
Aty and ambition.
am thinking Of buying tile house
eft vacant by Judge Sherman re-
marked Luke.
Vera. who was listening to, the con.
Fersation, gave Luke a sarcastic
smile, for he had named one of the
show places of the town.
certainly" she sneered illnatured. '
y. As a millionaire, undoubtedly
you can afford it,"
I'm not quite a millionaire" r. Z
piled Luke in blunt, practica, vav.
out l can afford to buy the Judges /
mouse, and another like it. IL wish
Inc fact Is. Norma he added I'VE
cant build the cottage we planned
"r | have sold the land at Benham"
Sold it," echoed his iancee won.
aeringly.
Yes. for fifty thousand dollars q
That ten acres, It has just been dis. !
covered. is the best coal tract OF its :
size In the state, and we are rich :
love" WI
And happy-oh. SO happy," c,ioa :
'ne loyal Norma bursting into tears !
and nesting into ms strong project, :