Wichita eagle., 1889-12-20
PRINCE CHARLIE.

thought he was asleep, for he had been
quiet awhile-an unusual thing for him
when be suddenly raised himself up on his
elbow and looked at me.
''See here" says he He spoke as plain as
could be, though he hadn't much voice; the
doctors said his lungs were all gone, but for
all that anybody could tell that he'd always
had a real pleasant way of speaking. Some
how he did have a coaxing way with him,
different from any man lever took care Of
No matter what he said-and he had no pa
tience whatever-you couldn't get angry and
you couldn't help trying to please him
Tell me now just what they say" he went
on. Il suppose can't last much longern
'Oh, we can't none of US tell what turn
you may take" says [, helping him to lie
down as easy as could and fixing the spread
over him. He never was suited if it wasn't
all Strengthened up as nice and smooth as
could be, though he wouldn't keep it SO for
Eve minutes.
He looked at me with those big, dark eyes
# his. His face was so thin that his ewes
lid look out of all reason, but even then you
would have known him for handsome man.
Il want to tell you my story" says he
They often begin in that way. 1t appears
ike when they're away from all their own
folks, and feel that they've got to go, they
can't rest till you know all about EN- Lad
knows it don't do any good; but l always hui
NOR my patients, though some of the nurses
do call me a fool for my palms. "If it does
'eu any good, let 'em talk" says l. | always
listen. But sometimes they get all mixed I'D
and can't tell you anything straight after all;
sometimes they drop OF in the middle. But
this one was a real gentleman, and knew he
oad Z story-coming to the hospital as he did,
straight from his Office, and the young man
hat came with him saying: 'He hasn't got
.ny friends to go to-"
Il thought you was going to sleep tonight
says |, sitting down b. him comfortable like
But he didn't take no notice of me; he Just
stretched out his hand and looked at it, He
had the whitest little h3n,is, as slender and
white as any ladys, and on his third finger
be wore handsome seal ring Ii was a
green seal, with kind OF figger on it. ut
belongs TO my family coat of arms" says he,
and he laughed kind o scornful. And then
he looked up at me with that wishful look of
his, and, says he; ~ want you to send it to
somebody when it's all over with me- Tn
going to tell you who she is before | finish
my story"
Then he shifted himself little and went
right on without looking at me. | couldn't
have stopped him if l had tried to-
ITO begin WITH" says he Il was born at
sea. I'm the man without a country. |
never had one Ny mother had been anus
ing herself in Europe, and she went on anus
ing herself for good many years after. l
don't think she troubled herself much about
me, though | have heard her say looked
like an angel, in long curls and knickerbock-
erS 1t isn't what should have supposed;
but women ought to know best about those
things
1--WE had plenty of money in those days.
Ny father was in business. | didn't know
very much about it, except that he furnished
the wherewithaL We had to ask him for it,
and sometimes he clustered little about our
spending so much, but it always came /
went to school and to college. | had plenty
Of friends, plenty of fun, and didn't want
for anything in those days"
He stopped for minute and looked at me
real pitiful
"'Tisn't much of story when you come to
tell it," says he Somehow 1T seems like
more than it is"
But pretty soon he looked at his ring again
II was too loose on his finger, and he began
turning it round with the other poor, thin
hand.
They had all sorts Of names for me-, he
began My own name is Charles Edward
They say there has always been one in the
family since the time of King Charles. But
IL was Prince Charlie oftener than anything
else. She would laugh and cali me the Pre-
tender Heaven knows l didn't pretend with
her 1t had got down to dead earnest by
that time. But haven't got to that Yet.
- came home from college, and there didn't
seem TO be anything very pressing for me to
do. Father never spoke of my going into
profession, and hated business. Mother and
Anna-Anna was my eldest sister, then there
was another little one-they both liked to
have me TO go about with them, for father
was SICK enough of IL by that time. We trav
sled, too. We spent one winter in the Der
mudas, and Anna and ! went over 10 England |
for year. We made a regular dig Of it,
seeing all the English cathedrsls That was |
Mans idea But we had no end of a good |
time Then we cana. hone. and father got /