The bee., 1912-12-06
A RESPONSIVE CHORD
BY NORA NAIL.

girl OF twenty, fully conscious Of the
budding beauty Of young womanhood
and all It meant OF power "She
hasn't apparently one redeeming fea-
ture; why, abe is positively gawky."
The woman addressed, an attractive
matron of about 35, turned a criti-
cal gaze after the figure of the little
woman disappearing down the street.
and a knowing smile curied her lips.
II will tell YOU" she said.
About Ave years ago Arthur Smith
was engaged to the most beautiful girl
IN our set; you are too young to re-
member just how beautiful she was
at any rate, she completely conquered
Arthur-he had eyes for no one else
when she was near. At every func-
tion he was her devoted slave-every
wish was anticipated and gratified-
nothing was too good for her-no task
too difficult to perform that would add
TO her comfort and happiness.
when the Spanish-American war
broke out, Ann Reynolds, now Mrs.
Smith, had been studying for two
years to be trained nurse. She had
one supreme gift--the gift of tender
ness, and Nellie, In a woman this Is
not to be despised All women do
not possess It. AIMS brother and Ar
thur happened to be injured about the
same time and were placed on beds
side by side in the same southern hos
pital On account of her training
and her brothers illness. Ann Rey-
nolds volunteered to go as nurse to
this hospital, and endeavor to save
not only her brothers life. but to do
what she could to save the lives of
others who had become Ill in the gov
ernment service.
About this time Arthur had writ
ten an appealing letter home, or, rath-
er, had asked that 1t be written, as
he was too Ill to do more than OK
press a wish, asking that his sweet
engaged Just before he left for the
south), as he feared he had contract
ed a dangerous and contagious dis
ease, but usually the ones we love
do not consider such things as this
when life is concerned; at least,
/ am generous enough to think that
most women would not. Well, to
make a long story short, Arthur's
sweetheart refused fatty to go to his
bedside. 1t afterward came out
somehow these things always do
that she feared contracting the fever
and thereby marring her beauty.
when Ann arrived at the hospital
and found that the patient in the bed
next to her brother was from the
same city as shs, they said she work
ed untiringly with him night after
night with an intensity that probably
saved his life-at least, the doctors
gave her the credit-and won out
with glowing words Of praise from
them all. When it was all over, how
ever, and he was on the high road to
health, she succumbed under the
strain, and lay for weeks lowering be-
tween life and death.
During her illness Arthur wrote a
short note to his flancee, releasing her
from her engagement, and when he re-
turned home, which did not happen
for many weeks afterward, he an
nounced his engagement to the little
woman who had risked a very pre-
cious and useful life to save that Of
q perfect stranger. One of his old
friends said afterward that in an
nouncing the news to him he had
made the remark that those few
weeks in the hospital had taught him
the most valuable lesson in his life
that beauty of face and form, while
pleasing to the eye, were but fleeting
possessions, and that as he watched
the devoted and self-sacrifcing little
woman moving from one to the other
of the sufferers, giving her service
willingly and with grace and sweet
ness that frightened the whole place.
bringing hope and sunshine to many
a homesick and despairing man, he
had realized that there was something
deeper, nobler and more transcendent-
| Iy beautiful In the world than mere
physical beauty, and one which would
last until death and he finished by
saying: And 30 lost my heart. or,
rather, gave It into keeping OF the no
biest woman / had ever met. or ever
expect TO meet in this world"
The speaker finished the story In
q low. soft voice. and ~ she glanced
over at the beautiful young siri oppo-
site. she noticed tear trickiing down
her cheek, and the serious look that
met hers from the brown eyes, told