The Prescott daily news., 1913-02-22
PATRIOTISM THAT
 WINS IN THE END
By BELLE X. MANIATES.

her for her prolonged absence.
 It was two years now since she had come to this land of sunny skies to study music and Italian for six months At the end of that time, the people with whom she had come returned home. but May had formed the acquaintance of an English fam fly who had taken up residence in Florence, and they offered to take her in charge. Her parents reluctant ly consented to a continuance of her sojourn, and she was now more loath than ever to return. The charm of sunny Italy had worked its spell, and then, too, her voice was developing so marvelously that she began to have visions of grand opera. Mem ories of home ties were becoming dimmed, and three months ago she had broken her engagement with Tom Rowden. She could never have done this except by letter, for there had been fascination about Tom, and her resolutions generally weakened in his presence.
 The letter twitting her of being ex- patriated was from her father, who so rarely wrote to her. He had launched into a eulogy over the United States, and her duty to her family.
 With a sigh Kate laid down the let ter and began to dress for dinner. ing some repairs made to their house, and in the meantime they were all staying at a boarding place
 She was reused from her refec- tions of the stars and stripes by the entrance of Gwendolen Gordon.
 There is a countryman of yours below, May. who has just arrived straight from the states"
 Really" asked May interestedly. "It's so long since have seen any one just over,'"
 You will doubtless meet him at dinner He is tall. well-formed. good color bright eyes, well-tubbed. Really he might almost pass for an English man"
 And May was not yet so "expatri- ated' as not to experience a tinge of resentment at Gwendolen's inference that his passing for an Englishman was the highest compliment she could pay an American. The description reminded her of Tom, and memories of Tom always brought vague dis comfort He had merely acknowl- | edged the receipt of the ring she had returned, and had formally regretted her change of heart" After the long. friendly letter she had writ. ten him explaining her Career" she had certainly looked for more notice than that She had anticipated opposition, remonstrance or a beseeching letter from him, pos sibly visit from him. Maybe he, too had changed" And there had been an unaccountable silence on the part of her family, who adored Tom Her father whose views on "honcr" and the keeping of promise were so i'm. 1 placable, had never mentioned or hinted at her action-simply indited an oration on her country.
 She went down to dinner with a l N'Ai III VI dAAlNlPdLiOu ct NLt IlIOuShl Ol meeting a Tive man" again, for she had secretly disdained the Italians and the men she had met at the Cor dons. She was doomed to disap, pointment No stranger appeared though she prolonged the meal as much as possible.
 Later in the evening she was sitting Eal |. when she heard the piano below. | There were a few random chords, and then there fell grandly on the air a deep baritone voice rendering the Star Spangled BannerI
 "Oh!" she cried with indrawn breath. By the thrill of ecstacy she l knew she was not an alien from her ! native shores.
 She hastened down to the salon 1 which was crowded with American tourists drawn thence by the magic of the home song. At the end of the second verse, May was suffering all the bangs of nostalgia. There was something familiar in the voice, and she worked her way nearer the piano for glimpse of the musician. She was a little faint when she recog nized George Amsden, Toms particu lar friend. The sight of him brought vivid recolIections of home, home ! friends and Tom.
 She slipped into an adjoining little room to compose and adjust her thoughts before meeting him. IL vain she tried to stife her emotions
 She crossed the room which was unoCCupied and Stenned mt tn ths