The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-19

mouse. It's just been painted white.
and It's spelling it. OF course. Won
can't help that. You're hardly able |
to afford anthracite at ten dollars a
ton, eh?"
Maybe not" responded Martin. Sc
riously, but can be just. even If it
costs me something. never thought
Of 1t before"
When he came to look at the side NJ
the stevenson house, Martin saw that
the SCOT had, indeed, marred and de-
FACED it. Especially up under the
caves. the clapboards were grimed
J with feathers Of SCOT Acting on a
generous impulse, he hailed his neigh
Dor, who just happened to be coming
into the house.
| Il say. Stevenson" spoke the blunt
honest fellow, I've Just found out
that my soft coal is hurting your
property. / shall use coke through
the rest OF the winter. and first holi-
day I'll get ladder and give the
side of the house a good scrubbing.''
"Why-thank you'll must say
you're thoughtful and kind-yes,
thank you and Stevenson acted as
though this unusual courtesy of
stranger fairly overcame him
Before the opportunity to remedy
things came about however, some
startling events transpired One morn
ing Martin came out into the yard to
find a ladder taken from his shed
standing against the side of his neigh
boris house The window of an up
per room was open. Mr. Stevenson
was under great strain of excitement.
He declared that the house had been
!, burglarized.
WAS anything taken?" asked Mr.
Martin
"Why. not much" explained his
neighbor in bewildered sort of a
way THE room the burglar got into
is the one my poor dead son occupied
We have left it just as it was wher
2 he went away. Whoever broke into
the house opened a drawer where
Warren kept a few trifling trinkets
A watch revolver and some GOLD
I cuff links are missing, but nothins
else was disturbed
l. THAT is singular" observed Martin
Z, thoughtfully, and he went up the lad
t der a step or two why, say, Mr.
y Stevenson" he called down 20 hi
e neighbor, "here is something queer.
r what is that?" was asked
It "In getting into the window tn
a burglar has. left some hand mark
around its frame"
p "Why, yes-l can see it from here,
Y. replied the owner OF the despoile
ID home.
le Right among that troublesom
IN black SCOT of mine continued Martil
r rather alphabetically. And say-wh.
hello! Whoever the fellow was he
at left clue"
st "What do you mean"
lg Hand prints show that he had thre
I'd short fingers on one hand-why, Sill
What is the natter"
Quickly the speaker descended tt
ladder With sharp cry OF enligh
eminent, Mr. Stevenson had starte
I back
: Three short fingers" he gaspt
out hoarsely. "Then-it must ha'
been Warren. Oh, he is not dead, b
alive! Mother! mother" he shoute
3 rushing into the house and seeking n
\ wife, and leaving the stupehed Mart
- standing staring after him, unable
= comprehend the meaning OF =
strange actions.
3 What the father surmised turn
b out correct, little later. His s.
F. was indeed alive. He had stolen ba
81 home, poor, homeless, Ill. 1t won
II be no robbery to take his O"
= Shamed at his mistaken past, he n
\ hurried away. after taking the pr
- Of a few needed meals, but his fatn
& with the aid Of the police, soon loo
C ed him.
II was a Joyful moment when I
p recovered son was told that the are
: ed hand of the law had been remov
"A1l because of that blessed SCOT
vours-all honor to soft coal, the
\ lighted Stevenson had told his nell
x Dor.
AZ And a true neighbor he made
u him and naturally Warren Stevens
met Winnie. Closer and closer or
the ties of true neighborliness,
of love, and then the natural seaue'
Of q happy wedding.