The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-01-10

once loved and given his heart to
woman whom he had both idealiZed and
idolized; he had youth, brains, and
with her he felt he could conquer the
world. Ii was an old story; she turned
out to be as loyeless as she was lovely,
and so he took to the tigers. He had
got over it all now, bat he shuddered
as he remembered the fret of it all, and
thought how near madness he had been
driven when he heard of her ultimate
fate and where her life had drifted to.
SO there where Ophelias here More
like Audreys, he thought, as he
watched some rather uncouth gambol-
ing in corner. His eyes wandered
round the room and rested on face.
1t was an exquisite oval face, some
what sad and wistful in expression, of
that rare, delicate olive color one sees
in the South, with the skin of so fine a
texture that the red flush springs up
through the vein-tracery at moments
excitement; the large brown eyes were
soft and dreamy the chiseled mouth
was half parted, and the dark-brown
hair, looking black as night, was worn
Greek fashion close to the head, sweep
ing in undulating lines past tho tiny
rose-tpped ears She was seated on
low sofa, carelessly clasping one knee
with both hands. She wore simple
white frock, just mysteriously frilled
around the little white column of II
throat and great black-red rose
nestled in her breast. One little high
arched foot, in peach-colored Melted
silk, kept swinging to the music. No
one seemed to talk to her except the
Doctor, who smiled pleasantly as she
passed, and said something to which
she answered with nod.
"Orhelia at last" said Grayton to
himself; and in melancholy vein he
wished he were Hamlet, and could lie
ut her feet and watch the play.
"Poor Ophelia! divided from herself
and her fair Judgment (the quotation
was irresistible). Il wonder what sent
! her here-some brute of man, or n
| soldier-lover killed at kassassin. Gra-
cious l hope this terrible Meg Mer-
rifles is not going to ask me to dance"
and he moved away as he saw Wild
eyed woman bearing down upon HIM,
to seat somewhere near the pale girl
with the blackred rose.
For a time he watched her; then he
tried to magnetic her. At last their
eyes met; he stared her full in the
/ face. She never shrank from his look,
only sort of pitying light seemed to
| glow in the sorrowful eyes. A moment
passed, and then she arose quietly and
with perfectly self-possessed grace
walked over to him-to his intense as
constituent sat down quietly by his
side, and said, in soft, musical voice :
~ on seem sad tonight; | am sorry"
For moment he was tongue-tled :;
then he recollected his instructions and
pulled himself together.
We'll, | think | was sad because You
were looking sad.
Was L? / suppose / always do,
then. OF course being here naturally
makes one feel sad. But we won't talk
of that" she added, quickly. do you
care for. dancing? I'll dance with you,
if you like.
"Dancel with you?'
"Oh, yes, if you like; many of the
others dance, you know.
How calmly she seems to recognize
her sad state" thought Grayton, as he
stood up and passed his arm around
poor Ophelias slender waist, wonder
ing how she would Jig and amble. I"
They were playing the Dream Faces, I"
and as they SWING in undulated
rhythm to the pretty song he felt that
few slips of sane II would come up to
her.
That's right" said the Doctor, en-
couragiugly; set a good example. ,"
| Means Pm TO be a tonic, l suppose
! thought Grayton; so he carried Oft
Ophelia for an ice.
"You dance beautifully she said.
NO, you sit down and LII get you the
ice; there, now, there's a spoon and u
wafer; now you feel comfortable, don't
you? Isn't that lovely valse?"
ayes, I'm fond of Dream Faces the
people one meets i'll dreams are gener-
ally vastly nicer than the real folk. /
have many dream friends.
Have you?' she sand, looking
amused; "tell me of them"
well, You know, | think I'm married
to a wlfe--just like Gilbert's
Princess Toto, you know. with her
dream husband. And she comes to
me sometimes and scolds me if I've
done anything wrong in the day; and
sometimes she's very loving, and some
times she's cross and doesn't come near
me for weeks"
He felt as if he were telling fairy
tale to a child
How charming! Do tell me more of
her. Is she beautiful? What is she
like"
The fanciful conceit seemed to amuse
her, so he went on drawing pretty
pictures of an ideal woman; then grow
ing unconsciously eloquent. he burst
out, AN, if one could only meet her
alive, what a wife she would make! a
very second self, aiding, sympathizing,
helping, loving-at once the cheeriest
of clums and the most idoli2ed OF
idols"
She had flushed little as he spoke,
but she went ON, What n pretty pic
turel Where did you get your beauti
full thoughts about marriage?'
Il suppose my dream girl taught
me-"
as she prettv?"
Grayton wondered If deliberate bare
faced commitment wOuld be a OOoC