The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-01

a lifetime mistake. Mary smothered
her disappointment, however, giving
her full love to little Airline and by pa
thence and loyalty striving to win
some measure of kindness from her
husband.
In this she sfgnally failed. Prescott.
pretending to be man of means, had
influenced Mary's father to favor the
marriage. Just after the wedding her
father died. His estate was quite
small and was divided. between his
daughter and a crippled stepbrother.
Soon Prescott had squandered his
wife's portion. Then he tried to In
duce her to contest the legacy to her
fathers stepbrother. or induce the lat
ter to lend her some of his small
means.
Mary refused. It was then that
Prescott had threatened to break her
spirit If she did not meet his wishes.
II was then that he started out with
Airline, to hide the child away from
her mother until Mary .relented.
Then, overcome with this fearful
climax of misfortunes, Mrs. Prescott
had resigned herself to her fate as
a lonely, brokenhearted being without
a friend in the world.
So she thought and settled down TO
work for a seamstress in the town.
In her estimate of friendiessness, how
ever, she had not counted on the unoy-
ing fidelity of a noble man.
Paul Barry had not forgotten her.
News had come to his ears, an 1ntul-
ton of the worthlessness of Pres
colt. He had secretly visited and in
vestigated, and had found himself
powerless to better things or come be-
tween husband and wife. He came
again when he learned Of the sup
posed death of father and child.
Then he made a strange discovery.
This was the statement from a friend
that he had seen Prescott in dis
tant city two wee after the sinking
of the steamer. Barry started a new
investigation.
Whatever he learned, it resulted IN
his visiting Wartham upon that same
evening when Mrs. Prescott had
bought the tiny candles to celebrate
, the third anniversary of the birthday
of little Airline.
Under the cover of darkness he how
cred about the boarding house where
Mrs. Prescott occupied room. He
located the apartment from the out
side. At table he made out Mrs.
Prescott, seated at table upon which
was a cake with three lighted candles
on it.
A great wave of pity and love swept
his soul as he comprehended the
meaning of the lonely scene. Then
Barry entered the house. He consult
ed the landlady. She was to manage
to get Mrs. Prescott out of her room
for brief spell, while he sped to the
village hotel, to return and smuggle
into the room a little child. Barry
seated her at the table, went down
stairs and gave an agreed on sigma
to the landlady.
A minute later Mrs. Prescott re
turned upstairs to confront-her los
child, Airline!
It was a feverish, unreal hour TO
the poor mother. Barry did not IN
trude until the first wild Joy of find
ing the dead alive had somewhat SUI
sided. 1t was then that he told he
of the escape from the wreck OF ia
Their and child, Of his discovery o
the former with Airline in a wretche
howell in a distant city. Prescott ma
sustained serious injuries in the e.
plosion of the steamer, had died, an
Barry had brought Airline home.
True friend he had been. In he
heart of hears fervently Mary Pre-
colt realized this fully.
True lover ever! She knew thi
too, before many weeks had passe
by, and little Airline and happy Mar
after the storm found peace and
loyal protector.