The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-11
A RESPONSIVE CHORD
BY NORA NAIL.

The question fell from the lips OF a
girl OF twenty fully conscious of the
budding beauty of young womanhood
and all 1t meant of power. She
hasn't apparently one redeeming fea-
ture; why. she is positively gawky.
The woman addressed, an attractive
matron of about SIS. turned criti-
cal gaze after the figure Of the little
woman disappearing down the street,
and knowing smile curled her lips.
Il will tell YOU" she said.
About five 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'
ton he was her devoted slave-every
wish was anticipated and gratihed-
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 a 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
eminent service
About this time Arthur had writ
ten an appealing letter home, or, rath-
or. had asked that II be written. as
he was too III to do more than ex-
press wish asking tina. his sweet
heart come to him ,they had been
engaged just before he left for the
SOUTH. as he feared he had contract.
ed dangerous and contagious dis
ease, but usually the ones we love
when life Is concerned. at least,
! | am generous enough to think that
most women would not, Well. to
make long story short, Arthurs
sweetheart refused fatty to go to his
bedside. 1t afterward came out
somehow these things always do
that she feared contracting the fevel
. and thereby marring her beauty.
when Ann arrived at the hOspita
!. and found that the patient IN the bee
. next to her brother was from thu
same city as she. they said she work
4 ed untiringly with him night ate
= night with an intensity that probabl!
saved his life-at least, the doctor
gave her the credit-and won GU
with glowing words Of praise fror
: them all. When It was all over. how
ever, and he was on the high road I
health, she succumbed under tn
} strain, and lay for weeks lowering b.
tween life and death.
During her illness Arthur wrote
short note to his flancee, releasing he
from her engagement. and when he r
turned home. which did not happe
for many weeks afterward. he al
nounced his engagement to the littl
woman who had risked a very pr
r. cious and useful life to save that {
a perfect stranger. One OF his o.
I friends said afterward that IN a
+ nouncing the news to him he ha
made the remark that those f.
n weeks in tho hospital had taught nj
| the most valuable lesson In his life
that beauty OF face ard form. viii
I pleasing to the eye. were but fieetiI
possessions, and that as he watch'
the devoted and self sacrificing lit
woman moving from one to the 9th
Of the sufferers, giving her serv'
willingly and with p grace and swe'
ness that frightened the whole plat
bringing hope and sunshine to mai
a homesick and desRairing man,
had realized that there was somethil
deeper, nobler and more transcende'
~ beautiful In the world than me
physical beauty, and one which won
last until death and he finished
saying: And 80 ! lost my heart.
rather, gave 1t into keeping OF the
bles. woman I had ever met, or ev
expect to meet in this world"
The speaker finished the story
low. soft voice, and % she glanc
over at the beautiful young girl Cpl
site, she noticed tear trickling do'
her cheek. and the serious look II
met hers from the brown eyes tt
her that the recountal had touched
responsive chord in her nature.