Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-06
Elsa smiled.

Sic Sdlu. GTluceSSeS are at LIBERTY u
talk like ordinary persons, but not
nurses. 1 have already permitted you
to talk too much. Now bid Adria adieu,
wish her good luck and happiness and
then resign yourself to the commands
Of one who is severe and unwavering."
So with kind words Adria went, and
Elsa took up the work.
The good farmer Nolner and his wife
seemed to stand much in awe of their
pretty niece, for she had her own way
in the house.
From the capacious kitchen came
wonderful dainties and appetizing
dishes made by the new nurse. The
water from the spring soon tasted
sweeter if handed by her in the thin
little drinking glass. Her step was
light as air. her voice soft and sweet,
her touch gentle and soothing.
What a nurse!!" thought Wallace a
hundred times a day. 81 thought Adria
was perfect, but this one is beyond
even worldly perfection"
But sometimes a peculiar feeling
came over him that he had seen that
face before. 1t appealed to him some
how in a way that a face totally I'M
known could not. The nurse always
wore her cap. which held captive and
out of sight her wealth of beautiful
hair.
And Wallace grew stronger gradual
ly and thought more and more of his
nurse. One day she brought him a ten
der fowl she had broiled with her own
hands. She poured his wine for him
and set it down on the table Volner
had made.
AS Wallace reached out to take the
wine his hand touched hers. For a
moment he pressed the dainty fingers.
Elsa blushed, but she did not with
draw her hand.
"Ah," said Wallace, with some bitter
ness, at is hard to be without power
or money! Elsa, you have been too
kind. You have given me a wound
from which no nursing will enable me
to COY Yet l am poor and would
not ask you to share my miserable con-
dition. In happier days may 1 hope
that some of the love l feel for you
will be r~eciprocated"
A vivid blush overspread her face.
She was about to reply when the wife
of Volner entered. Elsa, in her confu-
sion, turned away and put her hands
to her cap, as If to arrange it. But she
touched it with too heavy a hand. 1t
fell to the floor, and a mass Of beauti-
full brown hair fell in lovely p~rofusion
IN hnr Er,oicf IL wade n r,Na% 49,
In her appearance. Wallace, unmind-
full of the presence Of Volner's wife.
stared. thought and started in embar-
raised establishment to a sitting pos
ture.
"Ah, ah! Am I dreaming?' he gasp
ed. you bring to my mind the face,
the picture, of Princess Marie"
Eyes," said the farmers wife, with
some energy; sit is time this farce was
played out. 1 know everybody means
well, but there are limits. This is
Princess Marie"
"Oh, forgive me" cried poor Wal
lace. II would not have spoken had l
known. Why did you come? l can
not unsay the words which must have
seemed an insult to you. But forget
them and forgive me. 1 did not know"
"Of course you did not know" re-
piled the exposed princess, with a
roguish laugh. THAT would have
spoiled it all. And you thought l was
ungrateful all along"
mo; l did not say it." demonstrated
Wallace. Forgive me and go back to
@ho ,ac+lo 10 ,~o ,,,,,,Ino ,~,, ~,
my pretty nurse"
"And not the Princess Marie"
"Ah, no! There is too wide a gulf
between us. AS my nurse you were
more my equal"
Tears gathered in Marie's eyes. Roy
atty sat lightly n her young Shout
ders, yet she understood its rights and
privileges.
For one brief moment I rejoice in
my position and the etiquette Of
courts" she said. She took his hand
in hers and looked down into his eyes
with an expression that made the blood
leap through his veins as 1t had not
done since he fell. "As you say, l am
a princess. While you believed me a
oiLdPiC adloC, SOu Spuhe WOIuS VI uOu-
est love. You have withdrawn them
since you discovered my identity. But
it was not because you had ceased to
love me, was it? 1t was because, as
the princess, you thought 1 would not
accept the love that a nurse might ac-
cept."
eyes, yes" said the half maddened
Wallace. Il could never cease loving
you, though a thousand miles kept us
apart"
"Then do not take back the words y
she said. Il have been courted by
princes and men of power, soldiers and
diplomats. Not for myself, but be.
cause l was Princess Marie of Denes.
liza. 1t is sweet-oh, how sweet-to be
loved for love alone. And do you
think l have learned nothing each day
we have been together? l have learn
ed the same lesson Of love. Now you
are my patient and my prisoner. ]
shall write to Charles tonight"
The letter which Marie wrote to the
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