The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-22
The DEAD MANS WILL
BY HAROLD CARTER.

- L
that of life by living; but after the
first shock of the change had passed
away he was conscious that in certain
ways he had acquired increased per-
spective.
Particularly in.this: that whereas In
earth life he had only read the past.
now he could read the future also. he
saw the shadows cast upon the screen
of time. as events ripened and destiny
prepared itself.
But since man has free will. nothing |
was actually foredestined that could
not be changed 1t afforded Manning
infinite amusement TO watch these
phantom episodes prepare themselves
only to scatter before the will Of their
object.
Naturally, Manning's first thought
was for his own. He projected him
self by power of will to the scene OF
his earthly home. He saw the stately
| old house where he had lived SO many
| wears, the arbiter of the small town So
ciety, with his adopted daughter Leila.
| He glanced wistfully at the old place,
and, though the remembrance was dim
and dreamlike, he was conscious of an
intense longing to be back again In
the earth life.
But when he sought for Leila he
could not find her anywhere about the
old place, and there were strange. un-
known faces there. 1t was not until
he had concentrated all his will In
supreme effort that he found Leila
, She was dressed simply in black. for
Manning had been dead only month.
and she was seated In u parlor OF
second class boarding house. listening
| to a fussy. elderly gentleman who ad-
dressed her
"You see, Miss Leila. the will was
invalidated by the fact that your bene-
: factor wrote of you as my daugh-
:, | ter" the lawyer explained. Il told
MIR. Manning that he would have to
, draw up another will, because the
phrase was incorrect. but he did not
do so, and consequently the property
passed to his brother"
His brother! The last person OF
earth whom Manning would nave
h wished to inherit the estate. H'
y burned with indignation-for a spiri
d retains all the emotions that actuatet
e it in life. But
l. He had been annoyed with Leila be
70 cause she was in love with Cardei
10 Hughes, young physician OF the VII
- lage, a recent graduate OF med,ca
- college. He had no objection 7
~ Hughes himself, but he was almost
III pauper, and the peremptory old ma
81 felt that the young doctor was PR
1e sumptuous In raising his eyes to Leiii
IN So a bitter quarrel had ensued, an
be ! Manning had ordered Hughes from tn
or house.
81 shall obey you. because 1t is m
- duty, father" Leila had said. but
shall never marry anyone but Ca
den."
. The old man had watched her wit
secret remorse He had gone quiet
away and made a new will. leavir
or everything Internationally to Leil
nd He knew that he had not long 10 hV
We and he meant her to marry her love
re- He had the will witnessed at the lit
w. country hotel which he frequented,
or hundred miles away in the mountain
and he left 1t In the drawer OF an q
desk there which he used.
-" In the astral realm matter is so Pill
VS. tic that there one becomes ana "
ess ates anything one wants to. No SOC
Vn' or had Manning willed Leila to
Ind cover the will than the whole
at ouence of events unrolled before
ope ewes. The inn-keeper discovered
document. learned the identity OF
orc siener and hurried into the town
oil. apprize Leila's lawyer. There
lowed a bitter quarrel over the val
q" ity of the will, after which Leila fou
GA herself again In possession OF the
tatc. :.
orm Mistress Of broad acres, wealt
ght she was at once made the object
I'm feryent courtship on the part OF m'
of young men. But 1t was Tom Stal
NO ton who won her hand, while her
MON er. Hughes, afraid to put his rate
the touch until he had accomplish
more in the world, stayed away,
use let Leila think he had ceased to c
Inc for her. So she and Tom were
lltl- ried. Children were born to them
the estate, growing continually SINAI
ell" was sold at last to pay Toms 6
re- bling debts. In their old age the p
rom house received Leila and Tom.
dvo- their children grew up ignorant
,oht their parents names.
g., That wouldn't do. Manning swept
- whole cobwebby structure AZ
There must be better fate for l.
For days he haunted her. tryin
ne" tell her that the will was In the d
goes but each time that he got In tt
acre with her mind the scene arose o
upon the screen of time. And
n Of Manning realized that 1t was best
,cted Leila should never know.
real One evening he projected hin
, so into the shabby parlor. to disc
.ar Leila seated tete-a-tete with y
man-Carden Hughes. Their cl
were drawn up very close. and
hands were interlinked.
|, 70 "You see, Miss Leila" Garden
nave saying, II do bear good deal o
JET feeling toward Mr.. Manning for
ddled ing you in this predicament. A
Jack feel that, under the circumstanc
can ask you to share my life.