The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-23
BILLS MOTHER
BY ALICIA RAM.

-Nosls luo u0Wly-Dullt
aoode OF Mr.. Barchester, head of the
gigantic business corporation of which
bhi rogue was proud to be considered
one OF the promising younger mem
bers.
! That's why l didn't want to say
mat would marry you; because you
couldn't marry me. of course, when
you knew that ! was Just an orphan.
Inc Barchesters adopted me.
"Biil. please don't hate me for being
ashamed of it. for 1t wasn't quite that.
But Mr.. and Mrs Barchester have been
20 good to me. and they made me
promise never to tell anyone that |
was not their truly really daughter.
! When you began to come to see me
and when you told me that you want
Cd me to marry you l knew that
Daddy Barchester wanted me to like
you. For he is very proud OF you. Bill,
and always calls you his boy.
oh, / have tried 80 hard to tell
you, Bill. but just couldn't. Bill, your
mother would hate me II she thought
/ had made you think was really and
truly Mr.. Barchester's daughter"
For the first time, Margaret paused
in her talk. but Bill forgot all the com
forting and reassuring things he had
intended to say.
She held out two imploring hands
and, now that her little speech was
over, her eyes were filed with the
tears that she had been keeping back
so bravely.
But Bill did not yield to the tempta-
ton to comfort her.
I'm glad you have told me, Mar
garet. OF course. it was the only
thing to do" he said. still avoiding
her entreating eyes. I'm glad, too, to
know your reason for not giving me
your answer" He paused again as If
thinking deeply and then turned and
faced the girl, watch in hand. His
voice was entirely changed when he
said, We'll, let's start now for that
Compromised visit to my old home.
It's in the other end of town"
Once or twice as Bills car bore them
swiftly onward, Margaret tried to get
back to the question uppermost in her
mind. Why didn't he tell her that the
fact of her humble origin made nc
difference to him?
They moved less rapidly through the
outskirts Of the city, dropped down
through the crowded streets and or
beyond to the older section, where sag
ging pavements and ill-kept greer
squares proclaimed the neighborhood
to have outlived a once-fashionable
era.
| At one such corner Bill signaled fol
the car to stop.
"weTl get out here and walk to ths
house." he said.
Perhaps" she thought, the stree
where Bills mother lives is being re
paved"
But in a minute more she found thii
conjecture to be wrong. 1t was an un
usually large and imposing mansion
out of date and in not too good re
pair to which Bill turned their steps.
what a perfectly lovely old home.
she said as they neared the massive
black walnut entrance door. Secretl!
she felt disappointed. If Bill had let
her to some simple little cottage o.
even up flights of stairs to humble
fat she would have felt that the lit
tie Maggie she had confessed hersel
. to be would find warmer welcome.
ut is a fine old home, isn't it?" an
swered Bill, with evident satisfaction
"And some twenty-five years ago
was the scene of great festivities
Pretty good times still go on within 1t
walls"
Just then a stout, middle-aged won
an came to the door.
"The mother, please" said Tom, AM
then: "She expects us. Shall we 9
:. straight to her study?"
He turned to the little room on tn
right of the imposing though meagert
furnished hall and entered. unai
nounced, what was apparently hi
mothers study. Margaret first caugn
the brilIiance of the stand OF red g
raniums that stood in the sunlight
the window to the south, then the in
preston of immaculate cleanliness an
then the little mother came towar
them from her low rocking chair VIII
two outstretched hands. Margaret too
one and Bill the other.
$50 you have brought her!" smile
the mother, with a tone that CAV
Margaret all the reinsurance she ha
longed for. And then she found he
self seated cozily in low rush-bo
tom chair at the mothers side and bl
in another
ut is a wonderful thing to me" tn
mother was saying in her kind Voie'
that not one boy who has left Y
and made good has been ashame
:. when the time came. to bring the 81
r. he has chosen for his wife back
e the old home. And not one has bee
n ashamed to introduce me as his mot
a er." The old lady paused and laugnf
I. and then wiped tear from her kind
e old eyes. And some twenty OF the
D have made good and married. But 81
n was always my boy especially. Ho
well do remember the day ! start'
him of on his first days work at Ba
chesters. He was such shy, col
zeal Ioyable little chap in those days
. Margaret looked at the man $
! loved in open-eyed amazement.
: "orphan Maggie Snd Orphan Bh
he said, rather sheepishly.
downright. 1916. by the Mcclure Mes
per syndicate9
80 a annAhinn Exclamation.