The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-24
AN IMPOSITION OF SLEEP.
BY Even Mae herson.

were tired after your long ride that's
all" A..
HIM. Perhaps you didn't notice che
curious emphasis Miss webster put on
the word sleepy Perhaps you dldn
hear the way she made that remark
about 'ory weather.
81 hearo her say at breakfast
ooh. | don't mean at breakfast carl
ION interrupted. Il mean last night
Ethel shook her head.
"She can't have put any emphasis on
sleepy. she said. for ! don't remem-
Der hearing her say anything OF me
kind last nigt. You must he thlnklhs
o. What ne said al the breakIas' ,"o'o'
40. m not" Carlton persisted
'Didn YOU hear what she said about
it's being very dry weather / know
YOU laughed. as If Il was a good joke
when was all this?'
I'll was out here last night. You were
sitting down there. on that step
IL never sat on that step last night.
"Then please tell me what did happen
II / am laboring under deluslon'
What did happen said bthel' was
that we all three went out for little
spin after supper
Il rem ember that"
and ,hen we sat down together on
that wocGen berch between the WINDOWS
for about ten minutes
Did / yawn2'
81 don't remember You yawning. Ihen
Marion and / went in, and you climbed
into the hammock.
Suddenly Cartons face became very
grave His memory had been refreshed
and he could take up the thread OF the
story where Ethel left it. The thread
carried him to a neighbo ing bowling
alley. where. drawn by thirst he mad
gone i'm search of beer after the girls
had left HIM. Il was a sultry night ana
the beer was well iced. He remembercl
returning soon 10 the hammock IL was
all very plain now. Marion webster
peculiar adherence OF intONlcahts mus
have been on hismlnd when he got back
10 the hammock after ms NlaiI 10 '"c
bowling alley. Tnc startling reanty OF
that brief. but sharp. dialogue about
eIeapiness must nave been only a ig-
ment Of his brain.
II think / see 10 now he said.
81 must have been dreaming. VIII
Won do me great kinwness, Miss Young
Don't say a. word about this TO MISS
Webster-until-
Until whcn?'
"Oh. until we-Oh, not for two years
There"
81 viii promise. If you will make me
another promise" said Ethel, laughing.
Name your terms
"That you will never again dream TOOL
ish and mischieveous dreams.
But how can 1 help it,
"VeU TO use your own language
mean. mems language-stick 70 SOIL
drink. when you're thirsty. Is IL par
gain?'
III is But look here. you mustn't get
that impression of me. hardly ever
touch beer. l give you my WORD ana
never anything stronger.
That's lust why 10 makes you cream
ugly dreams when you do touch il. And
then YOU get cross. Here we are Marion.
We're all ready
So the three went 70 church together.
carlton I'm a subdued condition Of mind.
penitent beyond what was demanded of
him. and a model Of gallant attention.
'It's all right, Marion. said Ethel'
as soon as the two were alone. once
more. He's IN lovely humor again.
And I know all about what was the mat
ter with him. You want me to tell you?
We'll. I can't tell YOU until-until.
us it a secret between youF
Ethel nodded
II won't have IT," said Marion, smil-
mig ana blushing.
"Only one way to stop it, my dear"
said Ethel.
What's that"
Marry MN.
ooh, EtEel!'
"Then perhaps he'll tell YOU, and you
won't have TO ask me at all
Two years later those three were sit
ting on that same porch when Ethel
young said. "I believe the time is up
now Mr.. Carlton. ] am going to tell
your wife about that dream YOU had.
'Too late" said Marion Carlton. Il
know an about it,