The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-12
THE BADY's BLUNDER
BY cATHARINE cRANMER.

a hospital bed and stared at the bare |
and sanitary walls of his boxlike
room. His drawn face showed evil
dences Of mental suffering as well as
of physical tortures inflicted by the
grippe, which had overtaken him in
late springtime after he had success
fully evaded it all winter. It was bad
enough to be shut up in hospital at
any time, but to be thrust from ones
Pullman berth into an ambulance in
city thousand miles from home at
the very beginning of day on which
a big business deal should have been
contaminated was worse than bad.
1t did not add to Johns peace OF
mind that the girl he had once loved
lived in this city, whittier she had
come at the time of her marriage to
a wealthy manufacturer. He had al
ways felt that her fathers rehabilita-
ton in business just after her mar
riage had direct connection with the
match which all of Dolly's friends had
considered wholly Unsuitable one.
owing to the difference in age and
tastes between her and the middle
aged man she married.
| He became vaguely conscious that
some object had appeared in his door
way, but before his aching eyes had
discerned that 1t was other than a
nurse looking in, he was greeted by
little child's caressing voice.
Poor Mr.. Man." cooed the voice, as
its owner, a dainty blonde maiden Of
three in a white frock and flower
trimmed hat, tripped into the room
and approached his bedside, does 90
head hurt 90? Don't 90 want me to
ture it?"
With all the motherly tenderness
she would have bestowed on her ia
vorite doll, the child patted Johns ach
ing temples, smoothed his eyelids, and
talked an alluring prattle in the most
sympathetic of baby voices. But the
fairys godmother, in the guise of Q
uniformed nurse girl, appeared at the
door and summoned the little creature
from the realm of healing.
Mercy doodness!" she exclaimed
STOPPING down and bringing up tin!
green basket filed with purple ant
yellow pansies. "Muvver sent yo'
this, and l mos fordot it. Dood-by
!. After the child had gone, John real
ICED that the basket Of pansies re
| NAMED in his hand. He removed
card that peeped from the basket an
. on the side that first caught his ey
was written: "Pansies for thoughts
you know; so be assured you are NO
forgotten" Turning the card me
chemically, he whistled in sudden SUI
prise as he read the name: Mrs. A
bert Brown Watkins" Which wa
' the present name of Dolly Owen. tn
o girl he had loved.
n A cold sweat broke over him an
L. with 1t came queer feeling that a
II his physical mechanism had suspend
D. ed operation. His bewildered min
n was at first as incapacitated as h
body, but slowly he began to realii
that there was quite as much pain {
pleasure in being remembered
!! Dolly.
"a He was snappish toward the nuri
when she came in at noon to take h
"a temperature and to give him son
u broth.
% Late that afternoon, John lay in
IL delightful state of semi-slumber, wht
10 from the corridor came the sound
Or voice that seemed to fit into
a dream. A lady was in conversatit
rs with Johns nurse.
40 quite by accident found that n
nursemaid made stupid blunder th
morning and took my little girl
room $50 with some flowers l had Sc
or to dear old Mr. Throckmorton, who
az the paralytic in room $50, you kno
N So / came over to see that lonely Q
q soul, and, as | saw you coming O
ne Of 260 as passed. I'd like to say tn
40 hope my little girl caused your I
ne tient no annoyance this morning"
co WELL" came the nurses voice, g
did have quite turn just after 8
at left, but 1t may not have been caus
~ by her visit"
OF "Oh, Pm so sorry" The lady's vol
ia was softly penitent. DO you think
nd would be an additional annoyance 4
Dr. went in now and apologized?'
AZ AS John slowly opened his eyes,
could Just make out in the twilight {
outline OF a slender woman's figure
ne white entering his room.
III Before either of them had time
TO think, Dolly was kneeling at the b
side with her blushing face hidden
his outstretched hands. A nome
later, came sane thinking into Johl
en- head, and he sank back upon his ]
TO low with a groan.
ed Its like hitting a man when h
ri down, Dolly, to give me these glimpf
ne of the Joy that might have been min
ne He sighed heavily. why should
ma ever have thought you'd want
10 cheer up my sickroom?"
all But do want to. John; won't y
va let me?" She looked appealingly
10 him.
oil with your husbands full perm
al sion, OF course" retorted John, 81
no denly becoming sarcastic again.
MY husband? Why, John, did
you know my husband was killed
year ago in a fire panic in one Of
en- own factories?"
at Ten minutes later, just as the nur
~ with a warning little cough, v
an about to enter the room with job
os- supper. the patient released a hs
which be had been holding in his o
fond clasp and whispered ecst