The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-08-01
"What were Won dreaming off

| ] thought you would soon be here. [
was awake then, I am sure OF it. All at
once there came from far up the glen
faint sweet strain OF music. Then 1 dis
tinguished voices singing, and present
ly was surrounded by crowd of peo-
pie thronging all about me. Their gar
ments brushed me, and their fingers
touched my hsir, but they never seemed
to see me. Suddenly they vanished,
one beautiful lady alone remaining. She
stood Just there. behind that long
branch. She was all in green, and I
could scarcely distinguish her from the
trees. She spoke to me with a charm
ing smile, and then lifting her white
hand, wave1 it slowly through the air.
I looked, and papa stood beside me. I
could not move or speak, but his dear
eyes looked into mine for moment;
then the figure slowly faded. As t
gazed, other figures came by, brighten
ing and fading before my eyes. I saw
yourself and Frank, mamma just as she
used t. look, and many more, ali famil-
lar faces, all persons who have had some
part or influence in my life. Last of all
came one I did not know. I tnrned to
ask the lady who he was. She made no
answer, but smiled and held up ring.
1 thought l knew him for my future
husband, and turned to look at him
again. As I did 80, thought he bent
over and kissed me on the lips; then
slowly faded as the others had done.
The next I remember, you were calling
me. Now don't laugh, Charlotte" she
added, catching the expression of my
eyes.
Indeed, love, I shouldn't think of
such thing. I am too deeply impressed
by your doubtless prophatic vision"
"Well, dear, why notp Remember
this is the eve of st. John, and your
birthnight. Every one knows that chill
dren born on midsummer-eve are the
especial favorites of the fairy folk, and
subject to their influence on that night.
It is plain enoiigh that the lady in green
was your fairy godmother, and your
vision must be prophetic"
Alice laughed, but in shy, absent
way, and her pretty blush was visible
even in the starlight. In answer to my
railleries, she admitted that before fall
ing asleep she had been indulging in
fancies about fays and the like, natural
ly suggested by the place and time; but
as for the young man, she stouAy de-
clared she had never seen, or imagined,
or previously even dreamed of, any one
in the least resembling him.
Alice was up early next morning. not
whit the worse for her greenwood nap,
and very busy with her drawing. 1
supposed she was finishing the thorn
tree sketch; but hspt ~s 8 to look over
for an hour, saw it was portrait on
which she was engaged. 1t was the
likeness of a young man, apparently
twenty.eight or thirty years OF age.
"Who is it, Alice dear? ?"
Alice laughed, but blushed little.
"It is the face saw in my dream last
night" said she.
"Is it possiblep"
"It is the best likeness have ever
made. That is, in every feature, the
face that was bending toward me when
your voice broke the spell of my
dream"
"Well, my love, you have wonderfully
vivid dreams. We must take care that
you do not sleep under the starlight too
often"
Frank Baldwin arrived that afternoon,
and we hastened our preparations for
departure. He kindly offered to assist
us, and stood round, man fashion, in the
way, putting things in the wrong trunks,
and making confusion generally. We
were limited in trunk room, and Alice
declared it quite impossible to get in her
voluminous sketching- books. They were
accordingly laid aside to be left till they
could be sent for, or until we should
make our regular visit next year.
Frank, roaming restlessly about, tired
of our inattention, spied the books, and
began to look them over. He was silent
for some time; but at length he looked
round with an exclamation surprise.
edward Granger's portrait Alice,
where did you ever see Ned Granger ?"
81 never saw him to my knowledge.
Pray who is hea"
"He is the friend of whose adventures
with me in India I have frequently writ
ten home. Is this your drawingp"
Certainly"
is it meant for any one ?"
"It is fancy merely"
Well, it's most surprising acci-
dental resemblance, considering you
never saw Ned and of course you never
could, as he is at this moment on his
way home from India, where he has
lived for ten years-since you were q
child in the nursery. By-the-way, I see
that the Mogul, in which Edward sailed,
has been spoken only week out. So
we may expect to see him very soon."
We had been at home week, when
one day, on returning from drive, we
learned that Franks friend Granger had
arrived. A good deal fatigued with
travelling by sea and land, lie was still in
his room, but would Join us at dinner.
There were to be other guests, and Alice
and I went up to dress. do not know
that we "primped more than usual
that day but remember feeling quite
satisfied with my fresh summer toilet /;
and Alice looked supremely lovely in the
pale green organdy, which would have
been fatal to complexion less dazzlingly
fair. "You look like the queen of the
fairies," l said, and wondered why she
should blush so at the sisterly fattery.
The blush had not quite faded when
we entered the drawing room, and Frank
brought forward his friend. Mr.. Gran
ger was presented first to me, which
gave me an opportunity to quietly OBJ
serve him while he paid his compli-
ments to my sister. I saw his eye light
with fash of admiration for her singu-
lar beauty but this expression was sue
ceeded by one of perplexity, which did
not pass away for some time.
As studied the face of the stranger,
l was instantly reminded of Alice's