The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-05
1T WAS MY FAULT
BY ANNE PAGE.

20 to town to live, she TO ner uausn-
ter's house. For the pair had mar
ried daughter-their only child-ano
an infant grandson.
! Nobody seemed to have an idea OF
what the trouble was; everyone IN
the community wanted to know,
for Mr.. and Mrs. Seton had been
popular in the little social circle for
years.
The beautiful homo Of the Sections
was for rent, and summer vacation
lists were looking at 1t every day with
q prospect of renting it.
Mrs. Seton spent every moment OF
her grandson's waking hours with
him. She took him out into the
parks; she sewed for him and romped
and played with him as II she had been
20 years younger.
Mother and daughter had never dis
cussed the separation since the first
day that Mrs Seton came there; and
then the explanation had been brief.
Leila knew nothing. But she was
loyal, loving daughter. and she knew
that whatever had been the trouble
her mother could have done no great
wrong.
you are utterly spelling Peter and
me-" Leila said to her mother one
day when she had returned from an
afternoon spent under the trees with
Peter.
II must spoil someone, DEAR"
the mother answered. "A woman
can't spoil and pet human being for
30 years and then find herself
empty-handed of anything to indulge.
You're young, and may not under
stand how long 30 years is, daughter"
Perhaps, not, mother" said Leila.
"And don't think I'm seriously object
ing to the spelling. l love it. It's won
derful to have you with us-even Ned
says so, and that's a concession from
q son-inlaw, isn't it?"
Il suppose So" Mrs. Seton said, abb
sently. Her mind was far away, back
to the days when her own little daugh.
ter was in arms as was Peter now.
Leila had sensed her mothers
loneliness for some weeks, though
this was the first time she had ever
given utterance to word that would
lead anyone to think that she missed
her partner.
That night Leila and Ned talked
until far into the night. They were
planning a ruse by which they could
get their baby's grandparents to-
gether
For, once together again. I'm sure
they could not bear to separate"
Leila had said. Mother may have
little too much Bruce stubbornness
in her. but father-like all his fam.
ily-is downright obstinate. hon.
estly think they Quarreled over some
trivial matter, and having nothing
else to think about and very little to
do. the quarrel became serious and
neither one would give in"
1T can't be anything else. dear. It
Will come out all right feel It," COM
forted Ned.
Leila was in touch with her father,
and on the following day she spoke
with him on the telephone. Hello.
daddy" she said. Mothers out to.
night and we-Ned and Thought
perhaps you'd like to come and see
US and Peter"
She waited for few minutes for
the answer, but when it came 1t was
satisfactory, for she promptly tele-
phoned to her husband that she
would join him for dinner. and that
they would spend the evening at the
theater or on a roof garden.
John Seton rang the door bell of
his daughters apartment with
feeblsr touch than had ever been his
before. He did not admit it to HIM
self, but he was declining in strength
very fast.
He left his hat and old walking
stick and gloves in the hall and
he stopped to listen to the baby's
cooling and laughing before he pushed
inside the portieres and stepped into
the coy living room.
Mary" he gasped, looking at his
wife, who was as surprised as him.
self.
John Henry Seton! you!' she
said, holding the baby close.
"Mary-Mary," began the elderly
man, brokenly, II didn't know how
much l wanted to see you till laid
my eyes on you this minute. This
Is some of Leila's doings," he added,
1T must be-" Mrs. Seton said.
blinking away the tears of joy that
would spring to her eyes at sight of
her husband.
There was silence for a full minute
while John Seton stepped closer and
closer to his grandson and his wife.
They both looked into the round.
laughing face Of the infant and then
into each others eyes. 1T was nv
fault," they said in unison.
She looked at her husband with tba
oh-time smile.
And you remember when we said
when We celebrated our silver wed.
ding. that our love had been full
blown for SO long that we could re-.
member nothing else but that per.
fectly developed understandings"
asked John softly.
oh, DON'T do know It Kiss
Peter and"
Her words were never made articu.
late, for Peter began to demand at.
tention and the fond and doting
tried all their wiles to
quiet him. At last he screamed him.
self to sleep, and the reunited pair
round as much to say to each other