The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-14
Two years later he

ing business. Two years later he
owned it entirely.
He was a good son, so far as shar-
ing some of his swiftly acquired wealth
with his mother was concerned, al
though he did not write often to her.
to Mary, the daughter of his bitter
enemy not at ALL although up to the
day he was refused the loan by her
father he had been her accepted es-
cort in society functions of the little
village.
One day Floyd received news that
Mr. Werner had died. He learned fur
,, Their that he had died poor. His bust
ness had slowly faded away into moth
! ingness; so much so that when it had
been settled up there was little left
| but debts.
"Retribution!" half gloated Floyd.
The fortune he stole from my father
! hasn't done him much good, observe.
And why, / can write my check in
five figures, and get it cashed, too
There was reason for graduation,
for Floyd had been diligent and ener-.
getc He did not pause to realize,
however, that Mr.. Werner had given
him sound advice in starting in bust
ness on his own hook, for he knew
! that if he had invested the one thou
! sand dollars he would have lost it all.
Mr.. Werner probably recognized that
the son was good deal like his IA
Their, who was a poor business man,
| with speculative tendencies. At least
Mr.. Werner had seen to it that the son
had not made a false start on bor-
rowed capital
Floyd decided to make flying visit
driven some of the impetuous nom
sense of youth out of his mind. For
instance he smiled at the thought of
his vow to dance on the grave of his
enemy He might go thither and Sc
cretly eXult. but he had no idea of de-
tracing from his dignity with UNI
duly capers.
His way home from the depot adj
mitted of the taking in of the little
town cemetery by diverging couple
of squares from the straight route
and this Floyd did lie sauntered
along. locating the Werner lot, which
he knew we'll.
Floyd paused as he neared it.
plain, simple shaft of marble marked
n new grave, that Of John Werner, and
the solcmnity of the spot made hin
feel ashamed that he had invaded this
| i,,nlncIpn with nnrylrt
thoughts in mind.
To enforce the sentiment, he made
out seated on the curb of the buria
lot a young girl in mourning. She
was Mary Werner. His heart smot'
him at the sight of her sad, beautiful
face. Then his eye flashed, for kneel
ing at the newly made mound, havinl
just placed upon it wreath of i'm
mortelles, was his mother. He strod
towards her, angercd, indignant.
Come away at once he cried
scizing her arm almost roughly.
My SOM" she spoke in glad wei
come; and then: NO, | must no
go away until here. at this holy spot
l have told you all.
Lower and lower went his head a
/ the true story was 1luttercd forth a
4 last---how Mr.. Werner had taken owe
Il Mr.. Burnetts business at loss t
l protect the latter from possible erin
: inal prosecution II had failed late
to succeed, and poor Mary was nov
t beggared.
Q Floyd Burnett was a business mar
n In busincsslikc way he proceeded t
: restore to her what his fathers trol
t bles had cost Mr.. Werner.
$ Before the restitution was complete
: however, the softcned heart of tn
r pcnitcnt Floyd had realized the Who'll
d worth of this gentle, true-hearted cir
Il and Mrs. Burnett had new daughte
@ to love and cherish
:. Copyright. 1915. by w. g. Chapman