The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-19
1.-The country is nothing to me.

There, Tom, you are suffering from
fatal malady, and-stop poking that
fire; coal is dear-and l know the ma
ture Of it. I've been there myself
You've got all the symptoms frightful-
ly developed.
"Well, what is it?''
"You are in love. That's what's the
matter with you. You've aimed high,
Tom, but my blessing goes with you
Hitch your wagon to star, ira la la. -
"You seem to know all about me, "
and Tom grew surly.
eyes, when fellow mopes all day
instead of studying law, and when /
find scraps Of poetry on his desk instead
Of the last opinion of the court of APP
peals, and when"-
"That will do, Jack. You're hitting
me under the belt
That evening Tom went to a small
social gathering Mildred was there.
She was robed in white, and the poor
fellow felt convinced that she must have
wings concealed under her Dress She
had just dropped down from the heav-
emily choir for few minutes converse
ton and might take flight at any mo-
ment. He was all eyes, and his heart
futtered. He chatted with her, but was
SO beside himself that he couldn't do
justice to his own powers and thought
she regarded him with something like
disdain. That stung him to the quick.
At half past II her father was to have
called for her, but he hadn't arrived.
CEo woe uocJ Ioo1 <ro,,1>1orJ <l,o
mishap, but Jack instantly offered him
self as her escort, and to his great sur
prise she gladly assented.
I'll be ready in five minutes, Mr.
Creighton, and then she disappeared.
On the way home he had an irresisti-
BILE impulse to declare himself. The
moon shone bright and clear, and the
occasion seemed favorable to his suit.
In trembling tones he made the fatal
confession, and when it was all over
there was long silence.
At length she said in a low, pathetic
voice:
II am SO sorr.- -
And you can give me no hope?"
How can the lips speak when the
heart is dumb?" she answered. but by
no means coldly. On the contrary, her
accents We're very tender.
You are already he began rather
bitterly.
"That question, Mr.. Creighton, you
have no right to ask. " This time she
spoke in distant, even naughty, tone.
They had reached her door. He lifted
his hat. She extended her hand cordial
ly and said: 81 hope always to be your
friend. Good night"
The poor boy staggered back to his
room, and, thank heaven, Jack was not
there. He sat in front of the fire think
ing, thinking, chatting at his i'll luck
and cursing himself, and at last dropped
into troubled doze and dreamed.
The rustling of magic raiment made
him turn his head. There stood fairy,
with a strange smile on her lips.
4 Have you come to gloat over my
misery?" he cried. Cant 1 even be
wretched without your interference:
Leave me to myself. "
A silvery laugh was the only answer.
1t rang through the room like a strain
! of music.
II am here" she said, $50 do your
bidding. Shall we go?''
$50? Yes, go anywhere; to the end
of the world if you Gke-anywhere, SO
l get away from here.
She waved her wand and that dingy
students den gradually disappeared.
They We're in the open air. Fields and
hills and valleys flew past them. Tom
became exhilarated Yesterday was fad
ing from his memory. He only dimly
recalled the walk with Mildred, and
there was strange unreality about that
poignant experience. With another
wave Of the wand he fell into entire un-
consciousness. And while in that state
the magician led him to his apartment
and seated him in chair.
A harsh grating sound broke on his
ears, and he awoke.
THE missis is here, sorr, an is ask.
in for yez. }"
Tom rubbed his eyes In front of him
stood-could it be true?-Mildred Hew-
son.
"Why, Tom, you dear boy, you must
have been very tired. You didn't hear
A00 OPoA VAo SOOI, O1U you! 4OOheO III,
saw that you were asleep and thought
it too bad to wake you"
Then he reused himself and took the
dear woman in his arms and kissed he1
again and again
"You must have been dreaming.
Tom.'
II was, Mildred. .
What did you dream, dear? Tell
me all about it..
''Not now, Mildred. 1t was an awful
dream, and the less said about it the
better.'
In the morning Jack and Tom met as
usual.
II was pretty tired yesterday, WASH I
1, Jack?"
"Yes, you We're, and 1 advise you to
take care Of yourself. Good fellows are
scarce nowadays"
Didn't we say something about be-
ing young again, Jack?"
"Certainly-that is to say, you did,