The Washburn leader., 1916-02-04
ONLY A ROSE
By DOROTHY sLAckmoRE.

:: BY DOROTHY sLAckMoRE. s
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Observation-Disclosures
"You do like my gown then?" Nancy
questioned. She reached out and ex
tracted q solitary pink rose that had
lent its beauty to his writing table. u
think need this in my hair" she said
and tucked the flower among the riot
Of golden curls. After his smile Of ap
proval she skipped of. It was quite
time for the first guest to arrive for
her coming-out party.
Kennard watched her 90 and sighed
a trUle YEARLY. He was old beyond
his thirty-five years In that he had. at
the age of twenty-one, gone through
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
wistfulness 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.
It was not until silence reignad
again in the great house and small
pink rose dropped wearily in Nancy's
curls that she tiptoed softly to the II.
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 I come in?" she questioned.
already over the Threshold.
Kennard opened wide his eyes.
II 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. I 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 puffs out, !"
he told her and watched her skip OIL
and up to her room.
Kennard sat for few moments
wearily looking at the door through
which his ward had gone. Gradually
his eyes focused themselves on q
faded pink flower that lay just within
the library door. It 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, tenderly, at 1t and, q
second later, his lips caressed 1t ten.
derly.
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.
"God!" he cried in terror at his own
emotion. "Not that! Surely not that
she's only a child!" He sat stunned.
4 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 . 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 Mkesthe stem Of Q lily from
Q low-cut bodice. The arms were bare
and cleaning white.
This 10 the new gown aunty bought
for me-" she explained swiftly, her
words hysterically broken. She had
seen the crushed rose under Ken
nard's hand. Her eyes were like stars
and her body was trembling with ella
ton. It was unbelievable. this won
derful thing that had happened. Paul
Kennard loved herl
He brushed his eyes dazedly. He
dared scarcely to look ct Nancy so
great was his longing for her. Her
suddenly-revealed womanly beauty had
made him weak.