The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-11
LADY
BOUNTIFUL
By TEMPLE BAILEY
Copyright 1912. by Associated Literar


gas burners.
II might as we'll be warm once"
he murmured, and settled back in his
uncomfortable chair to pass another
day In pain and loneliness
1t is bad enough to be sick, even
In the midst of luxury, but to be
sick and poor, that is enough to
make a man groan and wrthe Tom
Stevens, alone in the big city, too
proud to write back home and tell OF
his hard luck, looked at the gray
skies and the gay streets and wished
he were dead
And just then he heard the rustic
Of paper, and, looking toward the
door, he saw that note had been
slipped under it
Painfully he crossed the room, and
painfully he returned TO his big
chair Then he opened the sheet of
paper. Across the top was painted
wreath of tiny rosebuds, and I'M
derneath was the verse:
There is ever a song somewhere. my
dear
Though the skies above be dark and
drcar,
There Is ever song that our hearts
shall hear.
There is ever a song somewhere, my
dear
There is ever song somewhere
AS he read Tom felt as If the sun
were shining and the birds singing
on June day Who had thought OF
him in his loneliness? Why, it was
4 lr,, l. lot Tor
than fire and warmth
It's a girls handwriting he said
to himself. He felt as ii he wanted
to get right up and hunt for her, but
when he tried to move he sank
back with a groan and the little
neighborhood doctor. coming in, eau
toned him
The next morning the ianitor's
wife brought him his n.CGgar meal.
It was sloppy and badly cooked and
Tom turned from it with a sigh. Sc
the ianitor's Wife carried the tray, but
left a crack in the door
And it was through this crack an
hour later, was slipped tiny tray.
On 1t was a steaming cup of coffee,
two slices of hot toast, and soft
boiled egg
Tom, making Tor the door threw
it wide open and faced an empty
hallway He dragged himself to the
apartment across the way and
knocked The janitor, passing through
the hall, asked curiously: Did you
want any help, sir?'
'fNEhn EuoG in thara 30 Tom do,
manded
AN old man and his wife, said
the janitor And he works and she
works
Tom sighed and went back to find
on the tray a little note:
Little Tommy Tucker sings for his sup
What shall he sing for. white bread and
butter.
: Tom ate the toast and the egg
drank the coffee and laid the note
carefully away in his bill book witt
the one which had come the day be
fore.
Just wait till I'm WELL" he muir
INJURED
He resolved that he would watci
the door and lie in wait.
But | wonder-when she'll come,
was his eager thought.
The day passed. and the night wa
well advanced. when Tom, still lyin,
awake, heard in the hall littl
sound He sat up and listened. an,
suddenly he was aware of iigh
shining under the door. Gathering
his dressing gown about him, he ros
from his couch, opened the door an
looked out On the threshold was
lighted candle in an old-fashioned car
dlestiCk. Tied to the handle was
card, and on the card was written:
How far that little candle throw
his beams so shines a good deed in
naughty world"
Tom went back to bed and labor
ously made his stiff fingers pen hi
sentiments:
Dear Lady Bountiful, can't writ
poetry, but | can say in plain, ever.
day words how grateful | am. An
how wish-but, you know what
wish-that Fate will not be unkin
and that-some day-when you will
that | may see you, and tell yo
what is not easy to say adequately c
paper"
He signed 1t Tommy Tucker" ar
put 1t in the hall and shut the doc
And when an hour later he opened Il
door the note was gone.
Aha" said Tom to himself "she
not far away. and that's somethir
to think about"
After a time there came qui,
tap, tap" and Tom got out OF h
chair in hurry. but by the time
reached the door the hall w
empty, but there was note lyil
waiting for him.
It said: 81 am going to sci
you grandmother-you must be nj
to her for my sake"
Tom whistled. Well, of all things
he calculated.
At six precisely little, gray-ha
ed lady hustled in.
Gracious" she said, without wa
ing for formalities. you poor be
This won't do at all You ought
be in bed. covered up with hot wat
bags and hot broths and, and"
But really, | can't" Tom sta
mered
Nonsense" said the brisk lit
lady. Il have four sons of my ov
and | know what to do with 81
boys. Now I'm going over across I