The Lamar register., 1915-01-20
HOW JOHN WAS CURED
BY CHARLOTTE coReErT.

Copyright 1914 by W c. ChspmanJ
There comes to every middle-aged
man a time when lie feels that his life
has been a failure At forty John
Gardiner was beginning to feel that
way.
A successful architect, with a charm
ing wife and four children. earning
enough money to give him a comfort
able home and send the boys through
college. he looked back on his high
hopes and felt that the promise Of
youth had been fallacious.
The little village where he had been
born, the early sweetheart whom he
had not married, his boyish friends
all assumed rosy halo in the past
Forgotten were the hard knocks, the
early struggles. the eagerness to get
away to the big city. where he had at
last succeeded
Ella" he said TO his wife, Il believe
I'll auto down to Grayehurst next Sat
urday, spend the night at the little
place and return on Sunday. want to
look up some of my old friends"
w ~ tAIo9 AAt II APt hAA-
swered his wife. beaming fondly on
her husband.
But John Gardiner had remained re
ticent about the chief purpose of his
trip. He wanted to see Lucy Bates
Had she waited for him, as she had
sworn to do. remaining a solitary old
maid In the old-fashioned homestead?
1t was a mellow afternoon when his
automobile stopped at Grayehurst.
John had some difficulty in recognizing
the place at first. A huge factory was
vomiting smoke all over the landscape:
however, 1t was mile out OF town.
and the old-fashioned village itself
was little changed, although an annex
OF cheap frame houses to supply the
needs OF the factory hands had sprung
up
John put up at the little shabby no
tel and made himself known to the
landlord The landlord. 81 Higgins,
had been one of Johns old friends.
John did not recognize him at first.
and Higgins himself seemed a little
hazy about John
They were talking over old times
when John reminded the landlord OF
Tom Elmer
Il suppose he's a successful minister
now" he said.
What, Tom Elmer-Widow Elmer's
SOM shouted the landlord Used to
wear his hair in sort Of pompadour?'
That's him." answered John, the
memory all coming back to him
'Hf Tom I" tho Landlord asIlad
out Of the stable lurched a blear-eyed
ragamuffin of about forty-seven. who
came up with a surly scowl
Tom, remember John Gardiner,
1 who went to Miss Blythe's school with
us?" the landlord asked.
Sure | do Sort of sneaking. COW.
ardly little cuss he was, wasn't he?'
asked Tom, breathing out a fresh
aroma of Kentucky rye
| This is him" said the landlord.
Come back to look up his old friends.
Glad to meet you again. Johnny, "
said the stableman. unabashed Gould
| speak to you in private a moment ?"
he continued. taking John aside. I'm
behind with the rent this month
and"
John handed him a five-dol.ar bill
and Tom, looking at 1t in surly spite
made his way back into the stable.
1t was with some dimdence that
John approached the subject of Lucy.
What has become OF Lucy Bates?'
John managed to say presently.
Lucy Bates?" inquired the land.
lord Why, there never wasn't but
one Lucy Bates. Hi. Lucy"
A disheveled-looking woman came
in. wlping her hands upon a dirt,
apron We'll, what is 1t now ?" she
asked
Remember Johnny Gardiner" in
CURED the landlord, with a grin, in.
aieaauE John. Come back from the