The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-14
Tom EyerIeigh,
Artist
BY Astsisetis De csaesey Patterson

tcopyrisht. 1871. BY Associated Literary Prsssl
The stranger, for so he was some
times still called, although every one
in the little mountain town had known
long ago that he was Thomas Ever
leigh. and that he had come from one
of the eastern cities, entered the
church and took seat near the door.
He came for no other reason than be-
cause he had been bored. He sat
near the door so he would be In
good position to beat another hasty re-
treat should he deem 1t desirable. But
he found the little church cool and
comfortable, and. as the service had
already begun. he would probably
have the whole pew to himself. In
some ways. Tom Everleigh was very
exclusive. Besides. it struck him as
rather humorous that he should be in
church again. He listened, not at
all, to the service, but when the old
rector arose. and gave out the text,
something in the words caught his at
tention.
The General Epistle of Jude.
twelfth and thirteenth verses"
The stranger heard nothing of the
sermon, but the words in the text:
Clouds without water, carried along
by winds; autumn trees without fruit,
twice dead, plucked up by the root;
wandering stars" The words kept re
peating themselves in his brain. How
well they applied to him. Thomas
Everleigh!
The sermon was over, and the col
lection about to be taken, when Ever
leigh's attention was attracted to {
tan, fair girl who came from the from
pew over to the little organ. The
strains OF hymn filed the church ant
the sweet natural voice began to sing
1t was all SO simply done, and 80 sooI
over, yet 1t made the man who ha'
listened perhaps the most intently o
all, think of many things that had no
crossed his mind for years. Tom Ever
leigh was an artist at odds with Fat
| which, after a severe attack of pneu
monia, had driven him to the west
and, as he chose to believe. blasted hi
| career.
When Everleigh reached the hous
where he occupied two fine sunni
rooms, he asked his landlady, Mr.
Brown, IL she could tell.him the nam
OF the young girl who sang in church
Mrs. Brown frightened up at once
do you mean the pretty young lad
with golden hair and eyes of heaven
own blue?" and went on to tell hill
the singer was Miss Edith vincen
the rector's granddaughter, home fc
her summer vacation. She had bee
teaching for two winters In larg
school in st. Paul.
That afternoon, Tom Everleigh too
advantage of an invitation, and Gale
at the rectory. He had the pleasuI
of meeting the rector's granddaughter
whom he thought the most attractiy
girl he had ever seen.
Later In the week he called agar
and then he acquired the habit
dropping in at the Rev. Mr.. Vincent
house frequently. But 1t was seldo
that he saw Miss Vincent. She W,
the busiest person he had ever know
But one afternoon he found her disc
gagged for few hours, and, at his su
gestion, they went for a walk. +
told her much of his past life, and
the recital she was quick to detect Il
hardness and the rebellion at Fat
also certain fiippant and insince
note. He had inherited enough mon'
, on which to live comfortably;
} might in time hope to return to b
work In the city. She knew so MAJ
who were infinitely worse eoff and 81
could not sympathize very hearti
with the man before her.
II Ppm afraid, Miss Vincent. you ha
: rather poor opinion OF me-" II
; words were humble enough, but t
, tone courted contradiction.
Not exactly that" she replied. "b
think you have wrong idea
7 many things"
You are trying to let me dos
l easily, but am convinced you thil
J me q selfish sort Of fellow"
D Without answering, she stopped
I pluck few wild flowers viii
+ fringed the road.
l We'll, l am selfish" he continue
= "But then | have always consider
it somewhat of a duty to be that"
"A duty?"
YES, in order to make other D,
pie unselfishl" He laughed.
And when it comes to TRUTH
4 ness" the girl added, to punish hi
, for his fiippancy. 81 fancy you ce
slider 1t quite too sacred thing
> be used save on rare occasionsf"
: This time 1t was Everleigh W
8 stopped to gather a flower. Then
3 said, What you really mean is Ii
+ somehow have gotten the threads
life all beautifully twisted?"
THAT is It." she answered.
You have agreed most unfiatt
; ingly to my assertion that | am 81
ish. You have, yourself, accused i
of being untruthful. l wonder WI
next?"
A mischievous light came into Ed
Vincent's eyes. Il should think
!. times you would be capable Of bel
most abominably cross!"
' This was rather more than Ev
leigh had bargained for.
Come" he demonstrated, do
you think you are rather rough on
fellow this afternoon"
. Perhaps, but it's your turn now