The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-14
LITTLE LADY
BOUNTIFuL
Bv TEMPLE BAILEY
Copyright 1912, nv Associated Literary
preSsl

IN he .op OF the tail tenement.
Tom stevens reckiessiy lighted both
gas burners.
Il might as we'll be warm once
ne nurTnured, ana settled back IN his
uncomfortable chair 10 pass another
DAY n pain and loneliness
It Is bad enough 10 bs sick. even
IN the midst of luxury, but 70 be
sick ana poor, that is enough 10
make man groan ana wrfthe rom
Stevens. alone in the big city 100
proud 10 write back home ana tell Uf
MS hard Iuck noked At the gray
skies and he CAV streets and wished
40 wera dead.
And Just then ne heard the rustic
Of paper, ana, looking toward the
door, ne saw that a note mad been
slipped under it.
Painfully 40 crossed the room, ana
painfully ne returned TO his big
chair Then ne opened he sheet of
paper across The top vas painted
4 wreath VI inv rnseDuds. ana IN.
derneath vas the rerse,
There $ .ver a yong somewhere, nv
ohough he skies lnove bs inril ana
irrar:
rhero $ 'v"r song that mr. hearts
shall near,
There s .vnr song somewhere. nv
There s. eyer 4 song somewhere
AZ he raad Tom FELT as II the sun
vers shining ana he birds singing
On a Iune tay Who had Thought ~
MIN in mis- loneliness? Why, it was
better than fond ana ir1nk.-batter
than ira and warmth
'lt's gir'5 handwriting, ne said
10 himself fie felt as II ne wanted
70 get right m ana hunt for her, ant
when he tried 10 move he sank
back With a groan, ana lie little
neigtbnrhnnd doctor, coming in, eau.
toned him.
The next morning the ianitor's
wife brought him mis- meager neal
K vas sloppy ana badly conked ant
Tom turned rom i with sigh SO
The anitur's wife carried the ray. Dut
eft 4 crack N ne tunr
And Il vas hrnngh his crack IN
hnmr alter. vas 3iipped tiny Tray
On II vas a 5teaning riip nf cnifer.
twO siicns NJ hnr coast. ana SOFT
bniled agg.
Tom, making tor he door, tnrnw
il wide omen amt faced an emmy
hallway He dragged himself 10 The
apartment across The way ana
knocked The janitor, passing through
The hail, asked curiuusly Did you
want any help, sir"
Who Ives IN thera?" Tom de-
handed
An old man and MIS- wife, said
The janitor And hs WORKS anu she
vnrhs'
Tom sighed and Vent back 10 ind
IN The tray little nnrs:
Little Tommy Tucker sings FOR his snp-
VIA, shall Ia siug FOR white broad ana
butter,
Tom aIe lie coast anu ne agg,
drank the cnnee and aid the nnta
carefully away IN his bill book with
the one which had cnme the day be-
fare
'Just wait ~ IN veil, he MUIR
mlired
He resolved Thar lie yOuld vatcn
The tnnr and lie IN wait.
But I wonder when shell come
vas his eager h0ught
Phe day passed and he nighr vas
well advanced. when Tom. SIN lv'ng
awake heard IN tha hall little
sound He sat NJ and istened. and
suddenly he vas aware AT light
shining under he torr Gathering
his dressing gown about nlm lie rnse
frnm mis- cnuch opened the door and
locked out. On he Threshold vas a
lighted camille III an 1ld.fashioned can
tlestick. TIED "a the handle was A
aard, and on the card vas written
How ar thar little candle throws
his beams az shines A good feed N A
naughty world
Tom Vent back 70 bed. and labrr,.
nusIy made his sti1 fingers pen nis
sentiments.
Dear Lady Bnunrrui T cant gr,ra
poetry, hut 7 can say IN plain, every
day words how grateful I am. And
now ytsh-huc, yOu know vhaf /
vish-thar FATE viii nnr ia unk!nd
and thar-some day-when you VIII Il
that I may see you, and tell por
what Ia NOT easy 20 say adeHuareiy On
paper
Fe signea IT Tommy Fucker and
put it in the han and shur the deer
And when an hour later lie opened me
ionr the note vas gone
Aha, said Tom 10 himself "sne. ,
not far away and rnars something
20 think ahour.
After time there came, a dulct
tap, TAP and Tom gat our Of Ms
chair N a hurry. hur by the time he
reached the door the hall vas
empty. hur there was note wing
waiting for Ann
It said II am going 70 send
/ You A grandmother YOU must be lica
60 her FOR my sake
/ Tom whistled w ell. of Al. things
lie siacuarsd
AT six precisely little. gray dair
s1 lady bustIsstt n
Gracious she said, without Sair.
/ ing for formaliuies you poor boy
This Son't 10 at All, Yau ought q
be in he'd, covered up with not wafer
bags and hot hrHths and. and
Bur, really cant. Tom STAN
nsrs1