The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-29
Passing shadows.

~"s ASAs ~ =" - SRShG
in the East doing the watering places;
o friend was accompanying me, and as
we were lounging in sleeper we both
dropped off into reverie. The train
was slowing up at a small country re.
sort; l raised my window and looked
out. On the platform at the station I
saw three young girls accompanied
by IN escort; they were laugh
ing mirtkfully over an attempt
of one of the girls to climb
upon a barrel standing on end under
the cornice of the station. The sun
was shining glorlously, but a little
shower had driven the party beneath
the cornice for protection. At last this
young girl gained her footing and stood
VIGOROUSLY on the barrel; then glanc-
ing into the cars she evidently saw the
amusement she had provoked, for a
slight shade of crimson flushed her
cheeks. This young lass with her peach
bloom yisage somehow drew my eager
attention, and although Hooked on her
for only a minute ut most, I thought
her an angel. She was clad in some
white creamy substance which fell
about her graceful form. / grew en-
thusiastic and tried to find her eyes;
they were flashing here and there in
their wild mirtl, seeming to Guido IN
brightness the ylistening shower which
fell between us. But at last in their
rapid course they met mine, and [ fell
desperately in love with their owner.
But the train was off again and the vision
gone.
After we had passed out of view I fell
back into my seat and thought again.
My Duke aroused me by saying: "Not
rel"
/ suppose I said no to this exclama-
ton, but if I dill it was mechanical, for
[ was not in his world then.
We reached my home. Duke re-
manned my guest for q few days and
then returned to his post in the East,
for he was an officer in the navy. i
took up my routine duties of CONNER
cial life once more and in a short time
all remembrance OF the maiden on the
barrel had passed away to memory's
graveyard.
Three years elapsed and again I was
going to try the East for a month in
the winter to get q change which I
needed after very close attention to
business. SO I wrote to my friend Duke
Mt Washington that 1 was coming on to
eat his salt for awhile.
During various rounds in the gay
capital we were one evening at q Mr..
SIS house at a reception. I moved
through the assembled throng of men
and women. They were of all nation
%alities, brought together in that cos
mopolitan place.
After awhile I sought the conserva-
tory, where I whiled away the time eat
ing an ice and chatting with a little
French lady. I had not been there
long before Duke came sauntering in
with gentleman on his arm, whom he
presented to Mademoiselle; he remains
ed a moment and gave me- q look which
meant Come with mel" and with an
apology to Mademoiselle I took his arm
and walked off.
"What do you mean, Duke" I said,
"by rushing a fellow away in this man
ner from a bewitching creature like
Mademoiselle? Have you something
so very important on hand?"
Eyes, my boy" he replied. Come
with me and I guarantee that what 1
give you in exchange will prove equally
as captivating to your susceptible heart.
I've got a~settler for you"
He led me through several rooms
and finally stopped within a very dim
ly-lightel apartment. The object OF
his search was at the further end of
this room in a bay window that was
raised, letting the moonbeams fall
across the rich carpet, AMI half within
the shadow / saw a woman sitting; a
man was leaning in the partial dark.
ness at the back of her chair.
I was presented, q delicate hand was
extended INTO the light and a soft voice,
which seemed q part of the moonlight,
babe me be seated. I sat down on a
divan near her. Before I was aware of
1t Duke had quilted us and the gentle
man at her back had excused himself
and gone away.
When my companion spoke it was
with a voice like the Jingle of silver.
She seemed some old and loved friend
speaking in that sweet, gentle voice.
She was not q stranger to me. Oh, no!
She was one of those beings we dream
of and learn to know and love long be-
fore we meet them in the flesh.
She sat there as she talked, towing
with some roses on her corsage, when
one of the delicate buds fell from the
bunch resting there and rolled to my
feet. AS I pickedit up she leaned that
perfect head into the light, and bend
ing over, asked for the truant rose,
did not riya ~ to bar h,,t cot tboro
gazing into that beautiful face, through
those eyes into her very soul, and in
that glance l knew before me sat the
woman whom I had learned to love the
other time u eyes had met! Finally,
l became more composed and stam-
mered out something about memories
in which she had taken part.
She answered that somehow before,
in a dream or somewhere else, she had
seen my face, had known it well!
Then I told her the story OF the maid
en- on the barrel and the man on the
train. Her face lighted up; she sighed,
and | thought it was a sigh of love for
that long time ago-that moment in the
past.
All sorts of fancles were running
through my brain, when from out the
darkness at her back stepped a man who
said:
"Ah, my dear, do you not think it is
time we were going to X-'s?"
She arose and presented me, in that
beautiful voice that seemed a part of
the moonlight, to her husband, and
then, with an an revoir. was gone. I
found the rose in my hand and kissed
it. 1t vas sacred in my eyes, for it was
all that was left of my romantic but
vain dream of love.
Bismarck's face, when he begins to
speak, changes from pale to red, and