The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-06-11
THE DREAM WOMAN.

was lHc Nltllul oi bf a-ttidii 4cf q = anu
every one had given me up. heard the
priest say at my bedside that / would
not live until morning was sinking
into heavy stupor wnen the door open
ed, and q .slden-haired woman in a
white gown glided ia. She carried in
her hand a curious porcelain bowl OF
water
Drink" she said in a sweet voice
holding il to my lips.
"The doctor forbids it, l murmured.
"Drirk, and fear nothing she said.
] obeyed and drained the vessel she
held toward me.
Good night and sweet dreams" she
added, and glided away as nysieriously
as She had entered.
The next morning awoke refreshed
and invigorated. asked to see the lady
who had waited upon me in the night
but they smiled and said it was a deliri-
ous dream.
In time / recovered my health and re-
turned to Virginia It was ten years
afler this illnoss that in riding past a iine
old country house, J saw lady walk
down the path who paused to pick rose.
Her figure was tall, her hair golden, her
ewes dark. Her motions were graceful.
With little exclamation Of fastonish-
inent, ! recognized heiady ofmy dream,
locking older, but otherwise unaltered.
know not in what words L communi-
Gated this fact.to my friend, but know
ended by saying
81 must speak to her She viii re-
membe.7
My friend uttered an imperative neg
alive.
she would think you q madman,' he
said. Come on. You may get yourself
shot for staringat another mans wife.
They 90 such things promptly in the
South. viii find out who she is If you
ike
I assented eagerly. We rode GA.
"Talk to me as much as you like" he
said, "but never expose yourself to
strangers. It is possible this lady was in
Brazil in lS-, and brought You some
thing to drink when You were left alone.
In that case doubt that troubles you
will be satisfied. You can, with ali pro-
prietv, call upon her and thank her"
But though he spoke in this way,
knew he did not imagine it could be so.
That evening we smoked our cigars in
Col is company, and my friend diplo-
matically introduced the subject.
"That beautiful house with the large
garden be said, "is quite feature Of
the place. Who owns it"
~ lovely woman, widow Of Mr.. v"
said the Colonel. "She wasa belle in
her girlhood, and she might still be one
if she only chose"
"Perhaps We saw her in the garden, -
said my friend, beginning a minute de-
scription.
Exactly. 1t was no one else" said
the Colonel
My friend paused fora moment, and
then said
"She reminded B. Of some one he had
met in Brazil. In fact, he almost beliey-
ed her the same person"
"No, no, said the old Colonel. Mrs,
Y. has never left Virginia. We have
known the family since she was two
years old. 1t is only the other day that
we spoke of that, and she lamented that
she had not travelled more"
felt pang Of disappointment, but
found courage to say 81 should greatly
like to be introduced to herr
The old Colonel instantly offered to in
troduce me.
"But remember" said my friend, as
we parted, 'never tell her Of your fancy.
1t would spoil your chances with her,
and I see it is a case Of love at first sight
He was right, and was very fortu-
nate-yery happy. l won this beautiful
woman's heart.
Her fortune ] did not want, but it was
large. | had sufficient means and could
not be suspected Of mercenary motives.
We were married after long and ar
dent wooing on my part.
She loved me, but a second marriage
seemed wrong to her, and il was not un-
til she realized that she had irretrieva-
bly, given me her heart that she would
give her hand.
Neither Of US had ever visited Europe.
We decided TO cross the ocean duringour
honeymoon. Before we went she show
ed me her beautiful home and all her
possessions. Among them was store Of
old china.
Suddenly she turned TO the shelves Of
her cabinet and took down china bowl
transparent, covered with flowers and
butterflies Of quaint conventional form.
As she held it toward me, ! saw again
the long, low-hung whitewashed Bra
lillian room-the crowd Of men playing
x