The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-24
ABurglary
By EDITH v. ROSS

Gladys Denton was the daughter of
| an English couple who were related to
| members of the nobility and had lived
in affiuence. Speculation on the Stock
Exchange took all they possessed ex-
cept enough to get them to America,
where her father made an uncertain
living. 1t was dream with him to
get back to England and with sufficient
means to reassume his former position
When the family came to America
Gladys was but four years old. Con-
seQuently while the father and moth
| er were living on the memory Of their
former social position the daughter
was growing to womanhood without
the advantages of wealth. She was
not only comedy, but a lovely girl. and
when her father had passed an age
wherein he could hope to make
strike he fancied that his daughter
might obtain station nearer to what
her birth entitled her by an advan-
tageous marriage.
This being the case, 1t was quite nat
ural that every young man who came
to visit Gladys was looked upon with
misgivings by her parents. The hal
| cyon days Of the family In England
were a blank to her. That her mother
had employed half a dozen servants
and had ridden In her carriage was, as
far as she was concerned, ancient his
tory.
Gladys young men friends were
| untitled Americans and quite good
enough for her. Naturally, therefore,
she chafed at being catechized by her
mother whenever she made a new ac-
quaintance or an old one called on her
more than once month.
When Gladys fell In love 1t was one
of those quick cases wherein a girl will
recognize mate the moment she sees
him. And it was the same with the
man she met. They could have been
married the next day and made no mis-
take. Gladys knew very well that they
could not appear together before her
father and mother without betraying
the position they occupied as lovers.
She therefore did not permit her lover
to come to the house. The only man
the parents had reason to dread. Alan
Edmonds, they never saw.
But lovers cannot live simply as low
ers; they must possess each other
Gladys, knowing that for her to con-
fess that she had met and loved a man
with nothing but salary barely suf-
ficient to enable couple to get on
would bring the dreams Of years crash
ing about her parents heads, would
neither consent to marry Edmonds
openly nor clandestinely. At any rate.
this was the case when something
happened to make matters far worse
than they were. The couple CORE
sponded clandestinely, and one evening
while Gladys was inditing an impas-
stoned letter to her lover lamp on the
floor below exploded and started fire.
She ran downstairs and assisted In put
ting 1t out. But before she got back
to her room her mother, who had been
collecting heirlooms, expecting that
, they would need to be removed, had
been In Gladys room and bounced
, upon the letter. The secret was out.
But whats his name or where's his
home" Gladys didn't care to tell. Both
her father and her mother threatened
and pleaded with her to give them sat.
isfaction In the matter. but she held
firm
Then followed meetings and commu-
|, nications made difficult by the watch
: fulness of Mrs. Denton, and the great
. er the obstacles the more impassioned
the love; the more impassioned the love
the greater the risks taken. Finally
, Gladys wrote her lover that she was to
be removed.
The necessity of seeing her at once
induced him to go to her home the
same evening, hoping to find an oppor.
! tunity to speak to her. He waited In
: the yard till every room in the house
except Gladys was dark, then, climb
: ing support Of the porch. appeared
before her window. She had not dis.
ROBBED. Tapping OH the pane. he called
to her to fee with rim.
: While they were talking they heard
the front door open and close. Ed
monds, fearing to he caught by some
|. one without, entered the room from
the window. He had scarcely done SC
!, when a step was heard in the hall
! Gladys ran into closet The door
|, was opened by her mother. and there
. stood an unknown man.
II Gladys lost her head her lover
: kept his. Her watch was on the dress.
er. and just as the door opened he
clutched it. Then, darling out OF the
: window. he made OF. Gladys heard
his retreat and came from her hiding
place, pale and trembling.
MY child" exclaimed her mother
: there is nothing to fear! The wretch
! has gone. but he has taken your
watch
"oh, mother" exclaimed the girl.
4 "I'm so frightenedr'
!. The police were called and came in
I a patrol wagon. but the bird had
4 flown, and there was nothing more tc
do in the matter.
One morning few months later an
other bird was discovered to have
J.. flown during the night. Gladys was
; missing, and during the day a tele-
. gram came announcing that she ha6
!. been married. This time there was
' nothing to do but make the best Of it
d and the young couple were forgiven
n and recalled.
, at seems to me-" said Mrs. Denton
n scrutinizing her son-in-law. that
n have seen you somewhere before"
p Impossible" said the groom. "YoI
>, nfcfalra mo for anofharu