The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-10
then no said, somewhat haughtily,
ssvWhV ohn,pld Z xou

yOuI WIG, duu CANNOT cure uer u0Ill
know the truth"
He gripped the arms OF his chair
with tense fingers. Il haven't told a
SOUL" he said. but every one will
know. presently. am ruined man"
You mean that you have lost your
money!?
Yes"
Go to her tomorrow morning, and
tell her." said.
And kill her? She has never
known what 1t was to live without
luxury. And when the truth comes
out. shant have a cent"
You have youth and strength" l
said
He drew q long breath, as II he
squared his shoulders to meet the
future.
And you have love-" continued.
But you won't have love long unless
you tell your wife the truth"
You think"
Il know" said firmly. "She loves
you too much not to suspect that you
are hiding something from her. She
fancies that you have lost your love
for her-and it is killing her."
He began to defend himself eagerly.
But 1t would kill her to know the
truth. Why, she's always had every
thing she wanted. How can ask her
to share poverty-she'd better de-
1 saw then to what q pass things
had come with him.
"She is going to i've" said, be-
cause you are going to believe her
something better than you think her
now. She knows that you have been
worried-that you have shut her out
Is It any wonder that she has broken
down under the strain OF doubt!"
The next morning my patient was
awake early. do you think 1t will
really break the charm II l kiss him
three times?" was the first question
she asked as l bent over the bed
Surely. And now while am comb
ing your hair will tell you story"
She had wonderful hair, fair and
ripping Ike ripe wheat In q field
when the wind blows over 1t. l put
1t up for her in soft puffs and tied a
ribbon around It Of palest pink, and
while I worked talked.
Once upon a time," l said, there
was prince who married a lovely
princess. Now the princess had al
ways lived in a beautiful castle and
the prince took her to another castle
just as beautiful. And the princess
had everything that heart could
wish"
"Oh, You mean me-" she breathed,
and her eyes were shining; tell me
some more, nurse"
"And one day the prince learned
that wicked wizard had put charm
on him, and that he would have to
leave the beautiful castle and 60 and
live In little, little hut, way back In
the woods, and that he would have to
work until his hands were hard and
his back was bent. And 80 he didn't
dare tell the princess, because he
knew If he told her she would want
to go, too. and she would have to
wear shabby clothes, and sweep the
little hut. and prepare the plain food,
and perhaps her lovely hands would
get hard and her slender shoulders
would also bend with the burdens, So
the prince kept silent about the spell
that was to come upon him, and the
princess grew jealous, and said to her.
self. He doesn't love me any more.'"
She clapped her hands. Just as
said It,"
yes. And she wondered IL the
prince loved any one else. and she
wondered and wondered until she fell
sick, and-and the prince, looking at
her, thought his heart would break,
but still he didn't dare to tell her.
about the hut in the forest"
had finished tying the pink rib
bons and she reached up and caught
my hands in hers. "Nurse, nurse"
she gasped. was that all-oh, was
that all-that he had just lost his old
money!"
And when told her the truth she
cried In my arms. Then she sat up
and made me put on her prettiest
pink konono, and she walked weakly
from the bed to a big chair in the
window. And when he came in she
held out her hand to him.
oh" she cried. I'm going to get
strong right away-and then we'll go
and live in the hut In the forest"
lie looked at her with puzzled eyes,
until l said: Il told her a fairy tale
about the prince who had to take the
princess away from the beautiful
castle"
His arms were about her and
heard her say as I went out OF the
room. You must kiss me three
times"
And that night, Dr. Hearn said in a
way, I'VE shan't need you
much longer here. nurse. ! told you
1t needed a woman with Imagination
to take this case"