The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-12-18
AS OTHERS HEAR US
ev IDA PATTERSON.

| worlds great repeater, PROFESSIONAL
eayesdropper, realizing in part Robert
/ Burns wish. except that instead of
seeing it makes us hear ourselves
as others hear us. | was swinging
along on top Of a Fifth avenue stage
on a moonlight night. Wedged be-
/ tween the bus railing at the left and
stout man asleep on the right. more
bus railing in front and an absorbed
in.themselyes couple behind me. l
could not avaid playing the dicta-
graph.
A woman's sweet. rather plaintive
voice poured this into the ears OF the
man who sat beside the owner OF the
voice.
Eyes. | don't know what will be-
come Of me. a weak woman all alone
in the world"
Shell get him." thought. THAT
kind of talk always goes with men il
the woman's pretty"
Il was not brought up to do any
thing. I've always bad some one to
lean on"
Great" thought l. 'She's a widow.
I'll warrant he's bursting with pro-
posal this minute
when found myself alone and
with very little money | didn't know
what to do" the stream Of stickily,
sweet voice went on.
Hell know tried to send
/ thought wave to her.
Il went to a hospital and was there
six months"
bad move" started warning
thought wave toward her. Men are
economical for every one but them.
selves. Tack your conversational
ship"
The thought wave missed, for she
went on. 81 had such a fine nurse.
a big. strong woman who used to lift
me about as though were baby.
She used to say: You poor little
thing. You're just barely alive. You
might almost as well be dead"
Tack tack" mentally shouted to
her. "Men hate invaliLs. you know.
While one man will turn nurse ninety
nine will leave home when there's
sickness in It,"
"They made mistake when they
discharged me from the hospital.
wasn't out two weeks when had a
relapse and had to 20 hack. This
time had to take a more expensive
room and had to have two nurses In
stead Of one. The doctor said would
never be strong again"
ooh, woman, woman" thought.
waved
when I left the hospital took a
nurse home with me. was SO weak
I could hardly walk kept her with
me a year When got little better
from the heart trouble developed a
case of uric acid The nurse used to
say to m: My dear. you have
enough uric acid in YOU to float a
ship. I had to take Turkish baths
every day and massage with salt and
| had to 20 south for two winters"
Stop" | wigwagged, but in vain.
Then my nerves gave way. They've
not been right since"
stitied a groan. Every one knows
that mon ar" more afraid Of nerves
in woman than of grizzly bear in
polar shows.
Yes. There WIS tim" when
wasn't quite responsible for What
said or did"
You're not nov" | tried another
lespairing thought wave. II was lost
at sea
Il had frightful pains in my head
and was so irritable. haven't gotten
over il yet About that time my liver
, got out of order"
We're here" The mans voice
hearty. vibrating with health and
v!gor. interrupted. He offered her his
: hand and guided her down the steps
: winding from the top of the stage
The vehicle oblgingly waited 70,
some painting waving. halloing would
be passengers hurrying toward us
from the SHE street. During that
pause the man guided his still talk
y ing companion up the steps to ar
: apartment house around the corner
: lifted his hat and hurried away a:
F.. though something were pursuing him
, She stood In the doorway lookins
after him. but he did not look back
At the next turning he was lost from
sight. forever. doubt not to thai
$ woman
G Pity is not akin to love If the pit,
e is for bodily Ills. Cupid halks at med
i ical records. No man wants to MARI,
d a walking hospital No proposal eve
!. followed recital of aches and pain,
). except Robert Browning's. and Rob
ert Browning was of another age an,
country. Moreover. he was poet
and poets are different Moreover
still, this one was rich.