The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-16

ct her feet and watch the play,
poor Ophelial divided from herseli
and her fair judgmentln (the quotation
was irresistible II wonder what sent
her here-sOme brute of q man, or a
soldier-lover killed at Kassassin. Ora
cious! / hope this terrible Meg Merrilies
is not going to ask me to dancep and he
moved away, as he saw a wild eyed wo-
man bearing down upon him, to q seat
somewhat nearer the pale girl with. the
black-red rose.
For Il time he watched her; then he
tried to magnetic her. At last their
eyes met The stared her full in the face.
A moment passed, and then she rose
quietly and with perfect elf-posessed
grace walked over to him-to his intense
astonishment sat down quietly by his
side, ard said in soft musical voice:
you seem sad tonight: lam sorry
For a moment he was tongue-tied;
then he recollected his instructions and
pulled himself together.
well, I think / was sad because you
were looking sad"
@Was I? Isuppose I always do, then.
OF course, being here naturally makes
me feel sad. But we won't talk of that. y
she added quickly. "Do you care for
dancing? I'll dance with you if you like
Dance! with you?"
20 yes, if you like; many of the
others dance, you know"
Glow calmly she GEMS to recognize
her sad stated" thought Grayton, as he
stood up and passed his arm round poor
Ophelia's slender waist, wondering how
she would Zig and amble.n They were
playing the Dream Faces, /" and as they
swung in undulating rhythm to the
pretty song he felt that few slips OF
sane seventeen could come up to her.
"That's right" said the doctor, en-
couragingly; "set a good example"
"Means I'm to be a tonic, I suppose, T"
thought Grayton; 10 he carried Off
Ophelia for an ice.
you dance beautifully" she said.
mo, you sit down and'I1l get you the
ice; there now, there's n spoon and a
wafer; now you feel comfortable, don't
you? Isn't that a lovely valse?"
Eyes, Tn fond of Dream Faces the
people n meets in dreams are general
ly vastly nicer than the real folk. ]
have many dream-friends."
"Have you?" she said, looking
amused; "tell me of them"
well, you know, / think Tn married
to a dream-wife-just like Gilbert's
Princess Toto, you know, with he,
dream-husband. And she comes to me
and scolds me if I've done anything
wrong in the day; and sometimes she's
very loving, and sometimes she's cross
and doesn't ONE neer me for weeks"
He felt as if he was telling afairy tale
to a child.
"How charming! Do tell me more o.
her. Is she beautiful? What is she
like?"
The fanciful conceit seemed to amuse
her, so he went on drawing pretty pic
lures of an ideal woman; then growing
unconsciously eloquent, he burst out
"Ah, if mi could only meet her alive
what a wife she would make! A very
second self, aiding, sympathizing. help
ing, loving-at once the cheeriest o
chums, and the most idolized Of idols
She had flushed a little as he spoke
but she went on, What a pretty pic.
ture! Where did you get your beautiful
thoughts about marriage?n
II suppose my dream-girl laugh
me-"
us she pretty?"
Grayton wondered if deliberate bare
faced compliment would be a good toni,
for a lunatic. eyes, beautiful. She
has large brown eyes, wonderful hair
q low voice, an olive oval face, she dances
superbly, and she yea . black-ret
rose in her white dress.
Ophelia looked a little frightened.
Forgive me, Ididn't mean to be rude
but she is-really, you are not nngr.
with me?" and he laid his hand gentl,
on her.
30 nos" then there was q pause
Come, and let me show you some pic
lures; Tn something of an artist my
SELF" and she led him into q long gal
lery, and talked art SO sensibly an,
alphabetically that here, at all event
he felt that there was a very pleasan
method,in her madness.
Talking art" is a recognized method
of interchaning sympathies.
He was no bad judge of a picture
but he preferredto effectignorance, an
asked the stupidest questions simply TO
the pleasure of hearing her talk. Their
was q kind Of innocent dignity abou
her that facinated him. She was NOR
like a Vestal virgin han a Bacchante
SO the evening passed all to quickly
till he suddenly bethought himself tina
there was an important division Ii
the Lords that night, and that h
was boundto be o ''not content" be
fore the clock struck eleven, and al
ter that he was due at Lad
Congleton's dance.
Must you go away?" she said
"why?"
We'll, you see, Tn one of thos
m~uch-abused people that the Radical
call Hereditary Legislators, and I ar
not abolished yet; / must be in on
house at eleven"
OF purse she could not have under
stood a word he said, for she murmure
to herself, "Poor fellow! sc young, too!
He rose and held his hand out
"Good night; thank you for q yer.
charming evening""
Good night said Ophelia tenderly
Il should like a little memory OF thi
meeting; will you give me that rose
I've been longing for it all the evening.
"Of course I will; why didn't you as
for it before? Z" and she took it from he
dress and fastened it in his coat. :"
shall see you again, there will be an
other dance here soon. How is il tina
l never saw You before at one?'
"This is my first dance here he sal
grayely."
Why it was that Ophelia's eyes sud
denly filed with tears he couldn't un
derstand, but she left him with a quie
bow and went back to the dancing-room
you've been enjoying yourself,
see," said the Doctor, as GRAFTON cam
to soy good-by, though I must ay