The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-22

them up. But in the rev moInen.S 'ne'
were passing it was impossible for me
to tell if there had been any cnahSe Ill
Henry's feelings for Lila. SO pleceu
out the story in this wise: Henry was
beginning to see the difference between
her and the girls he had met. l mean
nv her her clothes-a certain den-
cheney in what city people call che
| am not referring to Lila as SOUL
not even as body, for In bodily beauty
abe would doubtless far surpass many
a city girl Well. what do | refer tof
Why, clothes and manner; that 8 all.
After this Henry seldom came home
during vacations. heard that ne
usually went camping with his fellow
students. At any rate, lost track OF
my lovers. | was reluctantly Obliged
to consider my story, if not finished, at
least passing through stage OF inter-
ruption. Henry had become interested
In a career which would have moth
ing to do with farms or farmer people
When he was graduated learned that
he was intending to study medicine
But before he entered medical col
lege his father, who spared no expense
on his education, sent him aDroad
When | heard of all these matters
which were taking him farther and
farther away from provincialism and
his provincial sweetheart. | groaned 10
spirit, for | saw that my love story
/ was likely to end in nothing.
1t was some time before Henry was
f., to leave the medical college that
heard bad news of Lila. They said
she had some trouble that was drag
\ ging her down, but the doctors could
! not discover what it was. They could
not diagnose it-that is what they
/ said of ii. Her father sent to the city
| and brought doctor to the farm espe
cially to see if lie couldn't tell what
was the matter with her. The doctor
said he couldn't find any organic trou.
! BILE, whatever that means, and the only
remedy he thought might benefit her
was change of scene, He advised her
/ father to take her on trip. But
Farmer Bunker couldn't afford to dc
that, and Lila didn't care to so.
considered this merely part of my
love story 1t was plain to me that
Henry Morse had drifted away from
the little girl ! had seen him going by
our house with when they were chill
dren, and the parting was killing her.
They say story writer's often fall il
love with their imaginary characters.
Therefore It's not strange that story
creator like myself should fall in love
with a real person Of flesh and blood.
l had always known the Bunkers. so |
went to see Lila, That was in the
spring-May, | think. I found her sit
ting in an easy chair at her window,
pale, langud and without interest in
anything. 1t may be that she OWNED
by my bearing toward her that knew
what was the matter with her. At any
rate, when ! went up to her, took her
hand and drew her head down on my
shoulder she left 1t there and seemed
to get relief from the tears that came.
While she was weeping on my shoul,
der | was thinking Not having any
lover to bring back for myself, wish
ed could bring back one for this poor
girl. And | formed plan.
But 1t was some time before | car
ried it out, not till summer came
Then l told Lilas parents that |
thought it would do her good to come
and make me visit. Since Lila said
she would like to do sO they consent
ed, and within few days she was in
my room. the room from which l had
first seen her go by with her child
lover. l said nothing about Henry
Morse either as boy or man any more
than if he didn't exist. But when
put Lila III an easy chair at the very
window from which | used to watcl
her and him, and thought of her as sh,
was then and saw her as she was now
| made up my mind that if l was go
ing to make good. real story of hel
case | couldn't rely on things to hap
pen themselves Ia have to bring then
about rlySelf.
was ta.GHinc. too, that my lvt
story had been going Oh long enol III
lni II w zine II was brought t. {
close. Be>ides. Lila was so weak tha
[ fearei III ler condition she'd cont, nc
Some rral riseaSr Su wrote DR.
Henry Morse. who had Just been nd
initted o practice. that had q pat:en
in my 'am.ly who was dying of ), IN,
, disease that none of our country ,oc
tors could tell anything about, an
, would pay him whatever he asked /
he would make flying trip and dag
, nose the case.
He wrote back that he remembere,
: me very well and would run down in ,
few days.
| OF course didn't LEI on to Lila " ha
| had done. She. poor child. wasn'
3 dreaming what an influence my seeinl
] her go by my window so many YEAR
3 before would have on her life. l hope,
. Henry would come as soon as possible
G for she was dropping more and NOR
every day
We'll, one morning he came. He sal,
he had answered my clll after hi
arrival even before going home.
H.