The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-17

LETT the gruesome place. but not unti
ne mad bestowed . kindly partin,
glance at Floribel
Then she dreamed. All life seemei
radiant. 1t was as il some roya
prince had entered q squalid Gin
dereiia hut. leaving behind him 8
rare memory of bewildering sensa
lions. Poor child! love budded in he,
tender heart, in her very humility she
worshiped at its shrine.
FIoribel treasured the card. She
memorized the names upon 1t. Could
the vision indicated by her courteous
visitor ever come true? To have such
friends, to be cared for amid cleanli.
ness and comfortable thought not OF
opuience or luxury-just to be near
such sweet natures. to toll for them,
to love them-this. simply, was the
aspiration Of her childlike, loyal ma.
ture!
All that afternoon the madame
poked and ferreted about the place.
When her husband came home she
held spirited low-toned conversation
with him. Then both Of them pro.
ceeded to- ransack pile after pile of
hitherto unassorted wreckage.
A quick token of interest came into
the mind Of Floribel. as she saw them
hastening to the wretched room dieni.
fled as the Office Of the old topplinp
warehouse The names willis.
Neal fioated to her hearing. eau.
tiously spoken. She gained a court
where she could overhear what was
said.
It's the paper" she heard the
madame say, "and it is worth a for.
tune"
How do you know" spoke the
rasping tones Of old Jacobs.
i have read it. A. family secret,
man-an old scandal that these rich
people would surely give a fortune to
suppress. All. we are rich, rich, rich
at last"
Guileless as to the ways of the
world as Floribel was, she realized
from what followed that her ayari.
clous guardians were bent on a vast
blackmailing scheme. Her mind woke
up to the immensely of the occasion.
To celebrate their discovering
fortune, the old man and woman sent
out for liquor. It was long after dark
when they sank into a sodden sleep.
Floribel approached the recumbent
madame.
She had noticed where she had &c.
creted the blue colored document
with white ribbon encircling it, Just
as Mr.. Willis had described. Her
eyes grew brilliant as two stars as
she secured the precious paper. She
thrust 1t into her bosom.
Over and over again she repeated
the name and address that Arlo Willis
had written on the card.
Floribel rarely went out of the
wretched building where she had
toiled SO hard. 1t was a bitter cold
night. and her ragged shoes and thin
covering poorly kept at bay the fierce
biting frost. Twice as she hurried
along she felt as If she would sink to
the ground. benumbed and overcome.
Bravely, however she fought her way
against the wintry blast. She located
the address given on the card, a great
ornate mansion on fashionable thor.
oughfare. Floribel had just sufficient
strength to totter up the steps and
ring the doorbell, when her senses
reeled and she sank to the cold
marble step, unconscious.
There she had been found by Mrs.
Neal. Floribel awoke to find herself
IN luxurious bed, a beautiful lady
noverlng over her. What loving
grateful arms inclosed her, as she told
her story-so simple in its naive re.
cital but meaning so much to the
proud Willis family!
And 1t was in silken attire, a trans.
formed Floribel. that Arlo Willis saw
the lovely ward Of his sister the next
day.
Like one transported to a perfect
the sweet little waif entered
upon her new life.
Her bright ways. her gratitude, her
beauty and then her fervent love an.
pealed to the great nature of Arlo
Willis.
The Jacobs people never saw her
again, but society did. In all her bril-
liant loneliness, loyal, unspoiled, radi.
antly happy. the humble child of the
onely rag warehouse became the
'eigning bride of the season,
What to Eat.