The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-13
My Guardian,
By RUTH GRAHAM

sne said to me one day, II would pick
out a husband for you. Then there
would be no need for me to be anxious
about your future"
Would you expect me to marry
man without love. motherT'
Il should rely on his good qualities
10 win Your confidence and respect
which would be better than romantic
attachment. Certainly 1t would lie
more enduring"
Mother had often told me that she
mad been engaged before she married
my father. but gave me nothing more
than the bare fact often wondered
why she had not married this person
instead of father knew that he was
several years Younger than she. and
since woman prefers man older
than herself | fancied that this might
be the reason of her breaking her first
engagement.
When mother died and her will was
opened | learned that her property had
been left TO a certain Horace Ogilvie
In trust for me till | should reach the
age of twenty-one, when 1t was to be
paid to me. My guardian was to have
the legal care Of me during my minOri-
~, to provide a home for me and d.
rect my education remember that
few days after the opening Of the
will very pleasant looking gentleman
about thirty five years old came to see
me and announced himself as my
guardian. He told me that he lived
with his mother In another city and
was to go with him and make my home
with them.
He seemed to take such kindly in
terest In me and was SO sympathetic
with me in my bereaved condition that
felt greatly comforted accompa
MED him 10 his home, where l was re-
ceived by his mother, an old lady who
was as cordial as ii were her own.
During this first day l spent with
my guardian constantly found him
looking at me with a very singular ex-
preston. 1t was as though l was con-
nected with something beyond myself.
| fancied that there was tenderness iD
his gaze. Could it be that he felt that
!, he was PLACED toward me in the posi-
tion Of father? / certainly did not
have for him corresponding feeling.
| thought him very interesting man.
i Why my mother had appointed him
/ my guardian | did not know, and
was not informed. Somehow since mel
| Their he nor his mother said anything
about the matter rather shrank
from asking Mrs Ogilvie took entire
charge OF me, and soon came to look
upon her as my second mother. MI
Ogilvie from the day he assumed my
legal guardianship treated me with a
certain reserve. which did not relish
wished that he would not keep a
barrier constantly between him and
me. At twenty left school and was
certainly not the half child. half wom-
an. that | had been when ! came to
live in my second home.
The difference between man OF
thirty eight and woman OF twenty
thirty-fye and girl OF seventeen.
When | came home from school for
the last time my relations with my
guardian had changed. His treatment
Of me was more reserved than ever.
had no acquaintaDces among young
men near nv own age, and this seemed
to trouble him. He hunted up several
Youngsters and brought them to the
house for my companionship They
. seemed very boyiSh to me.
One day one of these youngsters in
vited me to go to a play with him that
evening. AIr. Ogilvie came home to
dinner tired and respondent about
something that had gone wrong during
the day. Ills mother suggested thai
/ no 90 to some place of amusement. dc
| demurred on the ground that 1t would
not benefit him to go alone.
"Why not take mel" | suggested.
II thought that you had an engage
ment," was his reply
"Ill break It."
He looked at me. surprised. and sale
| he would not have me do that ON an!
i
! account.
| | assured him that l preferred to q
| with him, but could not make him un
derstand that / would choose to spent
an evening in company with an ole
rrrruv rke nrnsen 10 young ihai
near my own age.
| Half an hour afterward i received
! ,wo tickets with note from the dono
stating that he was unavoidably pre-
| vented from escorting me to the thea
| ter and hoped l would find some ON
| 10 take his place. went merrily Il
Mr. Ogilvie. waving the tickets owe
| nv head and asked him to be tn
substitute. ~
That broke the ice between us. MI
| ogiIyie permitted himself to show m
some attention. which ! received s
cordially that it was rapidly increased
| To make a long story short, there wer
courtship an engagement ana a maj
J rsape. | welded my guardian.
II was not till had been marie