The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-21
ONLY A ROSE
BY DOROTHY sLAcKMORE.


questioned. She reached out and eX-
tracted a solitary pink rose that had
lent its beauty to his writing table. Il
think need this in my hair she said
ana tucked the flower among the riot
or golden curls. After his smile of APP
proval she skipped off. 1t was quite
time for the first guest to arrive for
her contingent party.
! Kennard watched her go and sighed
trifie YEARLY. He was old beyond
his thirty-five years in that he had, at
! the age OF twenty-One, gone through a
frightful train wreck which left him
mentally aged and physically lame.
At twenty-five, his closest friend,
older by many years than Kennard.
had died, leaving slim, delicate girl
orphaned and oddly alone in the world.
kennard had adopted Nancy Vale be-
cause Vale had left her to him.
The doorbell rang many times and
men and women flocked into the great
kennard drawing room where Nancy
looking not more than fifteen in her
simple gray frock, welcomed her
guests. Often her big eyes glanced
swiftly at the stairs leading from the
library, but each time they returned
to smiles and laughter with hint of
usefulness growing in their clear
depths. "Nunky" was so absorbed in
his story as to forget that he had
promised to come in and join her par
ty.
1t was net until silence reigned
again in the great house and small
pink rose dropped YEARLY in Nancy's
curls that she tiptoed softly to the IL
brary door. The quiet of that room
told her that the story was finished
and that "Nunky" was smoking the
restful cigarette that always followed
the completion Of a good days work
May l come in?" she questioned,
already over the Threshold.
Kennard opened wide his eyes.
| Il just wanted to say good night"
she said softly. and stroked back the
lock of snowwhite hair that lay across
Kennard's broad forehead.
You grow more like your father ev-
cry day" he said in quick appreciation
of her instructive understanding HE
was the most unselfish and consider
ate man that ever walked the earth
I'm sorry. kiddie, that your old uncle
forgot the coming-out party. | could
only have limped about trying vainly
to Danish my hero and his woes from
my mind, will get you another string
of those beads
Beads! How dare you call my
matchless pink pearls beads" She
touched the exquisite present from
him that clasped her slender neck.
She looked anxiously at him. You
won't sit up any longer will you-it's
late now?"
"Only till the cigarette pufs out"
he told her and watched her skip off
and up to her room.
Kennard sat for few moments
YEARLY looking at the door through
| which his ward had gone Gradually
his eyes focused themselves on
faded pink flower that lay just within
the library door. 1t was the rose Nam
cy had worn in her hair.
| Kennard rose and picked it up and
returned to his desk with it. He sat
gazing softly, tend 2rly, at it and, a
second later his lips caressed it ten
derby.
No sooner had he touched the with
cred flower than he drew back swiftly
The meaning OF his action went over
him like a flame of fire.
Cod" he cried in terror at his own
emotion. Not that Surely not that
she's only child" He sat stunned
A few minutes later his head went for.
ward on his arms and the rose was
again against his lips.
Nancy, creeping softly down the
stairs, tried to stiffe the beating of her
heart when she glanced swiftly at the
| floor Just within the library door
| There was no rose lying there. She
| stood for moment. her great eyes
devouring Kennard's bent shoulders
, and bowed head The very softest
sigh escaped her and Kennard raised
his eyes slowly, believing a splendid
! vision had appeared to him.
Surely the slim little creature in the
! doorway was not Nancy. There was
| golden hair piled high and bound by
the matchless pink pearls and white
throat rose like the stem of lily from
low-cut bodice. The arms were bare
| and cleaning white.
This Is the new gown aunty bought
for me" she explained swiftly, her
words Historically broken. She had
seen the crushed rose under Ken.
nards hand. Her eyes were like stars
and her body was trembling with ella
ton. 1t was unbelievable. this won
derful thing that had happened Paul
Kennard loved her,
He brushed his eyes dazedly. He
great was his longing for her. Hei
suddenly-revealed womanly beauty had
made him weak
The gown is lovely" he said feebly
trying to speak in the old way. But
run up to your bed. kiddie-it's time
little girls were asleep"
It's time little girls were grown
up" Nancy said. And the subtle note
of womanhood had entered her voice
She drew close to Kennard and her
cleaning arms twined up and about
his neck. If you wont tell me you
sob in her voice. don't want to
live"
Kennard's arms closed about her