The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-19

that direction Children were strag
Cling into the guild room for Sunday
school. Sanford saw woman emerge
| from the Treusdai farmhouse and 60
toward the church She entered 1t,
and Sanford followed her In. taking q
back seat. The woman went up on to
a dais and conducted the school
Something about her convinced San.
ford that she was the girl who had
made him an Easter loan. There was
enough of the child left in her to de-
note this, and there was unmistakable
evidence in her manner.
Sanford remained in his seat while
the school was in session, and when a
collector came to him for his Easter
Offering he folded 500 bill in bit
Of paper, on which he wrste in pencil,
! principal and interest Of an Easter
| Offering that should have been made
ten years ago"
The contributions were handed to
Mary Treusdail, but what became of
them Sanford did not know. He left
the place with the children and stroll
ed about near by till he saw Mary
emerge She was moving In the di-
rection Of her home on the hill when
he joined her.
Pardon me-" he said; II am stran-
ger here. Perhaps you can give me
some information that need"
She turned her eyes upon him. If
l. h.. ha1 Of ftx-
1t was dispelled. There was the same
kindly. honest look in them he had
seen as boy and which had con-
tributed to change him from a ragged
boy to prosperous man.
THAT farm" he continued, pointing
to the hilltop-"why is it not prosper
Gus? Is there anything the matter
with the soilT'
Nothing. My father, who formerly
owned it, had succession of bad
years on account of the weather. He
left the property Ito me encumbered,
and it has since been all could do to
pay the interest on the mortgage.
II am an investor In farm mort
gages,r said Sanford. "What interest
do you payT, -sessa
"Six per cent
Indeed, find 1t difficult to loan at
5. How much is the mortgage?"
Five thousand dollars, but there is
also an accumulation Of interest. which
brings the total up to something like
sixty-six hundred" --~-----,. -
By this time they had reached the
farm, and Sanford paused.
"Since you are stranger here" said
Mary, II should be pleased to have
you dine with u.s..
Sanford accepted the invitation. The
family consisted Of an aunt OF NIary's
and a younger sister, in whom the
guest saw duplicate of the girl who
had befriended the ragged boy After
dinner he made an inspection Of the
farm, or pretended to inspect it. and
when he returned to the house asked
Mary If she could give him the amount
of the principal and interest due on
the mortgage. She did so. and he said
to her:
Il will consider it favor if you will !!
allow me to add this to my other
loans"
Mary was puzzled. She was not
aware that the loan was especially de-
s1rable as an investment However. |
since the stranger asked as favor |
what would be an advantage to her /
she assented. AS soon as she had |
done so Sanford whipped out a pocket
checkbook and wrote her a check for |
the amount, telling her that the papers !
In the case could be executed the next |
day.
Sanford did not seem inclined TO
hurry away, and the afternoon was
well spent before he made move to
depart. Then Mary said that, being
in strange land. he had
better take tea with them, and this in
vltation. too, was accepted During
the evening he and Mary were sitting
together before a little blaze on the
hearth. for the nights wee still cool.
when she suddenly said to him.
DID YOU put that hundred dollar liz
n the Faster Offering at SUNDAY : b ,ol
his morning."
II did
What did you mean by what You
wrote ON the wrapper"
Ten vearS ago today a little ri.
he daughter Of u prosperous farn.r.
met ragged boy on the road. tc,k
him to Sunday school and afterl.ar,,
oaned him the amount she was 10
nave given for an Easter Offering III
ire that farmers daughter, and am
hat ragged boy"
MaryS eyes Were fixed on him for
'ome time without speaking. She "a
rying to recall the incident Prrse n.
Y she said:
1T Is coming back to me-
That Easter Sunday" he con,in.
led, "a revolution took place in me
md you were the cause of the change
needed heartcning, and YOU gave if
the hearter!as brought courage the
oufage I resolution to take hold Of
ne world and win. am not a very
zen man. but have a-penty to return
our loan with interest. The rest tho