Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
ONLY A DREAM N.

ONLY A DREAM.
Kate Somers stood on the porch of
her fathers house one evening in early
June, with. a perplexed look in her
brown eyes. The young man looking up
ut her from the lawn beneath listened
to what she was saying in an absent
minded way. for he has but one thought
at present: How lovely she isl" And
indeed he might easily be pardoned for
his wandering attention.
Kate, with her sweet, womanly face,
soft brown eyes and hair, her slight
figure in its dainty summer gown, rs
she stands outlined against the even
ing Sky, is IL picture likely to distract
the thoughts Of u man less Impressions
BILE than Horace Glenn.
II will walk to the gate with. you,
Horace said the girl, as she ran light
ly down the steps and slipped her hand
through his arm.
Then I must so. You will not let
me stay here with you?" he asked in
a disappointed tone, casting one longing
look back at the cozy porch, dimly light
ed by the rising moon, and another at
the fair, sweet face so near his own.
Kate flushed hotly.
You know would like to have you
,o,,,o,oJ,f,,Il1, sIJ,,,t If what Won say
is true it would not be just right in
you, Horace"
She drew him gently away as she
spoke and together they strolled slowly
across the lawn.
You see, it is Lydia's birthday" he
says, alphabetically, "and l half prom
Used would come over there to-nght:
She is to have some friends in and Will
expect me, suppose. But don't care
about it at all. would much rather
stay here with YOU Won't you let me,
Katie?"
He turns and looks pleadingly into her
eyes, but she shakes her head at him.
mo, no. You have promised ana l
would not have you break your WORD
on my account 1t would he very sell
ish Of me to keep you"
Horace knows Of old that Hates NO"
admits Of no protest and so, with
sigh, relinquishcs all hope OF staying
and turns down the shaded street, feel
ing the girls eyes follow him rs he
goes. He has been very much IN earn
est lust now about wanting to stay,
much to his surprise, for he had been
rather anticipating Lydia Longs birth
day party and had not had the snghtest
intention of al,sen1jng himself. His way
however, lay by Hates house, and see.
her ON the porch he had just dropped
in "for moment'-a moment long
enough to make him wish he had moth
ing else in prospect but quiet evening
with her.
The influence Kate had over this
young man was one which he realized
reached the higher and better part OF
his manhood. Ever since she had first
looked at him with those shy, serious
eyes when they were mere school chill
dren together lie had been drawn more
and more closely to her until, though
no words had passed between them,
each felt and believed III the love Of
the other
All this was in Horace's mind rs he
strobe along in the gathering dusk and
like silent rcproach weighed heavily
on his heart as he thought Of the girl
for whose sake he had not only given
up this one evening Of Hates society,
but, alas, many others in the last few
months. But he shook off the feeling
which had stolen upon him. unawares
as it were and begun to spec ulate on
the pleasure Of the evening before him.
"BeWitching little Lydia" He was fond
of her, too, in way he told himself
and smiled as the memory Of some Of
her mad praIllls and saucy words came
to him. FIe felt in his pocket for the
pretty trinket lie had bought Tor her
birthday remembrance, and wondered
how he could have thought Of fore
going the pleasure Of seeing her eyes
dance when he gave it to her.
A man of many moods! Yes, but at
the bottom of all was his love for Kate,
unrealized as yet, but steadfast and un-.
changeable in spite Of bubbles on the
surface A guilty feeling that he was
to some extent deceiving her, who had
always known even his thoughts, made
him hasten his steps. A radiant vision
in white waits for him at the little sum-
mer house he had lately become so
familiar with and two white hands held
out in welcome make him forget for
time all else.
Kate swings in her hammock quite
alone. She is very glad that no one. has
come in to disturb her, for tonight she
had much to do to keep her hands from
trembling and the tears from her eyes,
Only tired, she tells herself, and a bit
nervous. She will go in pretty soon
and try to sleep. But she does not 20.
The moon shines down clear and
steady on the lawn without and casts
; broad, deep shadows among the trees.
All is SO still, so beautiful. She calls
to mind other nights like this when
Horace had been there with her and
then she falls to thinking Of Lydia
Long and the change that has come in
to her life in the last few months.
TO be sure, Horace was just the same
but before he had never seemed to need
to want any one but her. or late, too,
he had seemed restless ut times, quite
unlike himself, and she wonders If af-
ter NIL she is not the woman to meet
the requirements of his nature. She
has often watched him and Lydia and