The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-23
ONLY A ROSE
BY DOROTHY BLACkMORE.

questioned. she reached out anu ca
tracted solitary pink rose that hat
lent it's beauty to his writing table
think need this in my hair, she sale
and tucked the flower among the rlo'
of golden curls. After his smile of ap
proval she skipped Off 1t was quite
time for the first guest to arrive fol-
her coming out party.
Kennard watched her go and sighed
trifle YEARLY. He was old beyond
his thirty-fve 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 focked 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 not 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 good days work.
Nay | come in?" she questioned,
already over the Threshold.
Kennard opened wide his eyes.
I 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 unselfsh and consider
ate man that ever walked the earth
I'm sorry, kiddie, that your old uncle
forgot the contingent party | could
only have limped about trying vainly
to Danish my hero and his woes from
my mind. will get you another string
of hose 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 puffs out"
he told her and watched her skip off
and up to her room
hennard sat for a few moments
YEARLY looking at the door through
which his ward had gone. Gradually
his eyes focused themselves on u
faded pink flower that lay just within
the library door 1t was the rose Nan
cy had worn in her hair
Kennard rose and picked it up and
returned to his desk with it. He sat
gazing softly, tend ,rly, 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 flame of fire
"God!' 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 lust within the library door
There was no rose lying there. She !
stood for a moment. her great eyes
devouring Remarks 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 a white
throat rose like the stem of a lily from
a low-cut bodice The arms were bare
and cleaning white.
This is the new gown aunty bouph,
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 ela
ton. 1t was unbelievable. this won.
derful thing that had happened. Pau,
kennard loved her,
He brushed his eyes dazedlv He
dared scarcely to look at Nancy 81
great was his longing for her. Her
suddenly revealed womanly beauty had
made him weak.
The gown is lovely" he said feebly
trying to speak in the old way. "Brt
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 abont
his neck. III you wont tell me YOU
love me- she said-and there was n
sob in her voice. don't want RI
live"