The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-05


paper Syndicate.)
Mary came running down the stairs,
her face beaming. She had double
cause to be happy-she was going out
to spend the evening with her lover
and she had a new and beautiful gown.
AS she entered the reception room,
John rose to greet her. She paused
before she reached him, and, letting
the long cloak slip from her shout
ders, stood revealed in all the bravery
of the new finery.
Don't you like it?' she faltered.
He might have been diplomatic in
his reply. But that was not Johns
way.
So he blurted out bluntly, no. i
don't"
Tears rose instantly to dim the
brightness Of Mary's blue eyes.
'Why?" she asked, after long
pause.
But specific explanation was quite
beyond John. He did not like the
dress. He simply stood and gazed
disappointingly at 1t, and under the
shadow of that look Mary broke down
and wept openly. Then, without an
other word, she ran from the room.
Then half hour had passed and
Mary had not returned to him. He
rang the bell and requested the maid
who answered it to say to Miss Mary
that he was waiting.
When the maid returned she handed
him a note. It was very brief. He
read amazedly: i am not going out
with you-now or at any other time.
Mary"
Besides being straightforward to the
verge Of brusqueness, John was stub
born. He felt that he did not de-
serve the punishment.
And the breach thus opened wild
ened steadily as time sped on.
Mary's maid went to her mistress
one day and asked Miss Mary, what
had we better do about the rough
laundry this week? Old Mary hasn't
been to get it"
Young Mary turned languidly from
the book she was only pretending to
read.
Perhaps she's SICK" she suggest
ed. I'm go over to her place and see
about It."
It was a sad enough spectacle which
confronted Mary when she reached the
poor home OF the laundress. The few
bits OF furniture were piled up ready
for removal Old Mary was sitting be
side John, her rheumatic old husband
The story was soon told. Johns
rheumatism would not permit him to
work steadily any longer. 1t was star.
walton or the poorhouse.
Young Mary thought rapidly. and
the end of her bordering brought glad
relief to the face of old John.
I'm take Mary home with me" she
said authoritatiyely. There's little
room over the kitchen she can have
She can help the cook when she IL
able, and she'll be we'll looked after"
An hour or two later, leaning on his
stick and shutting his way to the road
leading to the poorhouse, old John was
halted by CHEEKY greeting.
Hello John! What's up with you
You haven't been around lately to dc
the lawn"
The old man repeated the tale Of his
misfortunes.
1t was Johns turn to take the role
of good fairy. He knew how these oil
folks had always dreaded the poor
house.
you won't have to go to the poor
house, he told the old fellow. "Yol
come around to the garage with me
There's q room there the under gar
dener used to have. You shall sta.
there. The cook will feed you. Whel
you feel like doing bit of work, why
do it,
So 1t happened that old Mary, CON
fortably ensconced in Miss Mary
kitchen, received a message which toll
her that old John had escaped tn
poorhouse. 1t gave her the address Q
the garage.
Time passed. One morning Mary
maid came to her room with sefxou
face. "Old Mary's too sick to get up,
she announced dolefully.
Miss Mary wrote note at oil
Mary's dictation. 1t said Deal
John, am sick, maybe dying.
want you. Come at once. Mary"
The note was sent and when
reached it's destination it threw oil
John into panic. Mr.. John was ava,
but the chauffeur advised the old ma
to go to his wife at once.
Leave the note on the boss desk
he suggested Then he'll know VIII
you had to go in a hurry"
Mr. John came back from bushes
trip, tired and utterly discourage
But suddenly the whole face of Il
earth was transformed into thing
joyi For there on his desk he found
note in Mary's handwriting. 1t bo
q message which could only be a
swered in person. Mary was in troub
and had appealed to him!
When she came in answer to the u
expected demand, it followed,
course. that al doubts and misund,
standings were speedily cleared ava
When she realized just what h
brought John to her house in such pl
cipitate haste, Mary led him to t
little room over the kitchen. Togeth
they entered on tiptoe. Old Mary |
on the little bed, peacefully fl
asleep. Holding her hand and wi
his old. white head nodding close
ward hers, sat old John.
They must never be separat