The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-17
Tom EYerIeiqh,
Artist

Copyright. 1871. By Associated Literary Pressl
The stranger, for so he was some
times still called, although every one
In the little mountain town had known
long ago that he was Thomas Ever
leigh, and that he had come from one
OF the eastern cities, entered the
church and took seat near the door.
He came for no other reason than be-
cause he had been bored He sat
near the door so he would be in a
good position to beat another hasty re-
treat should he deem II desirable. But
be found the little church cool and
comfortable, and, as the service had
already begun, he would probably
have the whole pew to himself. In
some ways. Tom Everleigh was very
exclusive. Besides, 1t struck him as
rather humorous that he should be in
church again. He listened, not at
all, to the service, but when the old
rector arose, and gave out the text,
something in the words caught his at
tention.
The General Epistle of Jude,
twelfth and thirteenth verses
The stranger heard nothing of the
sermon, but the words in the text:
Clouds without water, carried along
by winds; autumn trees without fruit,
twice dead. plucked up by the root;
wandering stars" The words kept re-
peating themselves in his brain. How
well they applied to him, Thomas
Everleigh!
The sermon was over, and the col
lection about to be taken. when Ever
leigh's attention was attracted to
tai, fair girl who came from the front
pew over to the little organ. The
strains of hymn filed the church and
the sweet natural voice began to sing.
II was all so simply done, and so soon
over, yet it made the man who had
listened perhaps the most intently of
all, think of many things that had not
crossed his mind for years. Tom Ever
leigh was an artist at odds with Fate
which, after a severe attack of pneu-
monia, had driven him to the west,
and, as he chose to believe, blasted his
career.
When Everleigh reached the house
where he occupied two fine sunny
rooms, he asked his landlady, Mrs.
Brown, If she could tell him the name
of the young girl who sang in church.
Mrs. Brown frightened up at once.
DO you mean the pretty young lady
with golden hair and eyes Of heavens
own blue?" and went on to tell him
the singer was Miss Edith Vincent,
the rector's granddaughter, home for
her summer vacation. She had been
teaching for two winters In large
school in st. Paul.
That afternoon, Tom Everleigh took
advantage of an invitation, and called
at the rectory. He had the pleasure
OF meeting the rector's granddaughter,
whom he thought the most attractive
girl he had ever seen.
Later In the week he called again |;
and then he acquired the habit of
dropping in at TIE Rev. Mr.. Vincent's
house frequently. But 1t was seldom
that he saw Miss Vincent She was
the busiest person he had ever known.
But one afternoon he found her olsen
gagged for few hours, and, at his sug-
gestion. they went for walk. He
told her much OF his past life, and in
hardness and the rebellion at Fate,
also a certain fiippant and insincere
note. He had inherited enough money
on which to live comfortably; he
might in time hope to return to his
work in the city. She knew so many
/ who we're infinitely worse of and she
could not sympathize very heartily
with the man before her
I'm afraid, Miss Vincent, you have
rather a poor opinion of me-" The
words were humble enough, but the
tone courted contradiction.
Not exactly that" she replied, but
think you have wrong idea OF
many things"
you are trying to let me down
easily. but am convinced you think
Without answering, she stopped to
pluck few wild flowers which
| fringed the road.
We'll, | am selfish" he continued.
But then | have always considered
1t somewhat OF duty to be that"
"A duty?"
Yes, in order to make other peo-
pie unselfish." He laughed.
And when it comes to truthful.
ness" the girl added, to punish him
for his fiippancy, Il fancy you, con.
slider it quite too sacred a thing to
be used save on rare occasions"
This time 1t was Everleigh who
stopped to gather a flower. Then he
said, What you really mean is that
somehow have gotten the threads Of
life all beautifully twisted?"
THAT is It," she answered.
You have agreed most unfiatter-
ingly to my assertion that | am self
ish. You have, yourself accused me
of being untruthful. | wonder what
next?"
A mischievous light came into Edith
Vincent's eyes. Il should think at
times you would be capable OF being
most abominably cross!"
This was rather more than Ever
leigh had bargained for.
Come" he demonstrated, don't
you think you are rather rough on a
fellow this afternoon"