The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-29
.aAuy BROUGHT PEACE
.oA.ali a;"t' .t'Stbi'
gss u-: --i' 80 -
av EUSTACE LIVINGSTONE

copyright. 1916. by W. G. Chapman
Think twice. Betty" =
81 have thought till my brain Is
weary and my heart is sore. ! nave
decided-it Is the better way
every WE'LL" said John Randall, go
the road you have chosen. ! will take
mine. There need be no scandal
you are a lady, I try to be gentie.
man. Remember, though, neither VIII
ever turn back to retraverse the MIS-
taken path"
The woman put out her hand as II
moved by some pleading influence Du.
the man was gone Before nightfaii
the home they had shared for eight
years was in the hands of carpenters
masons and decorators. Before
week had passed by a PARTITION TOOL
high, divided the big double house INTO
two parts. On one side lived the wife,
on the other the husband. Then peo'
pie began to talk.
There's something under the sur
face" spoke Mrs. Judge Bascom 10
her husband-"some dark drama.
Get it out of your mind, wife, was
the blunt retort There are no two
better people in the world than my
worthy friend Randall and his wife,.
"Then, why"
Pride. Neither will seek to remove
the barrier they have raised in their
own self-willed natures. Mrs. Randaii
| would die by slow tortures before she
would unbend from what she consld-
ers to be true womanly dignity. Her
self-centered consciousness has re-
! PEELED Randall and has made him be-
lieve she no longer cares for him. One
good heart-to-heart talk would settle
everything-such as you and l en-
gage in when we're not fighting our
usual family battles!" and the good
natured judge laughed in his whimsi'
cal way.
The old jurist was correct in his sur
misses, but he had not gone deep
enough into the proposition. When
John Randall married Betty Morse
they had been very much in love one
with the other. Then there had been
q disappointment. No children mad
blessed their family hearth.
The judges wife was distressed at
the news that came to her. Once the
Randalls had been close friends OF the
family. With a woman's ready wit
she delved deeper into affairs than her
happy-go-lucky husband. Within her
own mind she framed up plan to
remedy the outlook. It nigh prove
an experiment, but she hoped for the
best.
One cold winters night John Ran
dali sat in his CHEEKY but lonely liv
ing-room. gazing stolidly into the blaz
ing crate fire. He knew that on the
other side Of the partition his wife
was probably passing her time In the
same spell of gloomy reverie.
"What 10 that" suddenly exclaimed
Randall.
Il was q hard, harsh sound, as o.
someone pounding with q club o.
stone on the front porch. Randall
arose and went to the door and opened
, It, FIRST turning on the porch light. HI
, fancied he saw woman's figure sour
rying past the gate. He looked dow
to note a basket containing blanke
and counterpart covered with film!
scarf STOPPING, his heart beatinl
rapidly, he knew not why, 40 he drew
this aside.
"A baby!" he exclaimed-"aban
doned!"
I At that moment the next doc
opened. Mrs Randall, too. ha,
heard the noise on the porch. Sh
, came into view, she caught glimps
Of the child in the basket. A grea
cry of pity, yearning. love burst fror
her lips. With hungry heart. jealous
enwrapt in possession. quickly Raj
dali snatched up the basket.
"I saw it first!" he cried, almos
= freely. 1T is mine!"
3 Then he went in with the child an
closed the door against the longin
Z woman. He stirred up the fire, h
& turned on all the lights. Suddenly
T new motive for living found birth l
3 his heart. He felt as one intruste
7 with q great treasure Planning tn
3 many things he must do with tn
Z morning-secure nurse. buy an on
Z At for the baby, provide for all II
{ care-Randall hustled about. Til
: child woke up. 1t began to cry.
{ The door opened. For the first tim
|, in two years Mrs. Randall stood witt
= In the room.
: "Oh, john" she cried poignantly.
r can't endure It! The cries Of tn
dear little child"
He relinquished the child to tho:
tender, loving arms. He sat in a ne
warm haze OF contentment, watchir
his wife as she quieted the babe in
motherly way, Fastening into her ow
apartments. returning with a bolt
Of milk, and soon had the little OF
4 cooling contentedly in its downy mes
i As the child fell asleep, husband ar
wife stood leaning over the slumbe
ing cherub.
John" she said, Il was all In Il
wrong. I've known 1t for q long tim
but was too proud to speak"
- And was hard. harsh, resent,
- Betty" he breathed remorsefully.
Let me stay" she pleaded.
Here. where you belong!" and
took her In his arms, and tho III,