The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-17
Good Out
OF Evil
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

AS l entered the station | ran up
against beautiful display of flowers
in shop window. l have always been
fond Of flowers, and, entering the shop.
! bought rose, an American Beauty,
and put 1t in buttonhole of my
coat On reaching my destination,
stepping from the train, | ran into
something more beautiful than the
rose. at least 1t was more engaging
A young girl who seemed to be taking
In with rapid glances those who were
alighting fixed her eyes upon me, gave
a sign Of recognition, started forward
halted, then as was passing her
caught my hand and said:
"Walterv
| am free to admit that had the
young lady been an old lady or even a
homely young lady | should have at
once Informed her that she was mis-.
taken in the person, and l am free to
admit that this is what l was in honor
bound to do. But | didn't. | looked
at her and said:
"Are YOU
"Yes, I'm Lillian. If you hadn't worn
the rose don't believe | should have
recognized you"
THAT is not surprising consider.
ing l gave her time to finish what
dared not risk finishing myself.
We'll talk later. Just now we must
be going. You must have your trunk
sent to the house."
demurred. on the ground that
would incommode the family, where
upon she said that there was no one
in the house but her mother and her.
self, and her mother, being an invalid,
was for the present keeping her room.
This was, to say the least, unfortunate
for my self respect, for it threw In my
way an added temptation. suffered
myself to be guided to a cab and, tell.
ing the young lady that had no trunk
with me. was driven to her home, an
eminently respectable residence. and
was at once sent up to my room.
On the bureau stood photograph of
youth probably five or six years
younger than myself. 1t arrested my
attention because it resembled me. A
maid brought me some towels, and
hazarded asking her few questions
"Who is that?" pointing to the pic
ture.
Il think that it's Miss Lillian's
ramsay"
Before the maid left the room | had
enough information to last me till ]
could get more. | learned that Walter
was an Objectionable person to Miss
Lillians mother because he was con
sidered wild and could not support
wife. He was expected any day to
arrive in order to arrange for the we'd
ding He and Lillian had been be.
trothed when they were very young
and had not met since
| went downstairs. Dinner was on
the table, and Lillian and l dined alone
together. The first thing l said to her
after being seated was:
jections to me?"
81 can't say that she has. You must
try to break down her prejudice by
being nice to her."
: How | fenced to prevent Lillian
from learning that l was an impostor
would take too long to tell. Nearly
everything | said was intended to
draw forth information to help me in
my deception. | was in constant ter
ror for fear Walter would appear and
expose me. Had | known what he
was doing at that moment | should
have felt easier.
After dinner proposed that | should
visit mamma and try to placate her
| found the old lady very much preju-
diced against me. | asked her what |
was the basis Of her opposition to me
and learned that it was general worth |
lessness and especially that | had con-
tracted the liquor habit. Notwith-
standing this lamentable condition |
felt comforted. | could cure myself, |
and the other fellow could not At |
least | believed that if | chose could |
cut him out before he could reform.
In order to gain time and not eX-
pose my deception made plea of |
being tired with travelling, though l |
had come but twenty miles, and went |
to bed early. What bothered me was
that it was naturally expected that |
would caress my fiancee. And under |
the circumstances | was not quite so |
base as to do so. Once in my room | |
was free from that temptation.
l dared not attempt to go through the
next day without giving myself away
and resolved on confession. And
this part Of the episode fiatter myself
handled very well. l confessed to
my prospective mother-in-law. At the
same time l proposed, with her con-
currence, to find out what was keeping
my double and if he was really worthy
Of her daughter. A desire to avail her.