The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-15

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words.
81 think" Miss Bedford went on,
"that you had better let me take the
baby to my house."
II don't care to part with all that is
left which and my wife loved to-
gether."
A tender cord was touched In Miss
Bedford's breast. She forgot her no
ton Of hating all men In this un-
ion Of living man with dead wo-
man, cemented by their child. She said
In kindly voice:
1T need be only temporary sojourn
II you prefer 1t. till you can make other
provision. You can come II you like.
Have You had breakfastr'
mo"
do you know where to get oner'
mo"
II can give you one"
you are very kind, but I can man.
age without your help. think. The
baby
Eyes, the baby. You will not let your
pride stand In the way Of your baby.
Certainly you will carry her to my
home"
"Of course"
he took the child from her arms and
together they started for the house
On the way he gave her brief expla
nation Of the situation. He was an
| artist and, like most artists who have
not made name, very poor. Not being
able to keep up home, he and his wife
and their child started on sketching
tour, camping here and there, the hus
band painting landscapes. The wife
| had died, and the husband, not having
| any other abode, stuck to his tent. 1t
was a pathetic story, and Miss Bed
ford's horror for man-at any rate this
particular man-melted before It.
When they reached the house she said
to him:
1T Ia In your power to do me kind
ness. Sit down to the same breakfast
table with me and your child. I shall
enjoy every mouthful you eat more
than you can conceive"
He gave in = this way Of putting it.
Miss Bedford placed herself between
him and his child. and It is question
able which she the most enjoyed help
ing, the man or the child. He had
managed to get the simple food re-
Quired for his little girl For her he
would take what did not belong to him
or accept It from strangers, but not for
himself. He was very hungry and ate
q great deal, his hostess pressing him
to do so. After he had finished she
said to him:
"You have done me one favor; now
wish you to do me another. Leave
the child here with me while you make
your sketches You are welcome to
come here to see her whenever you
like, and you may feel privileged to
take her away when you can provide
for her."
The artist could scarcely conceal the
relief this offer brought him. "Since
have only tent for her." he said, 81
have no right to deprive her Of the
comfort you can give her"
"And you have no right to deprive
me of the happiness l shall have in
taking care of her."
An hour later the artist kissed his
child and took his departure. The tent
disappeared and nothing vas seen of
man or tent for several weeks. Then
he came to Miss Bedford's home with
a number Of sketches. One Of them, a
water vista, the original being on her
own ground, Miss Bedford very much
fancied. She offered the artist q good
price for It. He declined 1t on the
ground that through charity she would
pay him more than 1t was worth. But
when she proposed that he should send
1t to dealer in New York to fix It's
value he accepted the proposition. Miss
Bedford privately wrote the dealer to
fix a price she named herself. and this
she paid the artist.
Now and again he came in from his
sketching tours to see his child, and
every time he came he offered to re-
lieve Miss Bedford Of her charge. She
invariably declined to be relieved un.
less he insisted on his right to take his
baby to himself. and the longer the re.
moval was put of the more difficult It
would be for Miss Bedford to give ND
the child. But the father would not
accept Of the lady's hospitality, and
this made It awkward. II he would
have made his headquarters at the
house when not out painting 1t would
have been much pleasanter. for the
child was constantly fretting for him.
| Finally when he began to get some
return for his pictures Miss Bedford
proposed that If he would make her
house his lodging place when not out
sketching she would permit him TO nav
| nominal board. After much bag.
Cling as to the amount. the lady de-
claring what he proposed to pay moth.
ing less than robbing him, compro.
mise was made. and for the rest of the
Skinner room in a wing Of the house
was at his disposal whenever he chose
/ to use It.
The truth Is nature was working In
Miss Bedford. the artist and the little
girl to make the three one. They were
|