Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1894-04-27
IT WAS A DREAM.

Mrs. Warrenton sat in her little blue
and white parlor i'll beruffled white
muslin, her blond hair in a classic knot,
her blue eyes filled with well bred ennui
and her feet in coquettish blue and
white canvas slippers idly prodding the
lazy old Maltese tabby lying just out of
range Of the rocker.
Mrs Warrenton sighed deeply and
looked at her guest sideways.
"Good gracious, Bob, you are enough
to provoke saint!' she broke out, with
sudden petulance.
"If you were anything but the great
dull boy that you are, continued his
hostess aggrievedly, ''you would see
that am dying of stagnation. You're
the only interesting person know, and
now you come here and talk about the
hot weather and look out Of the window
and don't offer an original suggestion Or
now idea when I'm fairly verging Oh
intellectual starvation. Do something,
say something or go home"
"The weather is too warm for much
mental energy, but think if you famed
me for five minutes might evolve a
thought. I'd go home only it's shut up
for the summer, and I'm sick Of the
club, and you are the only available
amusement.
Mrs. Warrenton arose majestically,
possessed herself Of a large palm leaf fan
and began tanning the thinker.
You're sure you're thinking? Don't
dare to go to sleep!" she exclaimed as
the brows unlimited into peaceful Sc
renity. "Time's upp'
Mr.. Vinton unclosed his eyes and sat
bolt upright.
"You look" said he irrelevantly,
"like Dresden china shepherdess in all
those white ruffles and pink ribbon. Put
OH the big hat with pink roses, and you
can play Phyllis"
''Is that all you've thought out?'
NO." continued Bob radiantly.
"Ive thought further. You play Phyl.
lis, and I'll be Strephon, and We'll 60
| to Arcadia. y
Suppose, Bob you should tip me
over'-
'Strephon, remember, Strephon"
prompted Bob as he padded out slowly
into the stream in the red glow of the
sunset skies.
"Well, Strephon, then!" and Mrs.
Warrenton dabbled her finger tips in
the water and forgot to repeat her ques'
ton. II didn't know the Charles was
SO beautiful. What's all that green bank
and bridges and shady nookery up
there?"
'Arcadia, said Bob sententiously.
Mrs. Warrenton leaned back, nestled
her pretty head against the shawls and
looked picturesque
Mr.. Vinton padded industriously and
gazed straight ahead toward his destina-
tion.
"You look ever so handsome in your
shirt sleeves. always like men better
in their shirt sleeves-they're SO much
more picturesque. Why don't you paint
your next hero in shirt sleeves, pad
ding canoe with pretty girl-that' Is
/, of course, looking sentiment at him.
"Look sentiment at me, Phyllis, and
WILL" said Bob lightly.
"All right, Strephon, but what shall
we talk about?"
"Do you remember, Phyllis, the aft
ernoon l taught you to skate out ON the
marshes? And going home in the early
dark winter afternoon you slipped on
the ice and hurt your ankle and cried
you were only girl Of IL then-what
pretty girl. though!-and I put my arm
around you and helped you home and
kissed you sweetheart kiss in the base.
nlent vestibule. That was good many
years ago, Phyllis"
"You were nice boy, Strephon, but
you were always bold," said Mrs War
renton. And then she added, with a
touch of coquetry, "Would you believe
it, I've the valentine you sent me-the
one in box with pink roses and Cupid?"
II used to think you'd settle down to
marrying mo when you tired Of flirting
with Jack Warrenton. That's why !
didn't shoot him before he ever married
you, Nelr'-
phyllis, Phyllis" she interrupted
smiling. But he did not smile.
"Phyllis, mean-but my going of
to Rome that summer was fit Of pique
You said you didn't care, and when l
came back you wero married, and I'm
sure I've acted like an angel ever since.
wonder if you ever did care?''
"Iwontlerv' murmured Mrs. Warren.
tom dreamily. "And now," she contin.
ued, you're going to marry that nice
little girl of yours down at Newport and
be o steadygoing Benedict and never
any more spend afternoons in Arcadia
with Phyllis
"Fact!" returned Bob little bitter.
ly, and as a streak Of dying sunlight
struck acrosa his face thro,,oh the