The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-05-30
ONLY A DREAM.

O-NALA - ASAeAHA~@-
A richly furnished room in one O
the principal streets of London
West End.
Its inmates were a beautiful wo
man, handsome butsomewhat hag
gard looking man.
The latter stood opposite the mir
ror, and though his face was turned
toward it, he seemed to experience
no great satisfaction at the counte
nance that met his gaze,
The two had evidently been argu
ing some point. for the woman;
cheeks were flushed and her eyes
were humid.
"Do you think l would forego my
engagements for a foolish dream 2
he asked.
"To please me, dear Ralph. You
seldom do anything to please me o.
late" she pleaded.
"Bah /! Look at your wardrobe
was his response.
"Oh, dresses and money-yes, but
/ counted upon more than that when
| left my fathers home. Consider,
gave up everything"
"Yes and when will you cease to
taunt me about it?"
''Oh, Ralph, l never taurt you
at least, / never mean to. Forgive
me, am thoughtless at times. You
know l love you but don't you sup.
pose / see"-and the charming face
grew more eloquent as the dark eyes
were brimmed with tears-"that you
never cared for me as | cared for
YOU? There, don't look that way
Only listen to me this once, stay al
home only to-day. Lisetta is COM
ing, and the poor girl will think itso
strange if you are not here to well
come her. Tomorrow the danger
will be passed, tomorrow shall be
happy again" !,
"A woman's whim," he responded,
slowly drawing on his gloves. "The
thing is simply impossible. / made
the engagement. Besides, / am out
of funds, and you know what that
means to me, l may say to us, while
in these very, very expensive apart
ments."
Ralph, you know would willing
ly 90 into the meanest-"
"Oh, stop, stop! No more of that.
l know that you don't know any
thing about it. You never lived in
a mean place in your life. You new
er had a wish ungratifed, even since
you have known me, l am proud to
say, and you never shall. That is
why l must go out tonight"
"Oh, Ralph, stop this way of liv-
ing. will be poor with you, live in
lodgings, leave these splendid mis-
cries, 60 anywhere, and love you to
the end, if you will give it up"
"You forget that l am prejudiced
against hard work" he said, turning
half aside. Il need fortune at my
back with my luxurious tastes and
my beggarly experience. thought
l should have one, but there was
mistaken"
"Yes, but who knows what may
happen ? My father loved me once,
there is no one to take my place, let
us try"
Then. frightened at the forbidding
Of his face as he turned
upon her, she sank back, only ad-
ding:
"If you would only stay home to-
day-to-night. Oh, if you knew how
fearfully real that dream was"
why. did l shoot you or myself,
wife ?" he asked. coolly. did l
scatter my brains (quite an unneces-
sary commodity in my business all
over the floor? BAIL what weak
things women are. 1 have had occa-
sion to remark that before"
''Then you will gol You will not
heed?"
Il will go. 1 will not heed you"
''Then, Ralph, good by; l shall
never see you alive"
He burst into a low, musical
laugh.
"Ah, my dear, there's an easy way
to fill my purse When that is full
of the hard, yellow rocks"
She made 4 gesture of despair and
hid her face in her hands.
"If this is to be our last interview,
hadn't we better play little at the
Shall / kiss you at
parting ?"
She sprang up and flung her arms
about his neck, bursting into a pas
sion of tears.
"No nonsense" he said, almost an
grily. as he disengaged himself from
her embrace.
"You will meyer speak to me that
way again." she said, with an en-
phasis so mournful that it startled
even him.
"What was the dream 2"he asked
almost in spite of himself. Il can
at least hear it; but shall not heed
it, remember"
at is not much to tell, only
and she looked uD with a sbudder-
1the horror of it, the horror tina,
never leaves me. / dreamed that
you were in a room that seemed tc
me to be the apartment of palace
it was SO exquisitely furnished. II
was an oblong room, and pictures
and statuary and hangings that gilt.
tered with gold, and panels painted
in the most exquisite colors. met my
sight everywhere. / did not stop t.
look at these things, however. Ny
attention was rivited on q long t.
BILE richly draped in red. 1t did no,
seem a dinner and yet there wers
men and women seated along both
sides and you were in the centre
Suddenly, ! saw at your back a tall
thin, evil looking man, whose fact
held a terrible fascination. HI
seemed to be full of power, and hi
eyes cleaned and darted FIRE, lik,
the eyes of a basilisk. The awfu
eyes were fixed on you, following
your every movement ! tried Il
warn you, but my tongue seemet
powefless to move, and my limb
were palsied. Oh, how these evi
eyes followed you! And presently