Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-06
Their Children"
By WALTER DELANEY
Copyright. 1915, Western Newspaper Union,

about two hundred feet from his own
lonely but palatial home, Barton Lee
slowed his steps, his glance lingering
on the neat, trim figure of lady about
his own age.
He had taken sufficient interest In
the lady to ask something about her
from his sole servant, John Ward. The
latter impaired the intelligence that
she was a widow, Mrs. Althea Warren,
that her husband, a worthless adyen-
turer, had deserted her and died and
that his family had given his widow
the little cottage and small yearly
stipend
Lee had lifted his hat whenever he
caught her eye, but was not the man
10 intrude his attention upon her, and,
while she responded to the courtesy,
she acknowledged it only as the casual
interest of a man pleasant and friend
ly with all his neighbors, rich or poor.
She was pleased at the neighborly
recognition of n man whom everybody
respected, and whom she secretly adj
reverence for him when she learned of
his deeds of charity and helpfulness
for the obscure and unfortunate. lie
became her ideal and she often won
dered how he was content to live
alone in the great corner mansion
His man Ward was wont to greet Mrs.
Warren civilly and one morning he
seemed particularly anxious 10 talk.
New arrivals at our house yester-
day." he announced. Il suppose you've
heard about it?'
why, no, l hadn't" she answered.
Mr.. Lee has had some strange i'm
pulses at times, but this freak beats
'em all. He was in the city last week
and got interested in lot of Belgian
children brought to this country TO
find homes for. Bless me If he didn't
take three. Just as If they were war
stamps or Liberty bonds to file away
and no more trouble than that.
They're at the house now, girl of
eight and two lads six and four. Say,
they're cute, lively and interesting,
but think of Thin a confirmed old
bachelorp
But not very old" demurred Mrs.
Warren.
"Well, in his habits and system and
ways. Him bothering with three little
ones just at the age to keep up a
racket in our quiet old homer
But who is going to take care of
them?" inquired the widow.
That's it--me, of course. He's
that inexperienced he thinks they can
be packed away like dolls. Yes, I'm
to see that they thrive and be happy,
A fine responsibility for man of my
age, isn't it, .now?'
"Mr. Lee, is grand, good man
to adopt those poor homeless waits,
declared Mrs. Warren in a tone fer
vent with genuine emotion, and when
Ward was gone her womanly heart
went out longingly towards the little
group.
"Wen, we've got a sort of system
with the little ones" Ward reported
to her a week later. "They just romp
around the house when it rains and
play in the garden all day long when
it's fair. I'm growing to like them and
Mr.. Lee, who is in the city, writes
every day anxiously inquiring about
them as if they were his own kith and
kim"
His manner was troubled and dis
mai when next Mrs. Warren met him.
Bad newsr he mourned. Mr. Lee
had an automobile accident in the city
and is laid up in a hospital there"
And, two days later: "All three OF the
little ones have got the measles
"Oh, let me nurse them y impul-
sively exclaimed the widow. There is
plenty of room for them here. You
have your hands full and my heart
goes out to the little totsl" And before
nlghtfall she was lowering over her
patients like some fond mother.
1t appeared as though i'll fortune
was pursuing Barton Lee. Two nights
later the big mansion at the corner
burned to the ground. Ward barely
escaped with his life, and Mrs. War
rem now had to give him shelter.
Not that it matters much, the old
house going" he told her for Mr..
Lee was going to move soon. You see,
the place is under foreclosure and
Althea's tender soul became pitiful
as from this she supposed that 10 adj
ditIon to his other troubles Dir. Lee
had lost his fortune.
1t was two weeks later when for the
first time, supported by a crutch, Bar
ton Lee. convalescent, entered the lit
tae home TO see his children.
"Mr. Lee" Ward had told his EN-
pIoyer. 1--WE known fine women, but
Mrs. Warren beats them all. She's
been mother 10 those little ones and
she thinks you're just the grandes'
man in the world for adopting them.
She's got an idea, because ] happened
70 sneak Of the foreclosure on the old
home to clear title, that you've lost
an you've got. She's housed the tots,
she's made me q welcome guest. and
she's so full Of pity for your loss OF
fortune that suppose she's just long.
ing to take you in until you get on
your feet"
"You rascal You haven't let her
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