The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-13
The Colonel's
,Convalescence
By ALAN HINSDALE

were endeavoring to reach the channel
Colonel Latrobe, man Of forty, was
wounded and instead Of being sent to
a hospital was left for want Of trans
portation at chateau by the way
The lady who owned the place directed
that he be placed in one of her best
rooms and at once assumed his care.
Fortunately for both, the fighting did
not come near the chateau, and the
colonel was left to recover, his wants
being supplied by the lady. a spinster
named Remercier.
Mile. Remercier was some ave years
younger, than Latrobe, ana spinsters
usually preserve their youthful appear
ance longer than their married sisters.
At any rate this is liable to be the case
with unmarried women who have no
cares or troubles. The colonel's nurse
was still handsome woman.
There was long period Of GONZALES
cence, during which the colonel was
unable to join his command. Mile.
Remercier read to him, chatted with
him, fed him, indeed made his conva-
lescence delightful. Every morning she
gathered flowers from her garden, car
ried them to his room and arranged
them In vase Of Dresden china with
her own hands Many Of the delicacies
prepared for him to eat she cooked
with her own hands. No matter what
time Of day he called for anything he
needed the lady responded and always
with a sympathetic SMILE
In time Latrobe spent a portion of
the day in an easy chair; then nearly
all the day there; then he was able to
walk about his room and finally to go
downstairs. He was chatting to get
back to the front, though loath to leave
his luxurious abode and especially his
fair hostess.
One morning in June he was sitting
on the terrace with Mile. Remercier
The sun shone brightly, and delicious
perfume came from the roses growing
beside the terrace. Conversation turn
ed upon the school Of st. Cyr, from
which the colonel had been graduated
sublieutenant into the army.
II visited st. Cyr when but seven
teen years DID," said madamoiselle. Il
can conceive Of no place so enthralling
to girl of that age rs a military acad-
envy. The young men In uniform are
far more respondent than those in
civilian dress. There are the martial
music. the military ceremonies, every
thing to turn girls head"
sand l remember" added the colo
| mel, show we youngsters delighted in
making love to the girls who visited
st. Cyr. LOvemaking had not the
meaning that it has for older men. 1t
was what the Americans call flirting.
We thought nothing Of telling girl
We loved her, and the girls thought
nothing of pretending to reciprocate.
We enjoyed the sentiment without hav-
ing to fret about the responsibilities.
When we had made love to one girl
we were ready for another, And when
! they had gone we returned to our stud
! les as free mentally as before they had
| come"
your picture may be true with re-
! spect to the young men, said the lady,
land in most cases perhaps with re-
| gard to the girls. In my case it was
different. In one Of these young mi'
tary students | met that which was
/ the most serious episode Of my life.
He made love to me simply for the
temporary enjoyment of the sentiment.
Alas, 1t was far more than that to me!
That is why l have never married"
''The brute!' exclaimed the colonel.
"No; he was simply young and did
not realize the danger to me Of what
he was DOING
Perhaps he did realize it in time, to
his cost confess that there was one
of my affairs that stood by me for
many years. | could not shake it Off
Even today, after twenty years, see
Ia my dreams that young face and
press again that soft hand"
"And why did you, after discovering
that you really loved her, not seek her
out?"
"Ah, that would have served In
America, where they marry for love,
but not in France, where parents ar
range marriages for their children"
"Who was the girl?"
IF remember correctly she was the
daughter of gentleman of fortune.
living in one of the provinces. Her
name was Hortense"- He was STALL
ed he had forgotten her surname.
Would you know her again, do you
suppose, after not seeing her for TWEEN
ty years?"
THAT conld not say"
Mile. Remercier arose and went into
, the house Presently she returned
| with a miniature painting, which she
handed to the colonel. He looked at
it for a few moments as though it
brought back some vague memory
then suddenly he turued his eyes upon
his companion in a sort of wonder.
Where did you get this?" he asked.
Il have had 1t ever since the origi-
nal visited st. Cyr twenty years ago"
The coloners steady gaze gradually
revealed to him that the miniature
was likeness of Mile. Remercier at
seventeen.
, 'Hortenser' he exclaimed