The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-25
A DREAM FACE

and have just found beneath pile Of let
tiers, brings back the memory Of certain
rainy night seven years ago
Alta few minutes after ~ on that night,
which preceded the morning Of Feb. Q
1881, the streets of New York wero de
serted, and nothing was audible except
the fall OF water, steady and monotonous.
It was then that fell asleep, sitting in
my chair, and tho book that had been
reading fanciful work on psychological
phenomcna-dr to the floor war
alone in my room-the fourth floor, front,
OF n lodging house on Twenty third street.
remember relapsing into n passive state,
permitting my head to fall backward,
allowing myself to fancy that the gasligbt
had expanded until it fixed my vision, and
finally closing my eyes. When my mind
was again the receptacle of impressions,
Il was in what, for want Of any other
term, must call dream.
seemed to be in Faris. I had gotten
there in dream fashion, without knowing
how. What evidence informed me that
the place was Paris cannot say.
had never set been abroad, yet Of my
locale was mentally convinced. IL was
night, it was raining, and | was solitary
in lonely street. Houses frowned On
both sides OF the way. The sky was
black, and there was no living being in
sight. did not seem 10 have n physical
being; only consciousness and the sense
OF sight and vague terror. | seemed to
DO Crouchng somewhere, AZ if 10 avoid
tho sensation of n presence behind me.
did not realize the power to act or move;
only to perceive.
Some yards away gaslight shed
spectral yellow glow upon tho wet pave
ment A rod or so distant its rays feebly
surrendered TO the darkness | ooncen-
tratcd my gazo upon this iilumined SPACE
1t was light in darkness, but II was
mournful. In tho solitude Il held my
eyes as if It were something of fascina-
ton
do not know how long my dream re-
manned, rs it were, stationary; how long
IL left mo crouching in the shadow, watch
ing the Pickering gaslight.
Suddenly l was not alone. Some one
had entered the circle Of light. A man,
tall. mufSsd, hurrying. His hat was
pulled down ever his eyes, his topcoat
collar turned up to hiS ears. Hlo was well
dressed. / never clearly saw rs face
There was rustling sound in me d.
rection opposite to that from which this
pedestrian came. Another figure became
visible. The two persons within the cir
clio of light were approaching each other.
The second conner was woman. She
wore heavy cloak and veil. She moved
rapidly. The two figures met under the
gaslight They were face to face.
The woman stopped. The man started
back a step, uttered an exclamation, then
he stood still. The woman drew her hand
from its shelter beneath her cloak. Some
thing WAS clasped in her Gngers-some
thing small, that Slistened in the yellow
gaslight. There was a fash OF fire,
sharp report. and smoke rose in the air.
The man lay on the pavement, rain wet
ting his face, tiny red stream running
from his breast The dim light enwrapped
his PROSTATE body in q sort Of mist.
The woman stood looking down at him,
the revolver still smoking in her hand.
8he raised her veil and saw her face
It was su3h striking face, 80 beauti- |
full, 30 pale and Mortified, that shall ever
be able to recall it at will, as it appeared |
70 my vision then.
A few seconds passed. Then all be- |
came dim, the picture faded, first the |,
dark street, then the dead body the gas
light last OF all
Rising above the pistol smoke, white |
against the night, her facet
I came to myself dare not say / |
understanding. II was still raining |
without, and the clocks Of New York |
were striking one. All through the night, |
as tried TO sleep, was haunted by a
woman's face, which stood before me in
bold, regular outlines, perfectly still.
Six months after that night was look
ing over some back numbers OF Partisan |
newspapers, when my eyes fell 10y chance
OH few lines relating that carly on that
morning an unknown man, probably |
English or American, had been found
dead, in q street whose name l have
strangely forgotten, shot in tho heart with
O pistol ballet.
Hooked at the date Of the paper. II was
Feb. 2, 1881.
A curious coincidence, thought to my
self. But the time has come when coin
cidences no longer startle.
s'There she Isl See-with the orange
colorcd tights"
The orchestra struck up lively, elusive
air, Us she danced to the front of the
stage. She sang her ballad in u light but
pleasing voice. There was daintiness in
her smile, refined grace in her move
fnents, that caught the attention even Of
the blase.
had dropped in to see IN act of the
new burlesque at tho - theatre. Ches-
10y, q journalistic friend Of mine, was
among the throng of lobby loungcrs wait
ing for the curtain to rise on tho second
act. He had been entertaining me with
an account Of tho charms OF newcomer
10 New York, an English girl, who played
the part Of q courier. 1t was she Of the
orange colored tights.
"Rathcr pretty; like her STYLE" said,
Joining in the applause that demanded
repetition OF her number.
"Prettyl Is that ally'' demonstrated
Chesley. look closer, and youa! call
her beauty"
She was smiling and bowling, aDd pro-