The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-29

his old dog. And what do You suppose
was worrying him, Dorothy
s Il guess he wondered what there
was for dinner" said the little girl
Eli nodded. mo doubt" he an.
swered. But that didn't prey upon
his mind SO much as the knowledge
that he hadn't acted quite as a mar
ried man should. He was scared lest
his wife had thought him dead and
got married again"
Mrs. Smiths husband left her, and
she didn't get married again." said
Dorothy. She wanted to. though
so pack Ulysses came in the guise
of a beggar and nobody knew him,
and there was whole gang of men
after Penelope. But Penelope was
true to Ulysses, and she kept putting
them off, and"
There's mammal" shouted the lit
tie girl. 81 told you / was going to
bring her to see you. Uncle Eli"
She sprang to her feet. and, with
the little boy, raced across the green
toward sweet-looking lady who was
strolling quietly in their direction un-
der the shade of the hospital trees.
Ell P2ynes sat rigid in his chair
Then he looked wildly about him. He
had begged the superintendent to get
him a propelling chair, so that he
could move from place to place, but
as yet his desire had not been COM
piled with. Now he felt a mad i'm
pulse to fee.
He sat up and gingerly put one foot
to the ground. He must escape at all
hazard. To his surprise he found that
a certain measure of fiexibility had re-
turned to his limbs: perhaps it was
the will at work on the body. He put
out his other leg. and for the first
time in months Eli Baynes stood erect,
without support, and Strengthened his
twisted limbs and muscles.
Absorbed in this effort, he had not
seen how quickly the three were ap-
preaching him again. AS he was about
to attempt the walk to the hospital
he found himself confronted by the
mother of the two children.
One glance. into his face, little
gasp of fear and Lucy Baynes was
weeping on her husbands neck, her
arms about him.
Eli" she sobbed, "Oh, my dear,
why didn't you come home to me after
all these years."
you told me never to come back
until I had made a man of myself,
Lucy" said Eli doggedly. 81 tried
tried my hardest for ten years. L
made a little fortune In the mines. I
sent you everything I had"
You, Eli? That legacy was really
your money!"
He nodded. And did mean to ask
you if you would take me back again.
But l couldn't bear the thought of
coming back to you cripple So
went to the hospital here. And
thought that Tiff you had met some
body whom you cared for more, had
no right to stand in your way. l tried
to find out, Lucy"
There couldn't be-" she sobbed.
didn't know they were my chill
dren at first. Then l came to look
for Children's day. when ! could see
them. And when I got we'll l meant
to go quietly away. IL you cared for
somebody else"
"Oh, my dear. l have loved you al
ways" she answered.
1t was happy party that gathered
at the new house that night. and Ned
and Dorothy. still open-eyed in won.
der, had hardly realized that Uncle
Ell was to be their father.
Tell us some more about Ulysses.
Uncle Eli" persisted Ned, climbing
upon his knee.
Why" said Eli in embarrassment,
1T ended happily-very happily.
Only l guess there was lot more in
Ulysses life than ever got into his
story"