Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-03-08
THE ROSE
BY IzoLA FoRREs TER.

| II fell at BHrtromS reef as ne w"
hurrylng to, the elevated statiok an
lay In the 'trOdden snow. u pink
| France rose. He was late. yet N
stopped and picked II up. trying to Sc
where u had come from.
The neighborlIood was far from
fashionable. Rows of second-rat'
apartment houses lined both sides o.
the street. with stores on the ground
floors and the elevated tracks between
them. But as he looked up he caught
a glimpse OF face at second-story
window, a face that matched the rose
Young and very girlish II was. with
eyes full OF mischief and dismay. too
seeing him with the rose In his hand
Just moment and II was out Of sight
In the room back, Of the, window.
Bartrnm went up the long stairs to
the elevated station With d curious
tingling at his henrtstrings Romance
did not usually stalk hts footsteps.
All the way downtown and during
the days work he was wildly con-
scious OF the rose In his Yaistcoat
pocket. Several times he surrepff-
tiously, took II out and looked at II
when he was alone In the Office.
The next morning when he came to
the newsstand at the foot OF the ele-
waited stairs he glanced up at the win
dow. There was no sign Of the face
he wanted to see. and he rode down
town feeling the JOY OF the day gone.
! Bartram puzzled for several days,
seeking to meet her. Then toward the
end of the week there came a sudden.
blessed relief. A small, discreet sign
hung In the upper left-hand corner Of
one window.
Room to Let"
Bartram took his noon hour, and
went up to engage the room. The
door in the second hallway was opened
by middle-aged woman. pleasant
faced and hopeful. Yes, she had
room to let, the front bedroom off the
parlor. The young lady who had &C.
rupied It before had just left.
Bartram stared at her. Could fate
be so unkind?
Nothing happened to her, I HOPPER
he said slowly.
"Oh. nothing contagious. sir" re |
,lied the woman. "She was Just hurt |
/ little bit in an automobile accident |
run down on Columbus avenue. |
She's at the hospital now. but you |
mustn't be afraid of that. 1t don't |
lurt the room a bit"
NO" Bartram answered. "I'll take |
he room. II expect to be called |
'ut of town for a little while. hut I'll |
,eep the ROOM"
He paid couple of weeks In adj
Ianee. got the name OF the hospital
nd went out on the street again.
rom a booth in cigar store he tele-
honed to the Office. They must ex-
use him that afternoon. He was not
ell, and had gone home That done.
= started for the hospital. He had
er name now, Dorothy Bennett. II
minded like the name of a girl who
we'd roses. AT the desk he asked
II her. They looked up the name.
I'D 1t had been an emergency case
rought in durinc the night. She
as not badly injured He could go
D to the ward and see her. Bar
am held tightly the big cluster of
nix roses he had brought and made
IS way to the elevator.
AT the door of the ward a nurse d.
'eted him to the right cot. and he
ptoed to 1t cautiously. She was
eeping. Her hair was braided In two
irish plaits down her shoulders. She
'oked pale and wistful. There were
towers on the little stand beside
er. After Bartram had sat down the
urse took the roses and brought them
ack In tall green glass vase. Then
e waited.
When she opened her eyes without
irring there was no alarm or sur
rise In them. She smiled at him, ever
little. and looked at the roses un-
Il wondered II you'd find out" she
nd. I'm not hurt much"
Dorothy smiled up at him when he
IT. and watched him as he went
own the room. It had been horribly
'neiy. coming into the. strange hos
Ital with no friends at ALL She had
cen In New York two months now
wing to get work. and each day
nd made the quest more hopeless.
he lay smiling at the roses long
lille. thinking Of all he had said. He .
nd promised to come every day to
Re her. glt ISL ,s-N r.
1t was month before the broken
nkie was healed and her, shoulder
lit right but there came the day
hen she was to be discharged. Bar
am came for her ia taxi. his eyes
ager and purposefui.
ave.