The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-26
BABY BROUGHT PEACE
~ EusrAcE LIVINGSTONE.
by w. G. Chapman

(COpyr19nt, ISlos Dy W. W. SA"P
Think twice, Betty" Il
II have thought till my brain ID
weary and my heart is sore. l nave
decided-it IL the better way.
very WELL" said John Randall. go
the road you have chosen. Will take
mine. There need be no acandai-
you are . lady, try to be . gentie
man. Remember. though. neither VII
ever turn back to retraverse the mis-
taken path" -.
The woman put out her hand as II
moved by some pleading influence put
the man was gone. Before nisntrsi.
the home they had shared for eight
years was in the hands Of carpenters
masons and decorators. Before q
week had passed by q partition, rooi'
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. Randal
would die by slow tortures before sne
would unbend from what she consid'
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 - 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 turist 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
4 disappointment. No children had
blessed their family hearth.
The judges wife was distressed ~
the news that came to her. Once the
Randalls had been close friends OF tine
family. With q woman's ready VIII
she delved deeper into affairs than hel
happy.go-lucky husband. Within heI
own mind she framed up plan te
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 thu
other side Of the partition his wifi
was probably passing her time in TIL
same spell Of gloomy reverie.
"what is that?" suddenly exclaimed
Randall.
It was q hard, harsh sound. as
someone pounding with club o
stone on the front porch. Randall
arose and went to the door and opene
It, flrst turning on the porch light. H
fancied he saw q woman's figure scul
| rying past the gate. He looked dow
, to note q basket containing q blanke
, and Counterpart covered with hlm
scarf STOPPING. his heart beatin
J rapidly, he knew not Why. a. he DIRE
this aside.
. "A baby!" he exclaimed-"abal
! doned!"
II At that moment the next doc
, opened. Mrs. Randall. too. ha
, heard the noise on the porch. ST
: came into view, she caught . glimps
; OF the child In the basket. A gre'
D cry Of pity. yearning. love burst fro
, her lips. With hungry heart. 5ealou
{ enwrapt in possession, quickly Ra
dali snatched up the basket.
. II saw It first!" he cried. almo
d freely. 1T 10 mine!"
= Then he went in with the child al
!. closed the door against the longil
i woman. He stirred mp the IRE.
i turned on all the lights. Suddenly
new motive for living found birth
D his heart. He felt - one intrust
. with . great treasure. Planning I
many things he must do with I
Il morning-secure . nurse. buy an o.
. at for the baby. provide for all
. care-Randall hustled about T
child woke up. Il began to cry.
70 The door opened. For the first til
in two years Mrs. Randall stood wi
D. In the room.
. "Oh, John!" she cried poisnantly.
70 can't endure It! The cries Of Il
II dear little child!"
=. He relinquished the child to tho
o tender, loving arms. He sat in q n
! warm haze Of contentment, watchi
10 his wife as she quieted the babe il
H. motherly way, fastening into her o
III apartments. returning with a bot
Of milk, and soon had the little {
cooling contentedly in its downy n,
As the child fell asleep. husband q
II. wife stood leaning over the stunt
ct ing cherub.
ga John" she said, Il was all In
ad wrong. I've known 1t for long til
Of but was too proud to speak"
he and l was hard, harsh, resent
ds Betty" he breathed remorsefully
M Let me stay" she pleaded.
les Here. where you belong!" and
he took her in his arms, and the II
nat stranger that had come to bless h
ey- new life smiled in its sleep.
ne At her home the judges wife SIN
ice happily. also. next day. when
rin heard the news
OF Il found them . child needin
on. home. . poor. little orphan. whom