The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-05
TOLL TO The PAST
BY JOHN CRAMER.

Home. the grocer Of the busy little
Long Island town. looked up quizzing-
ly at the young fellow who stood be-
fore him.
Looking for a job, eh?" he asked,
surveying his rather furtive express
sion. What's your manner"
James Bennett" answered the 9TH
er, and wondered whether it was
Homes kindly face that made him tell
the truth against his will.
Il used to milk, five years ago."
said Bennett, q slow flush creeping
over his features.
Then you 60 straight up that road
and ask for Mr.. Homes farm" said
the grocer. when you come to it
60 in and tell Minnie, my daughter.
that you're the new hand I've hired.
And II you've got . suitcase. take 1t
along with you"
A few minutes after Bennett had
left Homes store, Home received
visit from a stranger which made him
very thoughtful. In fact he closed his
store q half hour ahead Of time and
hurried to his house.
Minnie met him at the gate and gave
him q hug. She was a pretty girl Of
twenty, and growing more like her
mother every day, her father would
declare. He took her by the hands
and tried to read her eyes.
"New hand Gomez" he asked.
eyes, and he's dandy, father" de.
clared the girl. HE went right to
work in the garden, and he's there
now"
Home strolled over to where Bennett
was working in the garden. He stood
watching the young fellow at work.
Bennett had certainly performed won.
ders. Home was sorry for him.
Bennett came toward him. hoe in
hand. "Mr. Home" he said, with
flushed face, Il ought to have told you
something. l came out of Elmira last
month, where they sent me for three
years for theft. I got in with bad
companions when l came to the city.
Nobody would give me work after that,
and the police bounded me. l walked
out from New York want chance
to do better"
you can have it, Bennett" answered
Home, turning away abruptly.
Now l wonder what made me tell
the fellow that" he soliloquized.
Nobody in the town knew Of Ben
nett's record, except Home. Gradual
ly the boys step grew lighter, his com.
plexion clearer. He was the best work.
er Home had ever had. 1t was evident
that he he'd been sincese in. his !ex-
pressed Intentions. Home ceased to
think of his past except as youthful
folly. He made him manager Of his
dairy a year later. Bennett went to
night school. Everybody spoke well
of him.
What turned Homes thoughts along
very serious lines was the evident at
tachment that was springing up be-
tween Bennett and Minnie. The two
would saunter along the lanes. arm in
arm, after the days work was done.
At first Home thought little Of 1t. It
was not until he saw, In the darkness,
q black sleeve-line against the white
of his daughters waist that he realized
she would some day leave him.
He wasNexpecting Bennett to come
to him. But instead of that he came
home to find Minnie in tears and Ben.
nett gone. A letter was lying ON the
table, and Home picked II up and read
It.
Bennett wrote that he couldn't face
Home and tell him that he had de.
ceived him. Since leaving tho reform
atory he had committed q burglary.
Suspicion had never directed itself to
him. but that was the real reason why
he had left New York. He had tried
hard during those two years to put 1t
out Of his mind, but now that he loved
Minnie he was going back to take his
punishment, and asked them to forget
him.
Home whistled and took his daugh-
ter In his arms. THE fellow was q
scoundrel," he said.
NO. father" she answered. Il love
him. He is a good man"
Bennett hardly saw the faces in the
courtroom. He stood patiently before
the Judge. How much would he get7
Five years? Seven to twelve years?
He could hardly expect mercy; the
crime had been planned in the reform.
atory. And Bennett had refused to
divulge the name Of his confederate.
Wonderingly Bennett saw Homo
standing before him. speaking to the
Judge. He told him Of his life in the
village. and how he had voluntarily
come in to the city to surrender him
self because the past preyed on his
conscience. He was asking for q sus.
pended sentence.
Bennett did not know what the
Judge was saying. He stood dumbly
In the box until the warden touched
him on the arm.
You're Free" he said.
Bennett only stared at him. The
man became impatient. Suddenly Ben
nett found his hands taken In Homes
strong clasp.
Come along, my boy" said Home.
"Where?" stammered Bennett.
"Where?" echoed Home. why, to |
TO Minnie, Of course. Shed give me !
fits II ] didn't bring you back to sup
per-"
Copyright, 1915. by W. 9. Chapman)
'''s'-t.
Preserving Conscience.
"They tell me you have signed the