Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, January 22, 1915, Page 8

THE EMPTY ENVELOPE By EVELYN LEE. “To help a friend—and no one will ever know. Long before next interest day the bond will be back in place.” Bryce Worth whispered the words to himself. His worried face, his quickened breath told of unusual men- tal stress. It was in the broker's office where Worth was employed that he stood wrestling with his conscience. Only the bookkeeper was in the outer room. The vault was copen. To this Worth bad ready access at all times, but | now he slunk toward it and into it with the stealthiness of a thief. “Mrs, Malinda Parr”—he knew the labeled manila envelope well, knew that it contained one $500 bond, a Rex Construction gold 6. It was a somewhat out-of-the-way trust. Their client, a struggling widow, had purchased the bond. For safe keeping, she had always left it with the office. Twice a year she had appeared to collect the interest. That was all. A friend had come to Worth in dire distress. He must have $200 at once, or he would be involved in serious trouble. | And, through mistaken loyalty to a “ person who did not deserve it, \\'nrm’ made his first misstep. His plan was to take the ahslrartod * bond to a money lender he knew, bnr-I row $200 on it, and whep this was | paid off return the security to the of- | fice vaults, and nobody would be the wiser. Worth slipped the familiar Pn\(lnpl!¢ fnto his pocket. One hour later he left the office. His feelings were tense, he seemed to have suddenly assumed a load that weighed down body and spirit. Worth reached the hotel where he ! had arranged to meet his friend. He | had decided to tell him of the fear- ful sacrifice of business honor and peace of mind he was making for his sake. An hour went by. The friend did not come. He would never come, as Worth later learned. The friend was | a scamp, had learned that the police were already on his trail and had fled the city. Worth waited wearily. Fi- nally he arose to leave the hotel. “Fire!” The cry took Worth momentarily out of himself. He saw smoke and flames issuing through an open arch- ing leading into one of the parlors. The heavy silken draperies all around the room were getting ablaze. He tore down the fire-kindled curtains at the door. Then he shouted to & group of terrified women huddled near one of the windows: “Get out into the hall. There i8 no danger yet.” Worth tore off his coat. He used it as an extinguisher, beating at the blazing curtains of the windows. He was perspiring, singed, his face and Rands blackened as the advance fire patrol came to the spot. Some one asked his name. He saw the blaze under control, and, pretty well ex- cited and exhausted, passed down to the street. Worth did not return to the office at once. He went to his room to tidy up. There he made a discovery that thrilled him. The envelope was gone from his coat pocket. He hastened back to the hotel. With eager delight he left it again, for he found the en- velope where it had switched out of his coat. He started for the office, glanced within the envelope, and found it—empty! “Some one has abstracted it from the envelope,” he mused desperately. “I dare-not make any move towards its recovery without exposing my own wicked foolhardiness!" Worth placed the empty envelope back in its place in the vault. That evening he planned what he would do. By saving and skimping he might put sside $500 by the next interest date. He could sell some jewelry he had. His pame got in the paper as the Rera.of the hotel fire. It made Ada Mason, his fiancee, very proud of him, but her joy was dampened by a great change in the man she was to marry. He called upon her less frequently. He no longer planned of how they would furnish the little flat they had discussed so comfortingly in the past. Vainly Ada tried to learn what trouble he was brooding over. Then at the end of a month Worth broke down one evening. He con- fessed all to Ada. Never did a ten- der, loving heart move to rescue and consolation as this dear little soul. “Yes,” she said, “you must make veparation, and I must help you,” and ber sister wondered at her now con- staut attention to fancy work. At the end of five months Worth bad the exact amount needed to cover bond value and interest. It was a happy moment when he went to the vault to place the money in the en- velope. It was gone! He went to the bookkeeper, fearing some new complication in the case. ‘ “The Parr envelope?”’ he tried to say carelesely. “Oh, I threw it out yesterday.” the indifferent explanation. “Hnd no ausiness there.” “Why—why—" “Mrs, Parr took her bond away pearly six months ago. 1 ought to have removed the empty envelope then. Why, what ails you!"—for Worth had dashed from the room. It geemed as if he must shout, laugh, ery. pray! Oh, the relief of it! Oh, the joy of it! (Copyright, 1914, by W. G. Chapman.) Seeing Is Believing You have heard of War Piices The merchants have put their goods on sale at remarkably low prices, but it remains for US, Yet, To Fire The First Gun Saturday, January 23rd Our Aim is to SHATTER PRICES Until only the Fragments are Left | Some New Goods Just Arrived Ladies Muslin Underwear .. 25¢ to 9’§¢ 50 Crepe de Chine and Chiffon Waists latest Military i 1000 yards of Mercerized C h.unln\ Stripes, Plaids L Pl LT B SR G $1.15 1 $2.50 A Fe V D C - andsSolids at o sooiioi i SoRhe S 9¢ W 1 ew rcsses' 5 Apron Checks, 8¢ quality for .....coooiivuen covienn T¢ R. & G. Corsets, Newest Styles, for Stout and Slen Union I'crmlc‘ ........ Pems e e e g ¢5 der figures ..o 98¢ 1 $2.50 Spring SWIES Now we are going to prove to you that we can save money for you. Don’t take our word, but come and SEE. The following prices will induce you to investigate. Our entire stock of Ladies' Skirts, Original Prices 2 I Men's s0c Sweaters $1.98 to $5.08, Sale Prices $1.00, $1.98 and $2.50 \hn s S C\vante Ladies’ ,n)« \llk Hose, Black, White and Tan, now ' ' ( S nt o warncnsh T Qhoes! Shoes! | oo TP Ever L] [ Men's Suits from & I,.uhu Muslin U n«hnu:.u at Prices Lower Than M . ... 84.98 to $5 eiore. en’s Suits (Special) $15 SUES at .., $10.98 ThadiesilIouse: Dresses . il Saitiivadon diisssio 75¢ Men's Pants, Blue Serge, ......... ... $198 “;> $3.98 Ladies’ Sweaters from ............o.o.. $1.98 to $2.50 \ Men's Work Pants and U\crallx (’O"‘g at Cost. Ladies’ and Children’s Heavy Underwear at Cost ’ ° \{‘” M }\"‘I‘ Shirts, Blue Chin ... 25¢ Eloaidety Kb ..oviisiiasinin asnin brcadins 5¢ to 10¢ en's Extra Fine Wool Shirts . e 75¢ ‘to $1.69 Ladies Coats, Dresses and Coat Suits Below Cost. \’I“"* Dress Shirts ...... ..39¢ and Up Aviation Caps, 98¢ and 75¢ Quality, now 39¢ \'l"-‘ P T'l“"\“" m .. .. 19¢ t 390 lIl S ats lrum 9o x 9o Pepperel Sheets All Linen Table Damask . ....... : Ribfions b el Mercerized Table Damask, I tra Width 14 "Ie Sell’m for Les ’ Ri n\“m! fain, I I-»\urcd, and Smpcs from 3mr i 1 SnEna g | : ¢ to Lace Tables Covers, Values SRl el N e O Lace Curtains, $1.00 Values \\' ol e R 3¢ and 8¢ Lace Curtains 50c Values ............ unkets and Comforts at Cost. + Men's Hose > - Chinese and Japanese Matting, per yard ..... 24¢ and 25¢ Fl‘om ! Sc tO $ Ladies' ”htg ;):‘ \\'lf“::":‘ 4 SRR :f First Class Linoleum, per running d ...98¢ and $1.10 ° Ihese are only a :c;\ of our B y 1 ,“ Duplex Window Shades ... G e . 65¢ be marked in plain figures, arRams e\cry 1h.nr will Special Sale Lasts 10 Days Beginning Saturday, Jannary 23rd. We Sell It for Less Cut Price Store Come and See. IR o WO 5.2 FUFOTQIOPCIVIOPOIOIOI0L -‘}‘.*W&O@ FOSOS0S O HEOPOFOFOSOPOE S 0 OPOI Qe REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS | S. W. Shepard to Southern Trust Florida Highlands Co. to Anges |Clyatt. p 2 ‘and Inv. Co. E. Thelin. Sessoms Investment Co. to W s . J. H. Wy 2 ¥ (Furnished by the Security Abstract Thomas O. Windham to W. W. Sessoms Investment Co. to Her-|Lacy Boyd. 4 wife to Sessoms Clin}ick‘ e and Title Co., Bartow, Fln._) !\\‘indham. man A. Schreck. Malloy & Miller to Florida Lake I Sessoxil Inv. Co. to A. V. B D. W. Stokes and wife to W. J. | Isham Moody and wife to C. R. | Southern Land Sec. Co. to Her.|Region Land Co. to Samuel F E. C 'gm‘l‘u"'."d’\' 1o ¥ i i . - C. e nd wile 10 Mizel] and wife. S Rice. man A. Schreck. Malloy & Miller to J. W. Sample. }r’r W. Dunn Southern Tr}ut and Inv. Co. to D. H. McMillen et al to Sessoms Sessoms Investment Co. to Mich- Southern Land Sec. Co. to Mary Smith, T ool & g, toS. F Irvi " } Wi;hl; M}i l‘;\enl.‘ 5 Haa Inv. Co. ael J. Sexton. E. Bennett. Pen. High) 4 gerrvmg i Lo . F. Hallam . to Hubbar H. L. Brown and wife to Mary J. Sessoms Investment Co. to South-| Southern Land Sec. Co. t elge Fulands Co. to Ni " « Co. to Chas. Flelds O Nina M.| M Macklin, et al. Brown. . WA < S A, Mossy: aad Charles F. W. Holsteln and wite to| (W. J. Howey and Eila to H. R. amn::r:dcsre:y' t.?é. M. Wilson. “h.“;?né:lp.x: and wite to J Charles Albert to Chares e Lyl John ¥. Lindwall. Mosnat. | S. M. Wilson and wite to L. J. |Sikes s o - S s 8 gt . AR R | Bt sk > = | AR Taylor to 3, g M. Franson and wife o ™ . + H. Wendler Selrcy.