Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-06-22

rolled cigarettes superlatively well.
His neat fingers rarely spoilt paper
or split grain of tobacco. He was
rolling them now, gently, and slowly,
and very neatly. Indeed, the whole
man suggested neatness. From the
crown of his fair, sleek head to the
sole of his small, black boot mot very
long way, either. neatness reigned.
But tonight he looked dull, like a
bird that was sick or frozen, or had
lost his mate. The other men noticed
this from the moment he appeared. At
last one of them, who knew him espe-
cially well, had voiced the thought of
all the rest in the words just uttered.
This man watched him as he uttered
them, out OF the corners of his own red
brown, close-set eyes
Richard" he said again, in the pause
which succeeded his first appeal, as the
neat fingers rolled and rolled the thin
paper firmly and tightly in silence,
deliver thy soul We're all friends
here. What is it, old man? Debt or
difficulty?'-the speaker yawned and
smiled-"Oh hang both, but speak"
The yellow head bent over the cigar
cite lifted itself. The owner of the
head laid the cigarettes side by side on
the table. He swept the surplus to-
bacco into a rubber pouch; then he
stood up. Somebody remarking that
1t was 'doocid cold" some other body
stirred the FIRE vigorously. The flames
leapt up brilliantly. The Canary
drew over to the fire as if the heat came
TO thaw his frozen feathers. He stood
up with his back lying against the shelf
of the mantel-piece. Presently some
slight color warmed into his face. His
eyes lighted somewhat Evidently he
was making an effort to cast off some
depressing influence.
"Dick," said his friend, the man with
the close-set eyes, you're downright
hipped."
'Pm not" said the other suddenly;
ut-Pm-bothered, and - Pm - an
ass"
He stopped, turned toward the fire,
and kicked a live coal which was hang
inY over the edge of the bar right into
the cairn of leaping flames Then he
turned his back again on the CRATE.
81 tell you what" he began, hesitat-
ingly, tits an odd thing, and l dare
say am fool and that you'll laugh
like-like old shoes when ] tell you;
but the fact Is, can't for the life of
me get dream I've had out of my
head"
He smiled, but he avoided looking
directly at any of them.
1T was beastly dream" he con-
tinued with apologetic emphasis;
"beastly-and so plain. Good heav-
ems" he stopped. There was faint
grin on one or two faces. Then the
man with the close.set eyes interposed
Tell u.s." he said, lying back in his
chair, and speaking with good deal
of deliberate indifference, tell us what
it was"
I've dreamt the same beastly thing
three times running. three times, with
a glance to see what effect, II any,
might follow.
Last night, night before, night be-
fore" ticking them off on his fingers
"Oysters, Dicky," said the man in the
armchair without enclosing his eyes
II thought" with another husky
jerk, II was somewhere"
The near-set eyes Enclosed at this.
Their owner glanced up at the neat
figure.
by Jove," he drawled, and there
was a laugh.
II mean" continued the first speaker,
shat thought was in some strange
place, 1t was house, you know, but
whose house l didn't seem to know
He was growing more fluent as he pro-
ceeded, and the silence was encourag.
ing Anyhow heard a noise outside
the door of the room that was in in
this house, because (you know the rum
way one gets about in a dream) was
by this time in room. | went out OF
the room, a queer sort of bedroom, only
the bed was upside down and had long
white curtains; in fact thought the
sheets were hung up as curtains ON to
the lobby outside, and as opened the
door it struck full smash against some.
thing He paused, impressively, "Do
you know what il VASE"
Haven't an idea" said the spokes-
y man of the rest of the assemblsge, Ian
Edly. The others said nothing, but
beeiiain quickening of interest was
Kinnerttself felt The recounter OF
Chaneellor~d
guished mem said, quietly,
open soIuetI@ <
cial reception 4