The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-31
The Colonel S
Convalescence
BY ALAN HINSDALE

In one of those battles between the
French and Germans when the latter
were endeavoring to reach the channel
Colonel Latrobe, man Of forty, was
wounded and instead of being sent tG
a hospital was left for want of trans
portation at a 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, spinster
named Remercier.
Mile. Remercier was some five years
younger than Latrobe, and 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 colOners nurse
was still handsome woman.
There was a 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 a 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. lie 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
a sublieutenant into the army.
81 visited St Cyr when but seven
teen years old" said madamoiselle. 81
can conceive of no place so enthralling
to a girl of that age as 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 a girls head"
"And l remember" added the colo
mel, chow we youngsters delighted in
making love to the girls who visited
st. Cyr Lovemaking had not the
meaning that 1t has for older men. II
was what the Americans call flirting
We thought nothing of telling a CIR
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 CIR
we were ready for another. And wher
they had gone we returned to our stud
les as free mentally as before they hat
come"
"Your picture may be true with re
spect to the young men," said the lady
"and In most cases perhaps with re
: gard to the girls. In my case it wa
. different In one of these young mill
, tary students | met that which wa
the most serious episode of my life
, He made love to me simply for tn
t temporary enjoyment of the sentiment
{ Alas, 1t was far more than that to me
. That is why | have never married"
: "The bruter exclaimed the colonel
"No; he was simply young and di
not realize the danger to me of wha
: he was doing"
5 perhaps he did realize it in time, t
4 his cost / confess that there was on
D of my affairs that stood by me 70
4 many years. | could not shake 1t of
3 Even today, after twenty years, l sc
e in my dreams that young face an
q press again that soft hand"
: "And why did you, after discoverin
t that YOU really loved her, not seek he
$ out?"
d "Ah, that would have served
America, where they marry for love
e but not in France, where parents al
e range marriages for their children"
"Who was the girlT'
e IF remember correctly she was tn
lie daughter of gentleman of fortune
!, living in one Of the provinces. he
.e name was Hortense"- He was stall
r ed; he had forgotten her surname.
Would you know her again, do 20
lie suppose, after not seeing her for twei
n, ty years."
a "That / could not say"
" Mile. Remercier arose and went I'M
t. the house Presently she returne
n with miniature painting, which ST
lie handed to the colonel. He looked |
It for a few moments as though
le brought back some vague memor,
ne then suddenly he turned his eyes upC
10 his companion in sort of wonder
= where did you get this?" he aske
ce 81 have had 1t ever since the oril
If nal visited st. Cyr twenty years ago
The colonel's steady gaze gradual
N revealed to him that the miniatu
in was a likeness of Mile. Remercier
on seventeen.
no "Hortenser he exclaimed.
or Henri was the low reply.
od When the colonel went back to t
cd front he returned a married man.
cd deed, had not duty called him
al would not have returned. He was We
,ot much pleased at receiving anoth
wound, Just severe enough to lay hi
nd up for a month. He returned to t
No chateau of his wife, and the month
recovery and his honeymoon were o