Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-19
A DREAMER OF DREAMS.

N DNLAuLIlC OI D1luANuks
From the London Temple Bar.
James Bond had reached the ma
ture age of 40, when the casual smile
OF a woman changed the whole tenor
Of his existence. He met her in West
bourne Grove, one Autumn afternoon,
and, though she smiled not at him,
but at an old crossing sweeper who
was thanking her with excessive volu.
blllty for a. sixpence, yet her beautiful
Face was SO charged with sweetness
that there arose within him q new
sensation which he could not define.
Can this be love?" he asked himself
gazing earnestly after the graceful fig
ure disappearing around the corner.
"Pshaw! it is absurd. I don't even
know her name"
He continued his walk more slowly
iowa d Kensington Gardens where he
was accustomed to 20 for his daily
constitutional.
What is love?' he proceeded.
'Unity-the ovetailing Of gels--the
meeting ofextrenes; therefore depend
ent upon the logical faculties which
alone can classify separate and unite.
Consequentlywithout thorough knowl-
edge, love is impossible. Yet her smile
was sweet-yes, it certainly was very
sweet At the thought Of that exqui-
site vision the dull gray eyes brighten
ed, and the sallow. careworn face wore
a peculiarly soft expression
Bond rented lodgings-dingy rooms,
Uttered with books and papers, from
which his landlady was forbidden to
remove the dust. He Was seldom
there, however, for he lived in dreams,
the construction of which occupied
most OF his time, to the exclusion OF
more solid work. Why should he
work? He himself did not see the
need, for the proceeds Of fellowship
supplied him with food and books. II
his clothes were shabby it was from
want of thought rather than from
want OF means. A tall, gaunt, black
bearded man, rounded shoulders,
he went about like ascarecrow, a most
tempting object for the small boys in
the neighborhood to pelt with jokes
and orange peel.
Walking homeward through back
street he met q number of them Just
turned loose from g. Board School.
They were engaged in tormenting a
cat held firmly by g. string around it's
neck. At another time Bond would
have gone swiftly by, anxious only to
escape to peace and quietness, but
now it was different-why, he could
not tell. Some causes are too subtle
for analysis.
"My good children, he said advanc-
ing nervousIly, "you shouldn't do that
you know"
They turned and faced him, dubi-
Gus group, ready to assail or flee, &C.
cording as he showed weakness or
strength.
"Why do you beat the unfortunate
anin.al?" he pursued.
Zoos it's mine," replied the red
headed young urchin who held the
string.
Highly illogical, my boy"
"Findin's is keepin's, you know,
yguv'nor. Master wollops me, so I
'wollops my cat"
Human, no doubt, but not hui
name, said Bond with smile. "Will
you sell it,"
They opened their eyes and grinned
at one another. After q pause the
young spokesman demanded: "Isay,
;guv'nor, what'll yer give?"
''Ten shillings. See here they are.
Is that enough"
Needless to say the bargain was
struck on the spot. Bond paid the
money, put the cat under his arm and
walked off, followed by yells of laugh.
ter. In his threadbare clothes he Ger
tainly looked an ungainly figure at any
time, but the struggles of the sleek and
handsome tabby to free herself from
his embrace made him g. more than
usually remarkable object. z
"Now, why did Ibuy this creature?"
he asked himself. "Was q hatred of
cruelty the sole motive? No; each act
is the resultant of two or more forces.
Though the comparison may be car
ried too far, the cat naturally suggests
woman; she is the old maids com
panion: why not the old bachelors as
well? lam lonely. There we get to
the bottom of the matter-selfishnes
under the guise of benefcence. Not
quite the bottom, however; why more
lonely to-day than yesterday? But
stay; only a fool searches for first
causes: All, yes; her smile was very
sweet" ~ ~ % H..
Though the weather was by no means
cold he had fire lighted in his sitting
room, in order that his new pet should
enjoy the cheerful blaze. Abundantly
4 provided with milk, the cat soon made
herself quite at home. Her master,
after silently contemplating her for q
few minutes, let his thoughts wander
away into the realms Of fancy.
He had already given name to the
Fair Unknown, and that name was
Eulalie the prettiest one he could
think Of. He depicted her IN her
home surrounded BY smiling faces
all uniting to render homage to the
{ beautiful Eulalie: and then he saw her
] in another home no less happy, him-
self her vis-a-vis and sole admirer.
Somehow or other the cat purring on
3 the hearth-rug at his feet seemed to be
1 ID link between them, it was absurd,
no doubt; ho tried to struggle back in
ITO . more rational mood but III ia
vain; he seemed to have drifted into
nother sphere il which reason 49,
nnkno
Next morning Bond went ont into
the Grove agAin. He Wasoutsof s0rts,
1 40 told hin,s md RANTS = walk