The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-23

be stretched out his hand toward the
door of the dining room. He found
the handle, turned it noiselessly, and
entered. He closed the door behind
him.
Suddenly the light was turned on.
lt!had been one of those episodes COM
mon to country towns. The electric
lights had been put out Of commission
for q few minutes by some accident.
The lights had gone out, they had
never been turned out.
jim WAS confronting the old man,
who had fallen asleep in his chair be-
fore a table. Upon the table we're .
number of papers, pens and an ink
bottle.
The old man started to his feet and
stood. confronting him. Jim. taken
aback, remained motionless. He had
not had time to make up his mind
whether to fee or strike the old man
over the head. He had never de-
scended to violence.
The old man peered at him intent
ly. And suddenly Jim realized that
he was blind! The sightless eyes
were looking into his own with
puzzled expression.
Then, with look of charming be-
nightly, the old man advanced to-
ward him, one hand outstretched, the
other guiding him by the table edge.
Il am glad you have come. Mr.
Mr.. Jennings" he said. You wrote
me that you didn't think you could
get away to draw up my will, and
that l had better wait till I was in
town, but now you have come I am
very glad"
Jim took the outstretched hand and
muttered something.
sit down. said the old man. Il
want you to read over my will and
tell me whether it has been drawn
up correctly. ! see very badly, you
know. l can manage to write, but
reading is beyond me. l hope every.
thing is correct
Jim took the will in his hand and
tence he started violently and stared
into the old mans face.
You see. l have left all to my son
James," said the old man. 81 did
him a great wrong. You know why
l had to leave the home town? I told
your
"Because-of James," murmured
Jim.
Yes. Everybody knew about his
theft from the bank, as they supposed,
and l couldn't hold up my head. We
had always been honored among the
community. l couldn't 60 on living
there with the sneers on peoples
faces. l would go down the street
and fancy l heard them saying, there
goes old Melton, whose son Is thief
So came here.
1t was not until week ago that l
learned what great wrong l had
done him. Jim took the burden of
Toms guilt upon him to save his
brother. And had given all my heart
to Tom after l sent my other boy
away.
"He fooled me for years, the
smooth, SNUG hypocrite, but I've found
out the truth at last. / can't live very
long, but shall see that Jim gets all.
o my boy, II only your old father
could clasp you in his arms again be-
fore he dies!"
Jim looked up at the haggard face,
and the overwhelming realization Of
his own baseness came home to him
with stunning force.
This will is all right. sir" he said
huskily. Jim knew that. That was
part of his business. He had intended
to be a lawyer once. The old man
had made no mistake.
Then I'll sign It," said the old man.
I'll sign it tomorrow No. I'll sign
1t when the girl and Jim came here
to visit me. l want Jim to see 1t
and to know that his father intends
to make reparation for his blindness
and willfulness. l should have trust
ed him."
Yes. sir" said Jim huskily.
Il never thought to see the boy
again." said the old man. 1T was
only by chance, when l was in Fair.
view, six months ago. Have you pa
thence to listen to an old mans story?"
Surely, SIR"
Il didn't know until week ago that
1t was Tom, not Jim, who was the
scoundrel. But took to the girl, and
when learned who she was said:
Jim isn't all bad to have won the
heart Of girl like Ada"
MY Cod" muttered Jim.
Il beg your pardon?"
beg yours, sir. Go on"
Il met the girl and took to her at
once. Somehow she reminded me of
Jim. We got to comparing notes, and
I found that the boy she talked about
was my son. Think of It! It was a
miracle. told her then, not know
ing Jim was innocent, that I wanted
him to come home. l told her what
an old fool was, and how I'd spent
hundreds of dollars trying to trace my
son. l wanted to forgive him. l
didn't know then that 1t was he who
would have to forgive me.
We'll, that's about the end of 1t,
sir. The girl expects Jim back in an
other month, and she's going to tell
him and bring him here to live. And
they're going to be married here. And
I'm very happy old man, and don't
deserve 1t. God bless you, Mr.. Jcn-
nings."
God bless you, SIR" muttered Jim,
clasping the outstretched hand
A moment later and he was outside
the house, looking back at the lighted