The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-05-22

She pi,jtured to herself several
types of her own creation, finally
wavering between a dreamy Burne-
Jones figure and hero of the Chew
alier Bayard type, so dear to most
women. Somehow or other Toms
vigorous personality would persist
in mixing itself up with her brain
portraits until they were such sad
composite that in despair she gave
up the personal appearance of her
ideal.
Not that l care so much for
looks" she said to herself, "but
how pleasant it would be to have
lover who understood my every
thought, who anticipated every
wish, and who would know what
was about to say before the words
were formed, whose knowledge was
boundless, and whose soul should
be in touch with all that was good
and true and beautiful"
Oh, if she could but see such
one, she thought to herself, how
she could unburden her soul to him.
Conversation would be rapture,
and how ennoblipg, how elevating,
life with such one would be2 Just
at this point in her reveries Miss
Rossiter (who rather prided herself
upon her calmness under the most
surprising and trying circum-
stances) gave sudden start and ex-
clamation. She rubbed her eyes and
gave herself little pinch to see if
she could be dreaming. No, she was
wide awake, and in the easy chair
near her sat man, a stranger to
her. Strange to say, she felt neither
alarmed nor embarrassed, and after
the moment of surprise at this sud
den visitation she stole another look
at her unexpected companion, who
was gazing intently into the fire
He was rather tall and slender,
and his regular features and dark,
dreamy eyes were pleasant to look
upon.
She had vague impression of ia
miliarity as she watched him, and
haunting resemblance to some
one, perhaps a mere brain image,
puzzled her.
just then he turned toward her
and smiled slightly.
II do not wonder that you like to
sit here he said in courteous ac-
cents. ut is pleasant room and
gratifies ones aesthetic sense. You
love to watch the freight glimmer
through. the room, now playing up
on the gilt of the picture frames, or
suddenly lighting for a moment
some dusky corner; but, best of all,
you like to watch the warm glow
leap over that marble Psyche. You
have passion for color
Yes" she said wonderingly,
'but how did you know9 Who are
you2"
There is no thought of yours
that l do not know" he said, "and
l came here in response to your
wish. am your longed for kindred
soul-your realized ideal"
Miss Rossiter was silent for mo-
ment and sat vainly trying to recall
the theories that Herr Gundlach
had advanced before the German
club concerning kindred souls and
affinities. If she remembered right
ly, he had said that each soul had
kindred soul, but that sometimes
there were limitations of time and
space which i'll another world-but
just here the stranger interrupted
her thoughts by saying:
Eyes, that is true. But sometimes,
under peculiar conditions, as to-
night, time and space are as moth
ing. And SO it is that l am with you
now.
He ceased speaking Surely it was
the opportunity of Miss Rossiter's
life for unbounded soul revelations;
but, odd to relate, she felt strange
ly silent
A number of naturally curious
questions fitted through her brain,
but she checked her thoughts lit
tie guiltily, as it occurred to her
that IN all probability the stranger
was cognizant of her thoughts. and
might consider her inquisitive.
mo" he remarked politely, 81
am not permitted toreveal the laws
which govern me, nor can tell how
long I may be able to remain with
you"
Then he really did know what she
was thinking.
She had never imagined how very
perplexing it would be to constant
ly control ones thoughts-to put a
check rein on them, to quote Toms
language.
She turned little uneasily in her
chair, and in doing SO inadvertently
revealed one of her daintily slipper
ed feet.
Now, Tom had a special weakness
for dainty slipper, as she well
knew, and, forgetting for moment
that it was not Tom who sat there,
she looked up in apparent uncon-
sciousness of any little feminine art,
only to meet an amused smile in the
strangers eyes.