Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-09-10

for my friend was an excellent story
teller. At this point he paused.
well" said |, inquiringly, ''what
came of it?"
Two years ago" he continued, II
came to San Francisco. One day,
shortly after my arrival, / was stand
mg on Il street-corner waiting for a
car. and in the meantime turned and
carelessly glanced at a case of photo
graphs displayed at the foot Of q flight
of stairs leading to an artists studio.
| gave a start rs my face rested upon
one face. The deep, dark eyes looked
into mine, the regular features, the
very folds of the hair, caught up grace
fully over the high, intellectual fore
head, were those of the maiden of my
dream!
II lost all interest in the a and
FASTENED up the stairway to the studio.
The photographer evidently considered
me an escaped l%unatic.
You have a picture in your case be-
low-whose is it9' inquired nervous
ly.
"a picture! Why, there are two
hundred! How should l know which
n You mean?'
livery true; | did not think of that.
But, pardon me, sir, n Of those pho
tographs reminds me most forcibly of
an absent friend whom | greatly desire
TO find. VIII you be kind enough to
lend me your aid in the matter?'
Certainly, sir. Your manner
when you first came in led me TO doubt
your sanity. However, | am now re-
assured, aud shall be most happy to
serve you
His kindness ayailed little. The
/ photographer could not tell TO whom
the picture belonged. He concluded
that it must be the order OF a transient
visitor to the city; the negative had
been destrOyed-and so | departed in a
more disturbed condition of mind than
before.
81 had intended to pursue my pro-
fession in Southern California, as close
attention 10 work had induced q pull
monary complaint from which i'll this
mild climate | hoped to obtain relief,
but all my energies were directed to-
wards finding the original of the haunt
ing evasive photograph.
II secured an engagement upon the
staff OF an evening newspaper. Wher-
ever | went-in church, theater, or up
on the streetS-my whole soul was abb
sorbed in searching for what n major
ity of persons would call an illusion.
In the fulfillment Of my duties | was
sent to furnish a report of the COM
mencement exercises of a woman's
college at Oakland, just across the bay.
Some strange impulse moved me to
send down my report and to accept an
invitation from the president of the
faculty to attend au evening reception
at the college hall. This was not in
consonance with my ordinary habits,
for a peculiar and sometimes most I'M
pleasant diflidence led me to avoid
rather han seek public aSsemblages of
the kind. The night was warm, and
the ladies sought the pleasant balco-
MES overlooking the bay to enjoy the
refreshing breeze from the Pacific. As
| sauntered up to one of the windows |
observed a young woman, who in some
mysterious way did not impress me as
a stranger, gazing abstractedly into
the starry depths overhead. Thinking
that it was some one to whom | had
been introduced during the evening, |
aroused her from her reverie by a COM
monplace remark. As she turned her
face towards mine our eyes met. |
started back in establishment. | had
met the lady of my dream!
" Pardon me, but we have met be-
fore | believe | said half-apologetical-
ly, as soon as | could collect my scat
tered senses.
81 do not know, sir; there is certsln-
" a familiar one in your voice She
spoke in the same sweet and bewitch-
ing tones so deeply fixed in my mem
DRY. In my confusion, | quickly adj
ded:
=" 1T must have been in Arabia
The eyebrows were arched in sur
prise.
:" thinkno sir,-Ihave never tray
eled IN the East
"Well, to cut my story short, a last
ing friendship was formed then and
there. You have met Mrs. Manches-
ter. She has proved all that my dream
foretold. 1t is true that she has no
recoIlections Of having been my COM
panion in the desert sands of Africa,
but | am none the less convinced that
she is the tacwin' from whose lovely
face / snatched the veil. "-E3Oi35 RRs-
! seI Morse, IN Chicago Tribune.