River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-06-19

he lett as II he was telling fairy tale
to child.
How charming! Dotell me more of
her. Is she beautiful What is she
like?"
The fanciful conceit seemed to amuse
her, SO he went on drawing pictures of
an ideal woman; then growing uncon-
sciously eloquent, he burst out, "Ah, if
one could only meet her alive, what
wife she would makel A very second
self, aiding, sympathizing, helping, low
ing--at once the cheeriest of chums and
the most idolized of idols
She had flushed a little as he spoke,
but she went on. what pretty pic
turel Where did you get your pretty
thoughts about marriage?"
II suppose my dream girl taught me. "
Is she pretty?"
Grayton wondered if deliberate bare.
faced compliment would be tonic for
| a lunatic. Yes, beautiful. She has
large brown eyes, wonderful hair, low
voice, an olive oval face, she dances SUI
perBly, and she wears black-red rose
in her white dress"
Ophelia looked a little frightened.
Forgive me, | didn't mean to be
rude, but she is-really, you are not an
CRY with me?" and he laid his hand
gently on hers.
''Oh, no, and then there was a pause.
Come, Jet me show you some pictures;
Tn something of an ARTIST myself and
she led him into long gallery, and
talked art so sensibly and sympathetic
ally that here, at all events he felt there
was a very pleasant method in her mad
ness.
Talking art" is a recognized method
of interch angling sympathies.
He was no bad judge of picture; but
he preferred to effect ignorance, and
asked the stupidest questions simply for
the pleasure of hearing her talk. There
was a kind of innocent dignity about
her that fascinated him. She was more
like Vestal virgin than Bacchante.
So the evening passed all too quickly
till he suddenly bethought himself that
there was an important division in the
Lords that night, and thath he was bound
to be not content" before the clock
struck eleven, and after that he was due
at Lady Congleton's dance.
Must you 60 away?' she said, "why?"
"Well, you see, I'm one of those much
abused people that the radicals call
hereditary legislators, and / am not
abolished yet; | must be in our House
at eleven"
OF course she could not have under
stood word he said, for she murmured
to herself, "Poor fellow so young tool"
He rose and held out his hand. "Good
night; thank you for a very charming
evening"
"Good night, a." said Ophelia tenderly.
should like little memory of this
meeting; will you give me that rose?
I've been longing forit all the EVENING""
"Of course will why didn't You ask
for it before?" and she took it from her
dress and fastened it in his coat. II
shall see you again. there will be an
other dance here soon. How is it that
I never saw you dance before at one?"
"This is my first dance here, +" he said
gravely.
Why is it that Ophelia's eyes suddenly
filed with tears he couldn't understand,
but she left him with a quiet bow and
went back to the dancing room.
You've been enjoying yourself, |
see" said the doctor as Grayton came
to say good-by, though | must say
it was rather selfish of both of you"
"Selfshl why, | did all could for
her, poor dear girl"
Poor! why, my dear Lord Grayton,
she has six thousand year of her
own"
Dear me! and what is done with
it,"
''She does what she likes with it; she
helps all the charities, and she helps
me and Copswood in particular,
and she generally does lot of good to
our poor people picks up some one
she takes fancy to, and cheers him up
a bit. She's one Of my best tonics and
this is the first time | have noticed that
she never danced once with patients
that was your fault, you know. "
"Good gracious! then she-isn't-a =
patient herself?"
The doctor laughed till tears rolled
down his jolly face. "Bless my heart,
no That's Lady Mary Pettigrew ,daugh-
ter of old Lord Polonius, and she's just
one of the cleverest and sweetest girls
in the world. | thought you knew her"
Not l She came over and spoke to
me, and"
II see it all-took you for a patient?
o this is too lovely" and the doctor was
positively boisterous in his merriment
Grayton bolted to the House, and
having duly recorded his vote against
the bill sent from commons, for chloro
forming grouse instead of shooting them,
betook himself in strange state of be-
wilderment to Lady Conglentons.
His hostess welcomed him warmly, like
the prodigal that he was, and insisted
upon introducing HIM to some one in
whom she seemed to have special inter
est
Really a delightful girl, Lord Gray
ton, quite after your own heart devoted
to art and philanthropy, you know"
Grayton was too fnll of thought to
protest SO submitted meekly. What
were Girls TO him just then? He was
thinking over Copswood as his hostess
took his arm and they set out on pill
grinage.
''Ah here she isl Lady Mary Petit
grew, Lord Grayton. iii sure you two
will get along capitally." and her lady
ship was off, leaving Grayton staring
vaguely at his fascinating lunatic.
Lady Mary could hardly suppress a
scream as she turned her head and |
blushed as deep as the rose he still wore
in his button hole.
"How-how did you get out?" she
asked awkwardly.
81 never was in, Lady Mary the fact |
is, I'm afraid there has been little mis-
take on both sides. / only found out |
from the doctor as | left that you |
weren't a."
She put her feathery fan up with a
warning Hush" then said, "What |
brought you there?"
Curiosity; and your"
~ often go there and try to do some |
good. | cheer them sometimes, but to- |
night o, how wrong and stupid of meP
There was little pause as he looked |
at her with his frank, kindly eyes.
"Let us forget and forgive, Lady |
Mary; after all you were good to poor
Hamlet"
"And you were very nice and kind to
foolish Ophelia. Listen there's the |
Dream Faces again let us see if we can
dance it in our right minds" she said, |
as she rose with a nervous smile culver
ing in the corners of her lips.
And so it happened that in month |
they both came to their right minds,
and the doctor was at the wedding.