The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-19
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

1here was a windfall in tho homo
OF Llnnie Wayland. In the free rural
ueliVery box Linnie found a letter
from attorneys in New York announc.
my Chat great-uncle of hers had died
and left her legacy. 1t was not
huch OF a legacy-only $5OO-but it
seemed an enormous sum TO Linnie
She carried the letter into the house
and by her radiant countenance the
lamlly were informed that something
had happened
1ne nrst excitement over. the ques-
ton arose. What are you going to do
with 1t! Every one had a different
proposition. One said, You'd better
set up a milli1ers shop; you're so
mandy at hat trimming" Another sug-
gested trip. This probably would be
the only chance Linnie would ever
nave of seeing anything of the world.
The suggestions were of all kinds.
some practical, some ridiculous. Lin
ME was the only one who proposed
nothing, but she had an idea of her
own. She had seen travelling theatri-
cal companies and had been seized
with a desire to distinguish herself as
an actress.
There was plenty Of time to consider
| the matter, for the division of her un-
cles estate was slow, and it was a
long while before she received her
check. 1t was hard for her to realize
that so small bit of paper could
stand for so large an amount When
she received 1t her mind was made up,
and she announced to her family and
friends that she was going to New
York to study for the stage.
If there had been hubbub about the
way Linnie should spend her legacy
there was still more of one now that
she had decided upon method Of do
ing so. Those who advised her had nc
experience on which to base their rec
concentrations. However, most Of
them had known Of some country CIR
| who had tried to make an entry into
that career who had either returned
terribly disappointed or had never re
turned at all. But not one had evel
been heard Of as even a mediocre &C
tress. But Linnie argued that she
having enough money to enable her t.
exist for some time without earning {
livelihood, would have much bette
chance So to New York she went II
learn to be an actress.
The first hole In her $500 was mad
by her fare. The second and larger
one was made by some lessons sh,
took from one who declared he coult
make an actress Of her within q few
months. But the few months passed
and she found she had scarcely mad
a beginning. And yet her legacy wa
nearly all gone. She tried to get al
engagement on what she knew, bu
to all her applications deaf ear wa
turned.
And now commenced a period o
starvation and rags. The poor cir
denied herself this and denied hersel
that, every day cutting down her men
till at last there was nothing left bu
crackers and milk. The sight Of eata
bles displayed In the windows OF res
taurants made her all the hungriel
But she knew If she yielded she woul
take a slice Off the few dollars that re
manned to her.
Her deficiency in clothes troubled he
as much as the shortage In food. L
nothing succeeds like success, notnln
fails like failure. Linnie's forlorn az
pearance indicated that she was one
the worlds failures and was by n
means a recommendation. When thos
to whom she applied for an engage
ment saw her tawdry apparel the,
turned deaf ear at once.
One evening she opened the door o
her hall bedroom and peered out int
the dimly lighted corridor Of the to
floor.
From the basement delicious odor
of roast lamb. with mint sauce, hoate
I'D the stairs to taunt hungry Linnl'
Mrs Wray rented rooms and furnishe
meals TO select people, but she requl
ed that the board be paid weekly Wit
undertaking promptness. SO Linni
had arranged to keep the hall ROOF
and get her meals outside.
Why?
Recause she needed the dwindlin
store of money to keep roof over ne
bonny head and one can eat around
cheaper than paying 81 per week
Mrs. Wray.
So Iinnie, who had made luncheo
cover two meals that day, grew frlgh
funv hungry and wondered If she dare
boil one of the eggs she had bought Q
her way home that night
"sbe couldn't smell a boiled egg
oro,ed Linnie as she withdrew ne
head and locked her door. i shaii u!
anyway. 1900,
Sbo brought out a little gas attaci
mont and screwed it to her gas jet y
the resulting blue flame she set tln
sa,cenan and presently into the Dol
inc water she dropped an egg.
1oter as she ravenously ate the Dol
- 600 with a rather dry accompan
nont of crackers, she thought OF NOM
Her letters home were brave enough
-. sba did not know that loving eye
Uut SIC o,,. bathroom the line