The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-26
ROMANCE
AND WALLS
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Janet Then his wife died, leaving
little daughter. Mary, eight years old.
Most Of the inhabitants of the town
Of Shore Cove were bit jealous OF
the captain, for he generally had luck
at fishing or gathering clans and oys-
ters. By the way. the women and
girls were also a bit jealous of little
Mary. She was handsome. sparkling
child, and when 1t was known that her
father intended sending her away to
school to be educated he was called
foolish for not keeping her In her sta
tion in life.
At eleven years of age Mary was
sent to live with an aunt in Connect-
cut. She remained there six years,
going home for a short stay once a
year. At such times she met with no
welcome except from her father.
Then came the calamity. Miss Mary
was finishing her last term at school
when she received news of it, The
Janet had been wrecked in storm
and most of her crew drowned Among
those who were beaten on the rocks
and cast ashore with little life left
in them was Captain Date. lie had
many bruises and lacerations and sew
eral broken bones, and he had to have
his leg amputated and could never
hope to be the man he was. When able
to get around he had to use a crutch,
and the other leg was none too strong
to do double duty. He tried to be
cheerful through it all, but there were
many black hours for him. He had
saved few hundred dollars. but these
seemed to go like leaves before an au-
tumn gale. When he said they would
soon feel the pangs Of poverty 1t was
Mary who put her arms around his
neck and said:
Don't worry, old daddy. Providence
has seen you through many troubles
and will not desert you now."
There came day when the captain
looked over his bank book and found
that only $40 was left In the locker.
He hobbled his way out among the
sand dunes and made some remarks
on the situation, and he was glad that
Mary was not along to hear. He
threw himself down on the sand and
passed black hours. When he pain
fully arose at last 1t was to turn his
eyes seaward and gaze with lively in
terest for greater part Of an hour.
and when he entered his cottage it
was to say to Mary:
"There are whales about Eve miles
off shore. They are playing and hav-
ing lots Of fun
1t was half an hour later, and there
had been silence between the two.
when Mary brought her chair over to
her fathers side and quietly said:
Daddy. have kept something from
you. A young man up the country
wants me to be his wife. / did not
dare say yes TO him. He did not know
that | lived at Shore Cove and that
I was only "A tisherman's daughter"
"He hasn't written to you since you
came homer"
mo. | ran away from him, and he
doesn't know where am. and don't
want to write to him."
you tell me not to worry. Mary, and
that Providence will see to these
things. Let me tell you the same"
Mary ran outdoors and down the
shore path. and she had hardly reach
| ed the beach when she heard greai
light night. and in the wake of tn,
moon she saw big whale headed
straight for the beach.
Daddy. Daddy called Mary a:
she entered the cottage. with her hal
flying and her eyes looking very big
''Theres big whale just run ashore
He is down there now, and he is dead
guess he was badly injured in a figh
at sea-
Lord alive, GIRL there's Providenc,
for you. If it's that big whale saw
this afternoon there's oil enough II
! him to keep us for year Where
my crutch?"
With the help of Mary he got dow
to the shore and there saw that Their
was no mistake
HE is on my land" he said, IAN,
no one can lay claim to him. The It'd
will lift him up farther on the shore
but I'm going to sit here all the res
| of the night and give the Cove feller
4 no chance TO put In a claim"
II And be did. Mary brought him dow
the old fowling piece and came dow
about once an hour to cheer him NJ
At daylight the people of the Gov
saw the whale on the beach. and tweI
ty or thirty made haste to put In
claim. For an hour or more the crow
from the Cove argued and proteste
and threatened. and Captain Date ha
TO warn them over and over to kee
hands of. Then a young man appea
ed and took the captains part wit
such vigor and sarcasm that they ga,
over. Then Mary came running dow
and shook hands with the stranger an
blushed and sobbed and called hi
Dick.
- sis this the Young man Won fold n