The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-07-06
THE LITTLE GIRL
BY HELEN WAITE MUNRO
Observation-Disclosures

CnarleS Ladd'S room full to overflow.
ing with beautiful flowers, she sug.
gested that he send a few to the lit.
tie girl across the hail." who had none.
Big-hearted Charles Ladd gladly act.
ed upon the suggestion, without know
Ing that the little girl" was little
only In Nurse Cranes eyes-had, In
fact, reached the mature age of nine
teen.
who was lovely enough to send
me theseT Lois Wilson queried as she
snatched the roses eagerly and cud-
died them against her cheek.
"Oh, little boy across the hall,
who had more than he wanted" Nurse
Crane carelessly said, and Immediate
Iy went away and forgot all about 1t.
Lois sent note of thanks the very
next day. She printed ii. to make sure
the little boy" could read it-rather
crooked printing at Tablespoonful
citis. So, Of course, he printed his re-
ply, and the childlike correspondence
fOurished until his broken leg had
mended enough to allow him to go to
the piazza, the very same day that
she took her first trip there.
1t was Nurse Crane, as 1t happened,
who introduced the two, and her sur
prise at the misunderstanding was
equal to theirs at finding each other
grown up.
"Shall / play marbles with you, or
will you play dolls with me?" Lois
asked after the first astonished ques-
lions and answers were over.
Either, as long as we play together
nicely and don't quarrel" he respond
ed, deciding that the hospital was not
quite the dreary place he had, up to
now, considered 1t.
The morning passed quickly, with
exchanged condolences and friendly |
conversation. So did the next, and sew !
eral more following, until the two
felt like very old acquaintances Then
came a day when heavy, pouring rain
made the piazza impossible. Lois In
her room gave up to the queer bodily
aches and pains that had been grow
Ing more and more troublesome
through the night. and to the queerer
heart-ache which had been developing
for several days.
DIR: Gordon looked grave when he
found her so.
Meanwhile, Charles was having
of his own. For several days
he had been annoyed by a very un-
little conscience. Now he
began to realize clearly the fact that
he, an honorable, upright young man,
engaged with all due formality to
Miss Sylvia Preston and receiving
daily dainty notes from her In her
distant home, was falling deeply In
love with Miss Wilson. II
When at last that long. dreary day :
had worn to a close and Charles was
trying to forget his perplexities and I
'ettle down for the night, his atten-
Ion was attracted to a subdued COM [
notion across the hall. At last a low
moan reached him. He rang his bell ! :.
and a nurse responded. His a
lnxious Inquiries drew forth little in )
however.
He lay back on his pillow, great {
'eads Of perspiratiOn standing on his
orehead. "LOis-Lois," he whispered,
md knew that In losing her he had o
ost his mate-the one woman de- y
igned for him. <
1t was thus that Nurse Crane found .
I'm when she made her morning s.
ounds. She looked keenly at his o
Vhite, set face, smiled a wise little n
mile and said softly: b
Il wouldn't worry. She Is better, o. y
GU know" d
"She! Do you mean LOisT Charles le
ut straight up, regardless Of the in :,
ured leg. e
"Why, yes" Nurse Crane looked a.
uzzled. Didn't you know she was ii
lken worse yesterday and they had
operate in the night? She has been p
cry low, but her condition Is quite al
now" she went on, MOTTO b,
lg the anguished bewilderment in his ~ n
yes, "and II all goes well she will
bon be back In her old room" pc
did you care so much?" she said. ~ ~
More than all the world" he whis- be
cred, and closed his eyes as she tip le
bed from the room. =, =,
The days went by with Lois gaining es
lowly. pr
On the day he was first to visit Lois or
waited impatiently for the appoint. to
time. firm In this determination. to
lail time broke the tediousness of his or
'aiting. There was the usual violet pu
tied envelope-the note was short ot
lme-his face altered strangely su
read. Sylvia. his old pal, had DO
"a the same wonderful experience an
nat had come to him. She felt she S S1,
lust tell him and break the engage or
'ent before his Homecoming. Her 10,
cart ached for him, but frankness Sta
a. the only way. Lar
The clock struck three. Without dUi
aiting for the nurse, he made his way res
ith surprising Quickness across the ne'
lrrow hall and through the half-open an
nor. Lois was lying, frail and sweet. COZ
0king deep into the heart of one of ~,
roses as though to read some word col
- message there. ant
His eyes gave the message the rose i Iu
d failed to convey. and hers an eqr
cred the light In his. His hands %,
lsped hers tightly and cor
A gasp from the doorway. Nurse lar
ane stood there, on her face q mix. nav y