The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-27
,cUpID's own COOK
BY ELLIS BROWNE.


The Gordon place made the tag end
of the village, set as it was between a
ragged paddock, a weedy orchard and
fronting an unkempt lawn. Time was
when the lawn had been shorn velvet
turf, the paddock alive with horses,
the stables. now desolate, trig and
properly tended, with a livery coach
mans family in the cottage near by.
That was before the boom times
whose collapse had swept away the
greater part of the Gordon fortune.
Elinor said passionately to herself
sometimes that Providence in mercy
should have taken her and her father
along with the money. Not that she
was cowardly-her case was that of
one who cannot swim carrying a be-
loved burden beyond strength, I'M
able to assure its safety. still more
unable to let it drop. Without meta
phor, she had to live and keep q SEM
blance of decent comfort upon the
narrowest possible income and that
/ not independent, but the dole of
AAA0AoAh UOItCA OAs 0hO COulu w
nothing to supplement it, nor could
she dispense with it. Bitterly she
told herself that il life were but trans
ferable she would gladly part with
her expectation of days to some rich
dotard for money enough to assure
her father care and comfort while he
lived.
Although shattered, John Gordon
was not old-barely turned fifty. He
might well go on to eighty after the
habit of his blood. So long as he
lived she was bound to care for him
helpless as though in prison. There
fore in her black moods she thought
longingly Of death-not as one who
undertakes life, but as the one door
of escape into limitless freedom. One
drab day was SO like another, the
frightening or shortening of daylight
took on the nature of an event.
There were no happenings. Regu-
larly as the month end came the
monthly check from her uncle. In re-
turn she sent an itemized account of
how the previous months money had
been spent. Uncle Jabez had a no.
ton she had inherited extravaganza
from her dead mother. He had.
somehow, notion that his brother
had imbibed from that same source
the recklessness in finance that had
stripped him bare.
At first the Uncle had permitted
l E1iunw tn lot hn rn- -
and thus get a slightly larger in
come. But finding that she had been
SO dishonesty soft-hearted as to for
give quarters arrears on account
Of sickness, he had taken the matter
Into his own hands-with the result
of having the house stand empty al
most ever since.
One day. busy in copying her re-
turn, taking special pains to make
the copy fair, Elinor was startled tc
have her uncle walk in without knock
ing. nod to her father. huddle beside
the smothered fire. turn to her and
say grumpily:
I'm giving you chance you DOM
deserve-see that you improve it
Have let the cottage for six months
provided its environment Is found
agreeable. Two men tenants-art
ists--I have agreed you shall give
them breakfast-also dinner-wher
they want 1t. That won't be regular
still it will help. You will give
them the best of everything-they are
paying enough to deserve it. No!
They will not pay you. shall attent
to that part. But have opened al
account for you at the market will
Higgins-they tell me he has the bes
groceries. Moreover, I shall send II
wine from my own merchant-you'l
receipt and account for every bottl,
of 1t. II my brother wants q glas,
now and then, let him have 1t. A
woman should stick to water"
Never fear but ] shall stick t,
It," Elinor said, choking. She hat
risen and stood, white and shaking
beside the moth-eaten desk, but mad,
\ herself say more temporarily
Please, uncle, won't you give me ,
little broader chance? We have 8,
much room here-let me fill it will
, summer people. 1t won't be mucl
more trouble-of course. l shall hav'
to have help"
Help! l think mott" Uncle ia
bez snarled. "Help-to eat up al
the profit in sight? No. young won
an, you'll do the work yourself. Oftel
enough you've whimpered how yo
wanted to work.
Il do want to work, but-in som
other way" Elinor nerved herself t
say. Il have so forgotten prid
1 don't mind being a servant, but
, do mind being a servant withou
, wages"
Upon my word! or all the in
gratitude!" Uncle Jabez began acidly
> His brother rose suddenly-it wa
J. seldom he said anything in famil
councils. Now, in almost his old voic
. Of power he cried: "Jabex-this can
r be! You forget yourself. My daugl
$ ter shall serve no strangers. No!
! don't forget what we owe you-it
g you who forget what you owe you
blood"
What I owe it has kept you fror
the poorhouse these last seven years.
!. Jabez roared back. Kept you her
. in the house that you mortgaged 70
4 twice its worth. Now because / wan
your fine lady daughter to help a BIZ
n you turn rusty. 1t would serve 20
right IL / turned out the pair of yo